One of the latest Internet movements is based on offering deals with local merchants. The leader of this trend is three-year-old Groupon.

However, Groupon and all its competitors may be popular, but they are hardly a true Internet revolutionary. According to Wired magazine’s Steven Levy, Groupon and company are less a revolution and more like a web version of everyone’s coupon-clipping grandparents.

It begs the question: Is this innovation in reverse – finding new ways to continue doing things the way they’ve always been done?

I’m deep into a project now that tackles this question head on. You’ll be hearing more about it in a few weeks, but for now, here are a few questions for leaders in ChurchWorld:

• Are you content to keep doing the same things the same way?
• Would you consider doing the same things a different way?
• How about doing different things the same way?
• Or are you leading on the innovative edge, doing different things different ways?

How you answer those questions will determine your direction for the future.