| | | | Dear Praying Friends, | Are you an innovator? My family was on a call with my uncle. My mom had just told him that I was traveling again. He said, ‘I wish you wouldn’t go!” I said to him, “If I don’t, who will?” I felt the plea of resistance to God’s call. Perhaps you’ve felt it, too? It is real and it happens more often than most may realize. This makes me think about the fact that Naomi (ASM Executive Director) recently asked me to teach about innovation for our staff retreat because one of the things I learned was that innovators are often resisted. I love it when I am given the opportunity to dig deeper into a truth. This is where I learn the best. So, I prayed and asked God to reveal to me some Scriptures that would allow us to dig deeper into innovation from a biblical worldview. I wanted the Bible stories to go in chronological order and then invited us to examine the stories for innovative concepts (Genesis 12:1-9; Judges 7; Joshua 6:1-27; Matthew 5:1-48; Acts 2:1-47; Acts 16:1-40). |
|
|
|  Are you an innovator? My family was on a call with my uncle. My mom had just told him that I was traveling again. He said, ‘I wish you wouldn’t go!” I said to him, “If I don’t, who will?” I felt the plea of resistance to God’s call. Perhaps you’ve felt it, too? It is real and it happens more often than most may realize. This makes me think about the fact that Naomi (ASM Executive Director) recently asked me to teach about innovation for our staff retreat because one of the things I learned was that innovators are often resisted.  I love it when I am given the opportunity to dig deeper into a truth. This is where I learn the best. So, I prayed and asked God to reveal to me some Scriptures that would allow us to dig deeper into innovation from a biblical worldview. I wanted the Bible stories to go in chronological order and then invited us to examine the stories for innovative concepts (Genesis 12:1-9; Judges 7; Joshua 6:1-27; Matthew 5:1-48; Acts 2:1-47; Acts 16:1-40). |
|
|
| | - In Genesis 12, we observed that Abraham had to leave home to obey God’s call.
- In Judges 7, we noticed that Gideon was given unconventional tools—a dream, clay jars, and a shout—to fight a war.
- In Joshua 6, we saw how God used a priestly march and trumpets blasting to break down the walls of Jericho, and a scarlet thread to rescue a prostitute for keeping a nation’s secret.
- In the Beatitudes, we were challenged by Jesus to live out radical attitudes that go against our cultural norms.
- At Pentecost, we were reminded of the importance of being together, holding to the common good, and bringing value to others. Those who saw it in action, marveled!
- And after Paul and Silas were whipped and chained, we saw the beauty of adding value to the one who hurt us, as bearers of the Good News of Jesus.
Each of these stories remind us that innovation takes risks. As I studied these passages in preparation, I looked for commonalities for innovation in the Bible stories. In every single story, the leader listened to and obeyed God. Their innovation came from God! God was the instigator of something new. Innovation required them to “go” or to be on the move in some way. It did not allow them to stay in the status quo! Innovation required them to consider using new tools or new strategies. They could not assume they were to use the same strategy or tool that was used before. In fact, God ensured they knew it was accomplished through Him because He didn’t allow things to be done so that man could take credit either. They had to do it with others for the common good and the change they were to make would add value to those involved. It was never easy and often they faced resistance. Being a God innovator was not an easy task, but it always reaped incredible results. |
| |
|
| What blew my mind was the concepts that I discovered as I examined Scripture for innovation were echoed by what the fields of education and business say needs to happen today in order to innovate. Change will not happen if you do not value the one you are seeking to move. You must listen and add value! We can never forget that God is the original innovator. He created something new out of nothing and He is still promising today that He is doing a new thing (Is. 49:13). As an innovator creates, does, renews, or blends to change things risks and possible failure are a part of the norm, but the conviction to God’s call will be so strong that the risks and resistance do not stop the one who is listening to and obeying God. I never really thought of myself as an innovator until after I studied innovation! But now I do! I am an INNOVATOR for the LORD! What I do is fun, but it isn’t easy. I face resistance daily on so many levels. “You shouldn’t travel so much!” “You are always gone! It is rare to see you at church!” “You are a woman. You shouldn’t be teaching the Bible.” “You are too literate in your teaching!” “You are too oral in your teaching!” “You need to start staying home!” LOL! I hear a lot. But I know that I am called by God. When I was in Seoul at the L4 Congress a participant walked up to me and said, “Do I know you?” I responded by saying, “No! I do not know you!” She kept staring me straight in the eyes to the point of being uncomfortable. She finally said, “In my country, we only see brown eyes. But, in your eyes I see the world. I see the nations.” My eyes started to tear up at this! It is a long story, but her words ministered to my conviction of why I go and do what I do. God has given me a mandate to tell His stories until I have no more people to tell His stories to. So, I listen and seek to create change in communities through writing Bible story-centric discipleship curriculum, creating story videos, making one-on-one connections, leading Zoom calls, and in-person training so that all can hear. |
|
|
| What blew my mind was the concepts that I discovered as I examined Scripture for innovation were echoed by what the fields of education and business say needs to happen today in order to innovate. Change will not happen if you do not value the one you are seeking to move. You must listen and add value! 
