Prosumers

I read "Deliberate Simplicity" after reading about it on a friend's blog. I'm a huge believer that simplicity is the key to impact, especially when it comes to systems, structures, and communication, so I figured the book would be right up my alley. I loved some of it and didn't love some of it. Par for most books I read.

One of the parts I loved was the idea of creating "prosumers" rather than "consumers." Here's the paragraph:

"In a Deliberately Simple church, we ask the people who attend to be prosumers instead of consumers. The word prosumer was coined by futurist Alvin Toffler to describe the psyche of a participant who actively contributes to the experience he or she is enjoying (as opposed to a consumer, who consumes the experience). With a pro(+)sumer, there is more of "it" after the individual has interacted with it. With a con(-)sumer, there is less of "it" after the individual has interacted with it." 


Worship and worship services are for prosumers, not consumers. Worship isn't something to be observed, taken or consumed; it's something to be given. It's participatory.

Bench-sitters who consume worship services consume worship. They take away from it. We need more contributors. Prosumers.

2 comments:

The Kinley's said...

Finally a word to categorize what I'm striving to not be! T-rav calls em "the 80-percenters". He says that 20% of the congregation is doing 80% of all the work. People grow the most in Christ when they are serving and are hungry to learn.....at least that's when I do.

Joyce said...

The "what am I going to get out of this" syndrome vs. the "what can I give" has been a hot topic of conversation around our house for months now! We are programmed to be consumers. Look at the blessing we miss out on by taking instead of giving.