4 Keys to Creating Momentum in Your Church

by: Artie Davis

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At times momentum can be an illusive goal. It seems to come when least expected, and dissipates when we feel it should be present. In the church world, it seems even more illusive.

I’ve found there are four vital pillars that must be in place in order to hold any momentum that begins or maintained.

Mission

Mission is the “What” your church should be doing. In the Bible, we would recognize this is our commission or the great commandment. “God and make followers of all people.”

No matter where you are, that is your mission. Don’t let any “method” drive or steer your mission. The mission must drive the method.

Mechanism

What’s the vehicle that will drive the mission. Again this may seem a little elementary, but the simple things are the ones that seem to end up being ignored or forgotten, and the latest get big quick plan becomes the flavor of the year.

The Mechanism we have to accomplish our mission is the Church. The church is the only vehicle ordained by God to carry out and grow the Kingdom. And the church has three parts:

• Me (The individual)
• We (The circle or group)
• Us (The Congregation)

All of these are the church, and must be fully engaged in order for any momentum to take place.

Movement

This takes, on-ramps and predetermined measurable steps. It’s not just a matter of getting people into the Kingdom, they have to be helped, enrougaged, and empowered to move from one level of maturity to the next.

This process of movement will differ from church to church, but every church must have a process and the process must be measurable to ensure people are moving in maturity and becoming more like Jesus.

Multiplication

What doesn’t reproduce will eventually become extinct! The multiplication factor must be apart and it”s the main hub of momentum. When the (3) parts of the church… Me, We & Us begin to grow and multiply. Momentum, lasting, earth shaking and hell robbing momentum occurs!

And when a church has momentum in growing the Kingdom, it’s an incredible force!

Read more from Artie here.

Tags: Artie Davis, Leadership Engine, Recasting Vision, Structure, Vision Frame

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Turning Ideas into Reality, Part 2

by: Steven Furtick

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Organization Not Optional

Once an idea is recorded, we are now getting into territory where personal preference becomes more of a factor than before. Getting your ideas down isn’t optional. The process you use to organize them is. Ultimately, go with whatever you’re comfortable with and understand. If you can’t use your system, there’s no point in having it.

My own preference is using a spreadsheet with multiple tabs covering different categories and platforms of communication (e.g. blog ideas, sermon illustrations, leadership teaching, staff meeting teachings). Once a week I sit down with my assistants and list every idea I’ve had over the past week with the main idea, any scriptures I want to use with it, and the category or platform it belongs in. Each idea is then listed chronologically within its assigned category. This way, I can see all of the resources I have within a particular area and have access to the freshest concepts within it.

Whatever method you go with, keep in mind that your organizational preference is optional. Being organized isn’t. Many pastors use the excuse that they’re not naturally organized. Translated, that means, “I’m too lazy to take the time to make my ideas more accessible.” When God has given you inspiration, there is no excuse for mishandling it. Even if it doesn’t come naturally for you. Do the hard work. If nothing else, find someone who is more organized and empower them to do it for you according to your preferred design.

Execution Matters Most

Ideas are overrated. Execution is what really matters. Ideas become reality because of something you do. Not because they are written down. So it’s essential that you have some kind of a system to make sure your thoughts are being filtered into your sermons, blogs, staff teachings, and any other place where you have a platform. If not, all you have done is buried them in a document rather than in your memory.

In my case, I have an assistant who regularly goes through my spreadsheet and makes sure the strongest ideas are being implemented in their respective areas. For example, when it comes time to plan out our sermons for the year, he has access to every single series idea I’ve envisioned up to that point. If we want to do a series on giving, everything I need on that topic is put in front of me.

You might not have the luxury of having a paid staff member to help you do all of this. But don’t let this stop you. Find a volunteer. Or set aside a set time in your calendar every week and do it yourself. The dividends it pays far outweigh the time and energy you will ever put into it.

And remember that it’s not ultimately about efficiency. This is about learning to harness the infinite sum of knowledge and inspiration that is at our disposal because of the God we serve.

Considering the fact that we have a God who is constantly at work to reveal Himself, there should not be another group on the planet that is coming up with better ideas than the people he has chosen to use as his instruments of revelation. Let’s not waste what we have at our disposal.

Read Part 1 of this series here.

Read more from Steven here.

Tags: Leadership Development, Recasting Vision, Steven Furtick

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Turning Ideas into Reality, Part 1

by: Steven Furtick

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Yesterday I told you I would be giving you access to my system for recording, cataloging, and implementing my ideas. After writing it out, I’ve decided it’s much too long for one blog post. I don’t want to shortchange you by reducing it, so I’ve divided it in two. The second half will be posted tomorrow. Here is the first half of the process:

The Birth of the Idea

The genesis of any system for getting your ideas from your mind to reality starts with the initial moment of inspiration. I’ve found that these moments occur in two different ways.

Sometimes they will appear out of nowhere. I’ll be doing something that requires zero creativity, yet one of the most creative ideas I’ve ever had will come to me. You’ll find that your subconscious is often working harder than your conscious mind ever will. Collecting random bits of information and making connections you never would. When God decides to use it to present you with something fresh, be ready.

Others come through learned observation. What I mean is that you have to train yourself to become aware of everything around you and its illustrative and revelatory potential. The books I read are no longer just for my own personal edification. They are goldmines for ideas. Every conversation I have, my favorite memories from family vacations, everything has the potential to birth an idea inside of me. Because God has created the world, everything around us possesses the possibility of more fully revealing the One who created it. Or giving us insight into the way His creation is designed to work. So keep your eyes open.

