I remember the first time I saw a VCR. It was in the mid-1980’s at the home of one of our church members. He explained how it worked and wasn’t bashful in the least to tell me how much he paid for it. If memory serves, it was nearly $600, which certainly put the device way out of my financial league. Today I can now go to a local discount store and purchase a Blue Ray DVD player for less than $50!
Everett Rogers coined the term “early adopter” in 1962, and described them as early customers to a given company, product, or technology. Today it is estimated that 13.5% of Americans are considered in this bracket, right behind the 2.5% who are considered to be the innovators.
There are a couple of components about early adopters that I find interesting. First, early adopters are patient. While their eagerness may not find crowded check out lines, they have to patiently endure the “bug fixes” that accompany new yet not fully developed products. With early adoption comes paying the price of time as they use the new innovation in the real world.
Second, early adopters often pay premium prices. Those who are early adopters in technology find this to be especially true. Think of the prices of the first VCRs, computers, flat screen televisions, or cell phones. Think of those prices compared to the technology of the same items available today for a fraction of the cost.
What we find in the retail world is true of churches as well. New programs, worship styles and other innovations come with a price. I have yet to see a new anything rolled out in a church that was perfect in its first iteration. There are kinks, bugs, problems, conflicting schedules, miscommunications, lack of communication…you get the idea. Some church members will wait and see if the new innovation catches wind. Some will never buy in. But the early adopters join in and patiently pay premium because they want to be on the cutting edge of innovation. Even when its in the church.