Comments on: OSX Snow Leopard & The Church http://jamesgiroux.ca/passion/osx-snow-leopard-the-church/ Empowering people to discover the life, passion and adventure of following Jesus. Tue, 19 Jul 2011 05:20:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: James http://jamesgiroux.ca/passion/osx-snow-leopard-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-12 James Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:02:00 +0000 http://jamesgiroux.ca/?p=78#comment-12 Solomon. Some very wise words. I couldn't agree more. We are very good at 'bloating' aren't we? You are also right in that I could have digressed much more into the particular aspects of brand loyalty I was referring too, but then I couldn't get such great comments from people like you! I realize that brand-loyalty and what makes an Apple addict an Apple addict is a lot bigger than what I've said. My point I guess really has to do with perception. If the average attender has the perception that they can't trust the church then we have issues! The goal, obviously, is to help people draw closer to God, for their lives to be transformed as a radical God through his Holy Spirit does the radical work of sanctification (some good Alliance doctrine in there). Where I think we can learn something from Apple is to be conscious of the fact that everything we do either builds trust or tears it down. Not caring, not thinking about it, isn't an option when our actions can affect the way people think about God. When we're honest about our mistakes, sincere in grace and missional in focus we can help those far from Christ and those who have been wading in the shallow end, dive in and experience life in Christ with all its fullness. Solomon. Some very wise words. I couldn’t agree more. We are very good at ‘bloating’ aren’t we? You are also right in that I could have digressed much more into the particular aspects of brand loyalty I was referring too, but then I couldn’t get such great comments from people like you! I realize that brand-loyalty and what makes an Apple addict an Apple addict is a lot bigger than what I’ve said. My point I guess really has to do with perception. If the average attender has the perception that they can’t trust the church then we have issues! The goal, obviously, is to help people draw closer to God, for their lives to be transformed as a radical God through his Holy Spirit does the radical work of sanctification (some good Alliance doctrine in there). Where I think we can learn something from Apple is to be conscious of the fact that everything we do either builds trust or tears it down. Not caring, not thinking about it, isn’t an option when our actions can affect the way people think about God. When we’re honest about our mistakes, sincere in grace and missional in focus we can help those far from Christ and those who have been wading in the shallow end, dive in and experience life in Christ with all its fullness.

]]> By: Solomon! http://jamesgiroux.ca/passion/osx-snow-leopard-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Solomon! Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:40:47 +0000 http://jamesgiroux.ca/?p=78#comment-11 I love how you connected those two ideas... but I have to agree, a lot of Apple's brand loyalty isn't just about trust, and we should careful about it (it's not too hard, just have a little digression and explain how you only want to focus on one aspect of Apple's customer brand-loyalty). That said, the connection can go quite a bit further :P. Sometimes, I find, the Church undergoes transitions, adding new programs, staff, and newcomers. As the Chruch grows, it can sometimes be "bloated." I sometimes wonder if we have gone that route, and now we need to "refine" and rearchitect the way Church works to fit new paradigms and programs that benefit the Church Family and renew our connection to God. Kinda like how Snow Leopard is a refinement of Leopard and a renewal of the Mac OS. People aren't just buying Snow Leopard to be cool; people are buying it because they feel that a less bloated, trustworthy OS that "just works" is a valuable investment. I know you've been working hard to transform the Church, James, and thank you for doing that. Just know that we've been praying for you! Gosh, I'm a lot more wordy online than in real life. I love how you connected those two ideas… but I have to agree, a lot of Apple’s brand loyalty isn’t just about trust, and we should careful about it (it’s not too hard, just have a little digression and explain how you only want to focus on one aspect of Apple’s customer brand-loyalty). That said, the connection can go quite a bit further :P. Sometimes, I find, the Church undergoes transitions, adding new programs, staff, and newcomers. As the Chruch grows, it can sometimes be “bloated.” I sometimes wonder if we have gone that route, and now we need to “refine” and rearchitect the way Church works to fit new paradigms and programs that benefit the Church Family and renew our connection to God. Kinda like how Snow Leopard is a refinement of Leopard and a renewal of the Mac OS. People aren’t just buying Snow Leopard to be cool; people are buying it because they feel that a less bloated, trustworthy OS that “just works” is a valuable investment. I know you’ve been working hard to transform the Church, James, and thank you for doing that. Just know that we’ve been praying for you! Gosh, I’m a lot more wordy online than in real life.

]]> By: admin http://jamesgiroux.ca/passion/osx-snow-leopard-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-10 admin Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:44:37 +0000 http://jamesgiroux.ca/?p=78#comment-10 As this blog is syndicated through some other feed readers I thought I'd include some comments posted from other readers... randyw says, "I have to digest this article a bit. I'm not sure that you can make a direct parallel. Sure the church has a lot of issues that destroy trust, but I think that there's a loyalty to Apple that is based a bit on the reality distortion surrounding the products. We aren't trying to create the kind of blind followers that are around Apple. I know this is an offensive idea to a lot of Apple fans out there but I'm not sure the parallel is what I am looking for in Church!" hzonio says, "While I am an Apple fan, I'd have to agree with Randy. The reason I buy Apple stuff is because I like the Kool Aid (shhh, don't tell anyone that). I get what you are saying, but I think we have to VERY careful in comparing brand loyalty with the Church lest we become even more consumeristic in our approach to Christianity. I think more of our problem in the Church is that we have substituted Spirit-empowered transformational living with a set of rules and regulations and turned the Church into more of a country club rather than a life-giving community that seeks to be a part of God's redemptive story in individual lives, communities and the world." As this blog is syndicated through some other feed readers I thought I’d include some comments posted from other readers…

randyw says, “I have to digest this article a bit. I’m not sure that you can make a direct parallel. Sure the church has a lot of issues that destroy trust, but I think that there’s a loyalty to Apple that is based a bit on the reality distortion surrounding the products. We aren’t trying to create the kind of blind followers that are around Apple. I know this is an offensive idea to a lot of Apple fans out there but I’m not sure the parallel is what I am looking for in Church!”

hzonio says, “While I am an Apple fan, I’d have to agree with Randy. The reason I buy Apple stuff is because I like the Kool Aid (shhh, don’t tell anyone that). I get what you are saying, but I think we have to VERY careful in comparing brand loyalty with the Church lest we become even more consumeristic in our approach to Christianity. I think more of our problem in the Church is that we have substituted Spirit-empowered transformational living with a set of rules and regulations and turned the Church into more of a country club rather than a life-giving community that seeks to be a part of God’s redemptive story in individual lives, communities and the world.”

]]> By: Kerri Guther http://jamesgiroux.ca/passion/osx-snow-leopard-the-church/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Kerri Guther Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:30:27 +0000 http://jamesgiroux.ca/?p=78#comment-9 With a willingness to do what God wants and not what we want...I think we can do it too! With a willingness to do what God wants and not what we want…I think we can do it too!

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