Clip in

I just started a new book called Clip In.  I'ts written by Jim Ozier and Fiona Haworth.  I heard Fiona speak at a conference and was intrigued enough to buy the book and start reading it. The subtitle is "Risking Hospitality in your Church."

Steve is a cyclist.  When he rides, he wears shoes that clip to his pedals.  This means that he can propel the bike on both the down-stroke and the up-stoke.  If your foot just sits on the pedal, only the down-stroke does any work; your foot just rides up as the other leg moves down.  If you are clipped to the pedal, then you pull up and push down - twice the force to increase the movement of the bike.  This is the image that the authors of the book use to teach about hospitality.

I really like this analogy.

1. There is risk involved in "clipping in." Your foot is connected to the pedal.  Ask my husband. If you lose your balance or stop without planning and are unable to unclip, you fall over.  It's a risk.  
2. You are connected to what you are doing.  You are invested.  
3. You can move forward more quickly because you can do more work.

We need all of those in the work of a church.  We need to be invested, to take risk, and to efficiently and effectively move apply work to move forward.  Steve loves riding his bike.  Ask him, and he'll tell you that the investment, risk and work are work it.  I think we will find that in the work of the church as well.