Feature creep is the rapid expanding of features in a product such as Extra features go beyond the basic function of the product and so can result in over-complication, or "featuritis", rather than simple design.
There is a temptation to want the latest and the best in what we interact with. There is a love of newness and improvements, but are these upgrades actually useful? About six months ago I experienced the excitement of iWork '10 on my work computer. Mostly because I needed to maintain compatibility with my coworkers, but having just finished taking in the keynote video I knew beyond a doubt that I was about to step into a new evolution of office software. I clicked the Pages icon and experienced a welcome video of true awesomeness, teleporting me into a new era of word processing. I closed the video once it was done and what did my eyes see? Essentially the exact same thing that was there in iWork 09... and 08... and 07. Each year there are these minor additions. In the past four years, I think there is really only one new feature, dynamic outlines, that I actually use. So I must sit and ask myself, was the resources I spent on this upgrade a sound, stewardly decision? Or did I weaken my available resources by taking on something that was unneeded?
I consider the ramifications of these principals when we evaluate our churches. It is easy to feel we constantly must offer more and more programs, new opportunities, new methods, and new ministries. Is there a risk that churches can contract "featuritis?" With a constant push for new things, will the older, established ministries and programs suffer? With limited time, manpower and resources we must really evaluate what is the core of a church and ensure that anything new that is created will reinforce the vision and mission of the Kingdom. Minor programs might come and go, but if those new things begin eating away and destroying the core, then these programs risk becoming parasites that blur what Christianity is all about.
This is not to say that a church cannot change, but rather when planning new endevors, a serious consideration must be made to what will this new idea take away from. The average American church member will only participate in approximately 2 events a week. With this in mind, if you are wanting to start something new, what will people stop going to in favor of it? There may be some new people come on board, but it is highly likely that parts of the core that supported other aspects will reallocate themselves. With this reallocation, has the kingdom become stronger through diversity? Or has it become spread thin and frail?
What do you think? Is feature creeping in the church a serious threat?
There is a temptation to want the latest and the best in what we interact with. There is a love of newness and improvements, but are these upgrades actually useful? About six months ago I experienced the excitement of iWork '10 on my work computer. Mostly because I needed to maintain compatibility with my coworkers, but having just finished taking in the keynote video I knew beyond a doubt that I was about to step into a new evolution of office software. I clicked the Pages icon and experienced a welcome video of true awesomeness, teleporting me into a new era of word processing. I closed the video once it was done and what did my eyes see? Essentially the exact same thing that was there in iWork 09... and 08... and 07. Each year there are these minor additions. In the past four years, I think there is really only one new feature, dynamic outlines, that I actually use. So I must sit and ask myself, was the resources I spent on this upgrade a sound, stewardly decision? Or did I weaken my available resources by taking on something that was unneeded?
This is not to say that a church cannot change, but rather when planning new endevors, a serious consideration must be made to what will this new idea take away from. The average American church member will only participate in approximately 2 events a week. With this in mind, if you are wanting to start something new, what will people stop going to in favor of it? There may be some new people come on board, but it is highly likely that parts of the core that supported other aspects will reallocate themselves. With this reallocation, has the kingdom become stronger through diversity? Or has it become spread thin and frail?
What do you think? Is feature creeping in the church a serious threat?
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