Greg, Tara, & Mike Du Toit (Comms Director L4) We can never forget that God is the original innovator. He created something new out of nothing and He is still promising today that He is doing a new thing (Is. 49:13). As an innovator creates, does, renews, or blends to change things risks and possible failure are a part of the norm, but the conviction to God’s call will be so strong that the risks and resistance do not stop the one who is listening to and obeying God. 
Team Care Champions received Certificates for service I never really thought of myself as an innovator until after I studied innovation! But now I do! I am an INNOVATOR for the LORD! What I do is fun, but it isn’t easy. I face resistance daily on so many levels. “You shouldn’t travel so much!” “You are always gone! It is rare to see you at church!” “You are a woman. You shouldn’t be teaching the Bible.” “You are too literate in your teaching!” “You are too oral in your teaching!” “You need to start staying home!” LOL! I hear a lot. 
Korean Volunteers But I know that I am called by God. When I was in Seoul at the L4 Congress a participant walked up to me and said, “Do I know you?” I responded by saying, “No! I do not know you!” She kept staring me straight in the eyes to the point of being uncomfortable. She finally said, “In my country, we only see brown eyes. But, in your eyes I see the world. I see the nations.” My eyes started to tear up at this! It is a long story, but her words ministered to my conviction of why I go and do what I do. God has given me a mandate to tell His stories until I have no more people to tell His stories to. So, I listen and seek to create change in communities through writing Bible story-centric discipleship curriculum, creating story videos, making one-on-one connections, leading Zoom calls, and in-person training so that all can hear. |
|
|
| | | Things to pray: 1. Praise for all God did at the Lausanne 4 Congress! Greg and I loved equipping the equippers. It was a blessing to have Greg serving alongside me. I prayed with more people than I can count and walked over 29 miles. I am certain that God did another layer of healing in my body through the walking. We were able to connect with our partners that serve in other nations, meet new potential partners, and to minister to the nations as we served and prayed with leaders. 2. Please pray for continued teaching of the 6 Acts of the Bible. God is surprising me by the response to this simple process He put on my heart. It is the perfect example of “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and the value of providing an old truth with a new method. The message is the same, but the strategy is a little different. This does not negate what was created before or what will be but supports that importance of doing a new thing to add value and change right where you are at today! Thank you for joining me through prayer and giving! What you do enables me to be God’s innovator! May it be for His glory. Shalom y’all! Let’s Be in the Word, Be with Jesus, Be Transformed! |
| |
|
| | Things to pray: 1. Praise for all God did at the Lausanne 4 Congress! Greg and I loved equipping the equippers. It was a blessing to have Greg serving alongside me. I prayed with more people than I can count and walked over 29 miles. I am certain that God did another layer of healing in my body through the walking. We were able to connect with our partners that serve in other nations, meet new potential partners, and to minister to the nations as we served and prayed with leaders.  2. Please pray for continued teaching of the 6 Acts of the Bible. God is surprising me by the response to this simple process He put on my heart. It is the perfect example of “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and the value of providing an old truth with a new method. The message is the same, but the strategy is a little different. This does not negate what was created before or what will be but supports that importance of doing a new thing to add value and change right where you are at today! 
Karishma, My praying participant! Thank you for joining me through prayer and giving! What you do enables me to be God’s innovator! May it be for His glory. Shalom y’all! Let’s Be in the Word, Be with Jesus, Be Transformed!  Feel free to contact me at: Email: tara.rye@audioscripture.org
Cell: +1 (402) 850-5947
WhatsApp: +1 (616) 396-5291 |
|
|
| | | Your prayers and gifts are connecting people to God’s Word
in their own heart language. |
| |
|
| Audio Scripture Ministries
PO Box 1439 | Holland, Michigan 49422
+1.616.396.5291 | info@audioscripture.org EIN 23-6296186 |
|
|
|
