Transparency

the new Wired came to my house yesterday. And the cover story is about businesses being transparent. Here are some reflections from Mark Batterson:

“Smart companies are sharing secrets with rivals, blogging about products in their pipeline, even admitting their failures. The name of this new game is radical transparency and it’s sweeping boardrooms across the nation.”

I don’t want to overuse the word–but sounds like open-source business. The church doesn’t just need to follow-suit. We ought to lead the way!

“Transparency is a judo move.”

Ever notice that people stop making fun of people who laugh at themselves? It’s judo. Ever notice that people stop criticizing people who admit their failures? It’s judo. Ever notice that people believe people who admit their doubts? It’s judo.

I think this is so true. One of the things that I think has given people a bad taste about church is the idea that we’ve got it all together, and we are on some kind of higher plane than the riff-raff below. And one of my goals as a Christian, and a leader is to always be real, and talk about my struggles and the things that I am thinking and praying and wrestling with.

I think this kind of transperancy reminds people that pastors are human too.