Have you ever heard of Choglit soda or OK soda?  Maybe you remember Surge, which was around for a few years and tasted a lot like Mountain Dew?  No?  All three of these sodas were launched by Coca-Cola and all three were complete and utter failures.  In April, CEO E. Neville Isdell reminded shareholders of these failures in order to shake up Coca-Cola's "risk-adverse" culture.  "As we take more risks, this (failure) is something we must accept as part of the regeneration process."

Many big businesses are starting to recognize the importance of "intelligent" or "smart" failures.  These failures might hurt in the short-term, but offer critical lessons for long-term growth.  It is significant to note that the long-term lessons would never be learned with out taking risks in the short-term.  In other words, sometimes that one step back is exactly what is needed to take a leap forward.

Are we willing in our church to take risks when necessary?  Do we understand that even failures might lead to growth and regeneration?  Are we willing to shake the dust off of our feet and move forward when that is what our ministry requires?