“In fact, if you look at the entirety of the twentieth century, the most important developments in mass, one-to-many communications clock in at the same social innovation rate with an eerie regularity. Call it the 10/10 rule: a decade to build the new platform, and a decade for it to find a mass audience.”
These words come from Steven Johnson’s Where Good Ideas Come From. Be it AM radio, Betamax, cell phones, personal computers, or GPS, the average time span (last century) from idea to market was 20 years. This rule was challenged in the late twentieth century once the web became mainstream. For example, YouTube crushed the 10/10.
10 years to build; 10 years to sell.
The world refuses to go back. Twenty years is a lot of time. She learned her lesson. Only the fool would follow the 10/10 rule if a new rule governs the new marketplace.
The world’s learning shames the Church when it comes to Her mission. Yes, there is still the top secret, covert business operations alive and well in the world. However, the world is quickly learning the value of collaboration, trust, and sharing. I don’t think the Church is there yet. We love our turf.
Some of us are motivated by:
- personal claim to fame
- fear of failure
- fear of what others will think
The result? We live like the R&D and marketing departments of last century. We do not share our ideas with others when it comes to gospel advancement. We fear they will steal them, laugh at us, call us stupid, or think we’re crazy. We live like we are trying to develop a better hamburger than our competitors.
We try new things in a corner, sit on the findings, tweak them, try again, and sit some more until it is just right to our satisfaction. We’re okay with the 10/10 rule. It is safe. It is comfortable. We accomplish the task today and fifteen years later publish the story.
Such is not wise Kingdom stewardship.
We don’t have time for 10/10 to govern our efforts. Tell today’s stories, later today.
Share with us what is working now. We need to know; we may try it too.
Share with us what is not working now. We may have something to share with you to overcome your barrier.
There are 4 billion people in the world without Jesus–6,800 unreached people groups (including 360 in the United States, 180 in Canada).
There is no time to follow the 10/10 rule. There is no time for desires of grandeur, obtaining recognition, fear of man, or receiving the title of being the one who produced the better hamburger than all other churches combined.
Kill the rule.
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