If you’re a leader in a U.S. congregation, you’re probably doing what’s not working as hard as you can.
It stinks, but it’s true.
That’s because most leaders in U.S. congregations mistake activity for accomplishment. They struggle to keep all their programs running with little to show for all their struggles. They hope the activities will attract more people but rarely see it happen. They have a mission statement, but have few stories about the mission being accomplished. On top of that, all these activities require vast amounts of limited resources for the limited results they are getting – e.g., money, volunteers, leadership horsepower, professional staff, etc.
And most senior leaders are frustrated by the demands of overseeing it all.
The question is, how did we end up this way?
The answer? A lack of clarity about what the mission of the church is and how to accomplish it.
The leaders of every U.S. congregation are currently facing the same critical choice:
Do we maintain our familiar collection of services/programs so we continue getting the same results, or
Do we want to utilize a clear, simple, biblical strategy so we see the mission of the church being accomplish consistently and frequently over and over again?
If you choose the second option, the transition begins with answering the following three questions:
What is the mission of our congregation?
What does it look like for our people to participate in accomplishing the mission?
What is the discipleship process that prepares our people to participate in accomplishing the mission?
Answering these questions will clarify everything. You will be able to evaluate and recalibrate the activities of the congregation so your people are consistently being prepared to go out and participate in accomplishing the mission as part of their everyday lives.
So, what is the mission of your congregation? What does it look like for your people to participate in accomplishing that mission? And what will be the discipleship process that prepares your people to participate in accomplishing that mission?
Remember, quoting a passage about making disciples isn’t the same as having a plan for making disciples. Let’s craft a plan. Such a plan will lead to the mission of your congregation being accomplish consistently and frequently over and over again.
To help you answer these clarifying questions, I offer leadership retreats in St. Paul, Minnesota. Your leadership team arrives on a Tuesday and on Thursday you leave with a clear, simple, biblical plan for making disciples who accomplish the mission.
Let’s set a date so you can get started.