The first source of inspiration requires little to no work. The second may require intensive examination and reflection. Both are required if you want to maximize your mind’s full potential.

Get it Down.

The next step is crucial. It’s the one most pastors never get to and why most ideas never see the light of day. Ingrain this instruction in your head: write everything down.

Record every creative impulse. Every good idea. Every bad idea. Every possible vision initiative. Every potential illustration. When you’re reading, if the author says something in a fresh way that could illustrate one of your own concepts, record it immediately. Don’t highlight the sentence and hope you remember to flip back and find it later. You won’t.

Write it on a napkin. Record it on your phone. Write it on your iPad. Tatoo it on your arm if you have to. Whatever you have to do, just get it down. Some of your best sermon ideas were never preached because they weren’t written down. You thought you’d remember. You didn’t.

I write most of my thoughts in a Moleskin. But I’ll also do whatever it takes. I’ve called my own voicemail before and left a message just so I wouldn’t lose an idea.

However I end up recording it, I follow up and transfer it to either my computer or my iPad to make the second half of the process more efficient. We’ll pick up there tomorrow.

For now, keep your eyes open for every little piece of inspiration God gives you. And have a pen ready.

Read Part 2 here.

Read more from Steven here.

Tags: Leadership Development, Recasting Vision, Steven Furtick

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The Vision Veil

by: Steven Furtick

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When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the tablets (the 2nd time around), his face was lit up with the glory of God. His countenance was so radiant that he had to cover his face with a veil. The people couldn’t handle the level of God’s presence that Moses had experienced. A full disclosure of the revelation would have blown them away.

Sometimes you’ll have an encounter with God that’s so intense you can’t reveal it to everyone in your life. I’m not talking about some spooky out of body shake and quake bark like a dog fall into a trance encounter with God. This has very practical implications.

When you make a commitment to live for Christ with greater commitment, people who know you really well may doubt your sincerity or ability to change. Even the disciples were freaked out by the possibility of assimilating Paul-their former persecutor-into their posse.

Sometimes God plants a vision in your heart so outrageous that you need to keep it to yourself for a while. Joseph would have done well to internalize his dream instead of giving his brothers ammunition to launch against him.

Sometimes God speaks to you in the form of an impression that your human vocabulary can’t communicate-even to the people closest to you. When Mary realized the child inside of her was the very Son of God, she treasured the truth in her heart. She couldn’t declare it with her mouth yet. This was between her and God-for now.

Be aware that in life and leadership, sometimes you’ll feel out of place when you come down from the mountain after meeting with God. It may take time for the people surrounding you to get adjusted to the new reality. Sometimes you’ll have to cover your vision with a veil until what you’ve seen becomes clear to others too. Don’t take it as an insult. Don’t question the validity of your revelation.

Just thank God that your vision is too luminous for human eyes to behold.

It’s a sign of a very bright future.

Tags: Recasting Vision, Steven Furtick, Vision Frame

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A Vision Backer’s Audition

by: Steven Furtick

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The other week I saw an interesting facet about the production of plays that I think applies beautifully to the all-important practice of casting vision.

Sometimes a new play or film needs outside investment to get off the ground. When this is the case, the creators and organizers of it make a small presentation of the play called a backers’ audition for a group of people who could fund it.

If they win support, the production goes forward. If not, it stalls or falls apart.

When it comes to casting the vision God has put in our hearts, every time we’re presenting it to people it’s like a backers’ audition. Every person you cast your vision to isn’t just a person you’re informing about what you’re doing. They’re people who could potentially back it. Be a part of it. Invest their lives into it. And therefore make it happen. Or make it stall or fall apart if they don’t get behind it.

And we’re not just talking about their money. But also their time. Their energy. Even their lives.

Are we approaching these opportunities with our best shot or are we just throwing it together and hoping it sticks?

In the early days of your vision, you can’t just hope that it sticks. Otherwise, it’s never going to get off the ground. The key differentiating factor between visions that become a reality and those that remain good ideas are backers.

Everyone has passion for their own vision. But it’s those who can instill it into other people who see it come to pass.
Everyone is willing to throw money at their own vision. But it’s those who can get others to do the same who eat past the first month.

What God has called you to do is too important to give a mediocre presentation of it. When you’re presenting and casting your vision, always put your best foot forward. You never know, these could be the people you spend the rest of your life with chasing the dream God has placed inside of you. Don’t let them walk away easily because of poor presentation.

Before you give your next backers’ audition, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the presentation of your vision compelling?
• Is it sticky?
• Is the vision clear? Could they sum it up and give it back to you after you’re done?
• Is your presentation of it so short that people can’t get the full picture of what you want to do? Or so long that they lose interest long before you’re done?
• After hearing it, is it something people would want to sacrifice for just to be a part of it?

Tags: Elevation Church, Recasting Vision, Steven Furtick

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Denying Facts You Don’t Like

by: Seth Godin

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Transformational leaders don’t start by denying the world around them. Instead, they describe a future they’d like to create instead.

Denying the truth about relative market share, imperial power or the scientific method helps no one.

Gandhi didn’t pretend the British weren’t dominating his country, and Feynman didn’t challenge Einstein’s theory of relativity or the laws of thermodynamics.

It’s okay to say, “this is going to be difficult.” And it’s productive to point out, “our product isn’t as good as it should be yet.”

The problem with Orwellian talking heads, agitprop, faux news and Ballmer-like posturing is that they take away a foundation for a genuine movement to occur, because once we start denying facts, it’s difficult to know when to stop. Tell us where we are, tell us where we’re going.

But if you can’t be clear about one, it’s hard to buy into the other.

Tags: Leadership, Recasting Vision, Seth Godin

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