Old power is about institutions. It works as currency; and is closed, inaccessible, and leader-driven. Old power downloads and captures.
New power works as a current; is made by many; is open, accessible, and peer-driven; and uploads and distributes.
The tagline for this book caught my attention: New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World – and How to Make It for You by Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms..
As I read the book, I reflected on how it might tie into Christian believers in the church and was inspired by these thoughts:
- The institutional faith was challenged by Jesus, who began handing off the baton of faith, ministry, and the future church to those who were much less official in that time.
- Jesus created a movement known as “The Way.” He invited people to learn, hated authority, and built a people-driven ministry that eventually became the church.
- The Holy Spirit binds us together, moving the church forward, and truly is the ultimate power in living out the faith through Jesus.
Several truths in this book can help today’s church stay as effective as possible in today’s culture. Pastors and ministry staff need to:
- Hand over elements of the movement. You can’t do it alone.
- Share the ministry instead of hoarding it.
- Highlight less denominational aspects and help your people connect with others instead of relying on a relationship with the institution.
- Continually pray for a mobilization of your church people to live out their faith in tangible ways around their neighborhoods and workplaces.
Quotes From New Power by Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms
“It’s only really a movement if it moves without you.”
“The right recipe for building an effective group is making people feel like they are part of it and that they can stand out in it.”
“Old power works like a currency. It is held by a few. Once gained, it is jealously guarded, and the powerful have a substantial store of it to spend. It is closed, inaccessible, and leader-driven. It downloads, and it captures. New power operates differently, like a current. It is made by many. It is open, participatory, and peer-driven. It uploads, and it distributes. Like water or electricity, it’s most forceful when it surges. The goal with new power is not to hoard it but to channel it.”
“Many old power organizations will take days just to cobble together a press release. But organizations now need to be set up to move faster,”
“The future will be won by those who can spread their ideas better, faster, and more durably.”
“People are less likely to be card-carrying members of organizations or to forge decades-long relationships with institutions.”
“The future will be a battle over mobilization.”
“Today, the most resonant ideas are not those that get flashed at the highest number of people, but those that become individualized expressions of affiliation and identity among peers.”
