Some organizations abhor change, this happens when there are long periods of stability and people become comfortable.  At these times change means disruption and feelings of discomfort or “dis-ease”.  But these long periods of comfort and stability can also make an organization unable to pivot to changing circumstances in the world around it.  Organizations need a defined mission, but the ability to change course to adjust to changes. 

I have been watching Elon Musk’s companies: Tesla and SpaceX.  Now Elon is a controversial figure, but I want to examine his philosophy about innovation, not him as a person.  They have post become successful but are never satisfied with where they are in terms of innovation.  Let’s start with Tesla, a company that is focused on a defined mission.  “To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.”   So, what has that meant to Tesla’s innovation?  First, they started as a car company, but have expanded into solar roofs, battery backup for homes, and now the power grid to make solar a 24-hour source of energy.  As a car manufacturer, they first made cars in the traditional manner except that they were battery-powered.  But they are changing the process of building cars by casting the cars’ chassis producing one large part instead of building that part from hundreds of smaller parts.  Now other car companies are attempting to do the same.  So, they are innovating their products and disrupting the larger car industry and how it builds cars and how it powers their cars. 

Similarly, SpaceX is innovating the rocket and space launch industry by making rockets reusable via the Falcon 9 which reuses the booster.  Now with the not-yet-perfected Starship, they are seeking to make the entire rocket reusable.  But their process is to fly rockets they know will have issues even while they are building other versions of that rocket with upgrades to explore the points of failure and to innovate faster than their competitors who take a slower process of trying to build a perfect rocket that will achieve all goals the first time it flies. 

In short Musk’s companies build what they can, accepting risk to improve on what they have built by testing and potential failure.  They are willing to fail to find what works.  But they always stay true to the mission of a given company or enterprise.

I once read about a minister who was retiring after 20 years at one church.  A member came to his office to comment on how everything they tried since he had been there had worked all the programs and ministries.  The pastor took out a list of all the innovations they had tried every ministry and program that they had birthed during his tenure over two-thirds had lines through them.  He pointed to those crossed out and said these are the ones that failed, you are only remembering the ones that worked.

The church has a defined mission see Matthew 28:18-20  18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The mission of the church has therefore always been to go to places near and far to make disciples.  This mission includes the conversion of people to Christianity from among the “none’s” and the others; from those who are atheist or agnostic or who practice other religions.  To proselytize or evangelize the lost.  This has become unpopular in our modern American context.  But also, at issue is how we effectively do this without compromising our core beliefs and adherence to the scriptures. 

If we are to be successful in the mission Christ gave us, we will have to try to advance His Kingdom in many ways. Some will work (for a time) others will fail.  But they must all be true to the mission and grounded in what he taught and in the scriptures.

We must be willing to try and risk failure for the Glory of God if we are to do what God has called us to.  And when we fail to get up, dust ourselves off and innovate as we try again.

Peace, Burt