James Kelly
James Kelly
James Kelly is the Founder and CEO of FaithTech, a company pioneering a new way to share the good news about Jesus in a new era driven by technology. With FaithTech, James hopes to bridge the gap between faith and technology by empowering emerging leaders, hosting innovative events and building gospel-centered companies.
In this episode, Ellen and James discuss generational dynamics, how to find a mentor (and what your mentee needs from you), attracting younger generations, small bets vs. big bets, and the importance of taking a digital sabbath.Welcome to Episode 010 of The Change Makers Podcast. Haven’t listened to the episode yet? Listen and access the show notes here or search for The Change Makers Podcast on your favourite listening app (for free).
5 Insights From James
1. Want young people involved in your organization? Commit to innovation.
As a Millennial, James offers some great advice for organizations trying to appeal to a younger group – but it involves taking a risk. Millennials want to partner with companies that are pushing innovation and trying things no one has done before. Being that donor dollars are sacred, non-profits often stick to projects that are known to succeed, which makes complete sense. But it is crucial to try new things and have a system in place to learn from failure, so that money is not seen as a waste, but as an investment into the organization. That’s the type of organization that is going to survive the next ten years and gain traction with a younger generation of donors.
2. Small bets vs. large bets.
Tech enthusiasts love to make large bets on mere ideas and concepts, hoping their new innovation will be the next Facebook. In the charity and non-profit world, we love large bets – but non-profits often can’t afford them, which is why small bets are significant. Instead of going all in on a large bet, take time to test your concept, build a prototype, make a slideshow and then ask questions to those who test the concept like “Was this helpful? Did this help you?” Then, once you see the value, you can increase the budget.An idea for your organization: Make a small bet and allow your employees to take 20% of their time to innovate and build for your organization.
3. Find a mentor who has gone before you.
If you’re a young leader, seek out a mentor. Consider learning from someone who has more experience and wisdom that can be an encourager to you. The first step in finding a great mentor can be a conversation over coffee which may mean stepping out of your comfort zone to initiate that first meeting – but it’s worth it. Follow James’ advice and be sure to name the area you need help with, not just go with a general ask.
4. Be a mentor to the generation behind you.
Mentorship is a great way to come alongside young, emerging leaders and to have that person’s story as part of your legacy as a leader. Sow your seed into your mentee and offer them relentless generosity by giving them access to your contacts and business relationships, promoting them in front of your peers, and posting about them on social media. These little things speak volumes.Young leaders need wise, older leaders that can be willing to risk things on helping them. If you can, financially support their growth. Cover their ticket for a leadership conference or buy them books and resources so that they can learn. Pouring your generosity into the next generation is the best legacy you can leave behind. As James said, “You need to realize the legacy you want to leave isn’t actually just your story.”
5. Take a digital Sabbath.
James said something profound in this podcast episode: "I think God’s view of technology is both one of idolatry and opportunity. I think we vastly misunderstand both and we enormously under appreciate both."We need to pay attention to how technology changes us both physically and emotionally and put proper boundaries on tech. Why? Boundaries with our devices can open up time for prayer, rest and listening to God. Once we find that balance, tech can be leveraged as an opportunity, just like God would throughout all of scripture. There are many moments throughout Scripture where God took the latest technology to advance His mission and where He lined up history, technology and innovation with His message of who He is and the gospel. But we have to be careful and discerning of how technology is changing us. The solution could be to take a digital Sabbath. Scripture gives us boundaries on how to live because God’s the designer and He knows we need Sabbath. When technology is in its proper place, technology has enormous potential to save lives, advance the gospel, help ministries reach people all around the world.
Want to hear the full conversation? Click here to listen in and learn more from James Kelly. We'd also love for you to share this episode with a young leader you know.