Winch



Here is a list of some of the really big ticket items that new churches who want to grow missional churches are wrestling with.  Where are you in this list?

Where are you with…
· Relationships with community members and community leaders.
· Developing leadership within the church that can take the lead on community service issues.
· Focusing their community efforts through the needs assessment to identify a “sweet spot” of ministry priority.
· Deeper insight into the community, its values, needs and priorities.
· Engaging with people who weren’t looking for a church.
· Positioning the church as a relevant and credible presence in the midst of skeptical people.
· Members serving in the community on a regular basis.
· Seeing and communicating with the community using non-religious terms and ideas.
· Understanding the process of growing a church that can grow and sustain community impact.

Dave, I have observed that the guys most serious about off-roading have a winch on the front of their 4×4. More than just looking cool, this tool is the resource they need to get unstuck when pushing their truck to its off-road limits. The questions you sent me last week are the winch I needed to get unstuck.

Honest reflection on these questions has revealed my strength in engaging community leaders but to the deficit of engaging community residents. I naturally relate to leaders, but in doing so I lost sight of residents. Perhaps it all boils down to a timing issue, but more likely, my community needs assessment should have a both-and focus that more fully integrates interviews, surveys, and community service opportunities.

Planter,

You should think of this from the perspective of Player-coach.  You are a strong leader, and you will need to get people around you that will pay attention to community members, while you act as a player coach– doing it with them and modeling it, while they perhaps do most of the community people stuff.  This is no different than the struggle that strong and visionary leaders have with pastoral care.   In this case, it is just pastoring people before they know they need a pastor.  I think we have to be careful that we don’t only gravitate to the “persons of power” in the community, because they may not be the persons of peace.  Sometimes it is a lowly janitor who opens the door to the greatest number of people joining the Kingdom family, and we don’t know who will be until we make friends with them.  I appreciate your honesty.

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