What Churches Need is Less “Feedback” and More “Feedforward”!
Taking a different look than one that asks what is wrong with ministry, but rather one that asks what empowers a way forward in ministry.
What churches need is less “feedback” and more “feedforward”!
September, 12, 2023 The Wall Street Journal published an article by the title, ‘Feedback’ Is Now Too Harsh. The New Word Is Feedforward. It also had the image above.
The authors are Alexandria Bruell and Lindsay Ellis. To read the article for yourself go HERE. (I would also recommend a digital subscription.)
A few quotes from the article may help explain the jest of what is being said:
“Feedback is on the way out.”
It is being replaced by “a gentler, more constructive word: ‘feedforward.”
“Feedback too often leaves workers feeling defeated, weighed down by past actions instead of considering the next steps ahead, but ‘feedfoward’ encourages improvement and development.”
“‘Feedforward is about this forward-looking view of people, performance and potential’,” says Corporate speaker and author Joe Hirsch in this article.
ForthTelling Innovation Insights:
Churches are places of great worship, learning, spiritual maturity, ministry and missions, and being in community with God and one another. They are also places of continual feedback to leaders. Often not affirming feedback.
Churches are places of going forward much more than places of going back. A word that ends with the syllable “forward” would appear to be more appropriate for churches than a word that ends with the syllable “back”.
We typically think about God going before us into the world or a new place of service, and that we follow our Triune God.
We often urge churches to go forward to the new thing that God is doing in and through them, rather than continually going back to what was wrong that needs to be corrected.
Two people in our ministry—Lyle Schaller and Kennon Callahan— were champions of “feedforward” without knowing the word would be coined years later.
Lyle always said that as consultants to churches and as leaders of churches that we need to affirm “what is right and build on it”. Feedforward embodies that.
Kennon had a principle that we can fix everything that is wrong with a church and bring is right up to neutral. It is not what’s wrong with a church that enables it to soar. It is what is right with a church.
Our Urging: We urge churches to always seek a way forward regarding any opportunities or challenges they face, and to begin with a “feedforward” dialogue.
What can you do to change the direction of the dialogue in your church?
I've found too, that people captured/animated by a preferred vision of the future, does much more for church harmony and reputation in the community than trying to beat every bent place straight. Thanks for your work George! sb