Problem Solving Innovation
How Might a Problem Lead You to Practice Missional Innovation?
Bobby was standing in the security line at Chicago’s O’Hare airport. He was frustrated with his lack of follow through when it came to Bible reading. “I wonder if technology could help me read the Bible more consistently.” His first attempt at a solution was a website. He came up with the name in the security line and bought the domain YouVersion.com before his plane took off.
If you think this idea saw quick success, you would be wrong. The website failed. By this time he had secured a little funding from his church and recruited a team. They were not ready to give up. So when Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone and apps that could be downloaded to it, YouVersion’s Bible app was one of the first apps to show up in the store. They saw quick success. 17 years later, I joined my teammate, Josh Newell of Jesus Film Project, and other leaders from our organization in helping YouVersion celebrate their one billionth download! Our organization has quite a few reading plans in the app. We are only beginning to see the potential of this partnership.
It starts with a spark. An idea that solves a problem or accomplishes a goal. That idea spreads. It gains momentum. Innovation for innovation’s sake is not very effective. Innovation that solves a missional problem or increases our fruitfulness is absolutely essential for us to accomplish our mission. Global Digital Strategies would not even exist in our organization without innovation. It started with a question: “How might we pioneer into missional gaps in places where we don’t have staff or movements more quickly and with greater fruitfulness?” VLM (Virtual Led Movements) was born. The name was changed to Global Digital Strategies and we are doing it!
As I leave our time of celebration with YouVersion, I can’t help but ask myself, “How might we do a better job of creating more content journeys on the Bible app that invite people into missional communities where they are?” I think we can do it. What are some “How might we…..?” questions that you can ask that will catalyze fruitful innovation for your team? As you answer these questions, be ready to persevere with resilience. Remember the YouVersion website was a failure that eventually led to the Bible app.
Pray that God would open your eyes to challenges and opportunities that will lead you to fruitful, missional innovation!
