Freedom: Lessons from 2 Years of Being Debt Free
- on May 17, 2013
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My wife and I are celebrating two years of being debt free. It has been an incredible journey of ups and downs, but I want to share with you some of the ways we went about it as well as the lessons we[...]
Exploring the Online Characteristics of Generation F/Y, and Their Implications-Part 2
[image by jakeoneil]
Last week I posted Exploring the Online Characteristics of Generation F/Y, and Their Implications-Part 1. This series was born out of my fascination with the great article, The Facebook Generation vs. the Fortune 500. And for the first post focused on the first “online characteristic” of this generation, All ideas compete on equal footing.
Today I want to take a look at another characteristic:
2. Contribution counts for more than credentials. When you post a video to YouTube, no one asks you if you went to film school. When you write a blog, no one cares whether you have a journalism degree. Position, title, and academic degrees—none of the usual status differentiators carry much weight online. On the Web, what counts is not your resume, but what you can contribute.
I’m really curious about this characteristic and whether you agree or not? I still think some credentials are important, and some even necessary to certain vocations. But I do think it’s becoming less important. I tell my wife quite a bit that I’m not even sure college will be relevant when my daughter turns 18. Training schools, apprentices, self-learning, etc. But who knows. I have some credentials that are relevant to my work. My M.Div. isn’t necessary in some church circles, but it was helpful, and pretty much required for the denomination I have been in the last 8 years. My MSMFT is necessary though if I want to practice as a marriage and family therapist in any state.
But with the explosion of online collaboration, contribution and socializing, this need to justify ourselves through credentials seems to be collapsing. This is an especially strong point of tension in many churches. Online is a place where the junior high kid who posts a funny video, or the college student who makes a film, or the young adult who writes a blog…has as much credentials, and quite possibly as big of a listening and watching audience as does the pastor preaching on Sunday morning.
I think where this tension will become more apparent is denominationally. Many denominations have huge barriers for ordination and participation in certain leadership structures. Not everyone is going to be willing to jump through those hoops, and I think those who will be willing to do so will continue to shrink. That’s why I think denominations like the PCUSA will continue to shrink up, losing more and more bright and future leaders to other forms of church structure and ecclesiology.
Are credentials important in your church?
Does the need for these credentials exclude leaders who could participate more fully in the life of church ministry?
Credentials aren't important at Second Mile as I've observed. It's more about demonstrating a changed life and a Spirit led life. I think not having human credentials allows an organization to be more nimble. Waiting for a degree to be completed can delay an opportunity, or even cause an opportunity to be missed. I liked what I heard when I had a leadership class in seminary taught by McManus a few years ago. He said at Mosaic the ones who lead are the ones who step up. Taking risks is rewarded.
A related question: Does online contribution count as much as physical interactions? If I converse over facebook, but I don't over a meal how much does that count for?
I've been pondering what to do with my sons (ages 16, 15, & 11) in regards to guiding them toward higher education. It does seem like the current college/university system ("racket" may be a better word) is outdated and stuck in the Industrial Age. Here's a great article called "Will Higher Education Be the Next Bubble to Burst?"
http://chronicle.com/free/v55/i37/37a05601.htm
Fabius Maximus blogs abt higher education quite frequently at:
http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/million/
So we're in this together! How do we guide our children to navigate an unnecessarily expensive out-dated system? The conversation continues...
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