ONE DAY! (Part 1)

 by Joe Noland

Commissioner Jim Knaggs has recently published a visionary statement via the USA Western Territory. I was one out of a cast of several invited to write a chapter on one of those vision statements as follows:

‘ONE DAY! …that our systems would be less restrictive and more imaginative in order to accommodate the new things God wants to do among us.’

First, let me applaud the Commissioner for including this pesky vision in his “One Day” dream. And for the courage of asking me to write about it!

Pesky Dream

Pesky: troublesome or irritating (Encarta). “Pesky” because the “systems” types are going to find this dream “troublesome or irritating.” And many will resist it.

Imaginative systems: an oxymoron. Systems imply borders and boundaries - safety nets. Boundaries are antithesis to imagination, innovation and creativity. They, by definition (and nature) are designed to be “restrictive,” made up of “do’s” and “don’ts,” the latter serving as borders encapsulating the former. Consider the following definition:

Sys-tems:  An organized society or social situation regarded as stultifying or oppressive: Establishment (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

Systems have purpose, of course. Bookkeeping systems keep us accountable financially. Some systems are necessary for moral, ethical and legal accountability. Systems give an organization structure and cohesiveness. Without them, there would be chaos, disorder and anarchy. 

Creative Space

A visionary leader understands this necessity, yet provides a creative space wherein imagination and innovation are given the freedom to flourish. Gordon MacKenzie refers to this space as “orbiting” in his book, Orbiting the Giant Hairball.

Hairball: (Systems) “Every new policy is another hair for the Hairball. Hairs are never taken away, only added…The Hairball grows enormous.”

Orbiting: “Responsible creativity: vigorously exploring and operating beyond the Hairball of the corporate mindset, beyond ‘accepted models, patterns, or standards’ - all while remaining connected to the spirit of the corporate mission.”

John W. Gardener in his book, Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society, refers to this creative space as “hospitable environment” and “institutional arrangements;” those that provide for “Openness, Flexibility and Capacity to Find Order in Experience” -  “But the truly creative man is not an outlaw but a lawmaker. Every great creative performance since the initial one has been in some measure a bringing of order out of chaos.”  

“Walt Disney Imagineering” (WDI) is the creative space established within this company, it’s head honcho given the title, “Chief Creative Executive.” Disney’s current Imagineering projects number 10, with 29 others having been completed since 2006. No need to tout the importance of this “space” to the enduring success of this corporate giant.

Chief Chaos Officer

The Founders of Google have carved out a large creative niche in their relatively young company, calling it “structured chaos” - chaos being the incubator for creativity and innovation. The person in charge is described as their “Chief Chaos Officer” - love that title! As a result Google is growing exponentially, the 9^th Wonder of the World, as I refer to it.

Think about those early-day disciples. The Apostle Paul might easily be described as first-century Christianity’s “Chief Chaos Officer.” Read the Book of Acts if you don’t believe me. In the 26^th Chapter, during one of those chaos experiences, Paul explains to Festus why he is doing what he does. Festus listens incredulously and then responds, “Paul, you’re crazy! You’ve read too many books, spent too much time staring off into (creative) space! Get a grip on yourself, get back in the real world!” (26:24 TM) A little later on Festus exclaims, “Keep this up much longer and you’ll make a Christian out of me!” (26:28)

In Galatians 6, Paul writes, “Live creatively, friends… Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life” (6: 1, 4). Chaos, creativity and flexibility are what set Paul apart and made his ministry so extremely successful. And the Church “added to its numbers,” growing exponentially!

Catherine Booth was easily The Salvation Army’s “Chief Chaos Officer” during its infancy days. Her “Never!” was the Army’s seminal creative, chaos moment, wasn’t it? There were no systems to begin with, its mission developing boundary less, accompanied by risk-taking, imagination and innovation.

Disturb the Present

If she had had a “creative space” office, the placard on the desk facing the viewer might have read, “If we are to better the future we must disturb the present.” In a message delivered during the last Christian Mission Conference she preached, “Cast off all bonds of prejudice and custom, and let the love of Christ, which is in you, have free course to run out in all conceivable schemes and methods of labour for the souls of men.” The italics are mine, hers the words of a quintessential, “systems” balancing CCO! From this moment on, the Army numbers (souls won and enrolled) multiplied dramatically.

What To Do?

But this is today, over a Century later, an Army firmly established with systems galore - some of them necessary, many not. What to do? - “…less restrictive, more imaginative and accommodating.” A tall order indeed!

(Stay tuned for Part 2 and my take on “What To Do?”)

(For a copy of the book, contact: New.Frontier@usw.salvationarmy.org)

 

Writer: Commissioner Joe Noland’s ministry can be summed up in three words: chaos, creativity and controversy - three elements implicit in any successful innovative endeavor. Cecil B. DeMille, renowned producer of Biblical epics, once wrote, “Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.” Joe’s mantra reads, “Creativity is my drug of choice.”  Access Joe Noland’s complete bio, among other things, by clicking into his website.

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