A New Approach

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Well, here it is again, the beginning of a new year! And just how are we as Christian leaders going to approach this new calendar? We have a lot of options you know, and what we choose to establish as our goals and the way we approach reaching them will spell the degree of success we will have. First, let’s remember, this is a NEW year and although we drag the challenges of the past along with us as we enter this bright, new time --- we don’t have to allow them to influence what we want to achieve! In other words, let’s put the challenges over to the side for a minute and just think about what we want to have happen this year and how we can make those things come to fruition.

Having difficulty seeing the goals? Pick up a pen and a piece of paper and write down the answers to these three questions;

1. If I could have anything I wanted to happen to this congregation, what would that be?

2. If there is a leader in our congregation that could help me make this happen, who is it?

3. If there is something that has been keeping our congregation from growing, how can I take steps to start changing it?

Look at what you have written and ask yourself, if I can make all three of these things happen this year, how will our congregation look at this time next year? Don’t dismiss what you have just done as “wishful thinking” or playing “word games” --- what you have here are the keys to the future of your congregation and they are ALL within your grasp!

“Oh yes”, you say, “but what about that pile of challenges that are laying over there, they will keep us from achieving any of these three --- they are endemic problems --- they won’t just go away! It’s all well and good to visualize a utopian scheme for improving our congregation’s problems, but these must be overcome before anything else will happen!”

And here my friends, is where most good intentions and resolutions break down! Yes, those challenges are still there --- but you can’t mix them into what you want to achieve. You have to be realistic and understand that they aren’t going to magically disappear and that they must be overcome, but not at the expense of all new growth. Most of these challenges, whether they be financial, staff oriented or a lack of spiritual understanding among the congregation can be gradually remedied by approaching them isolated from the things you want to achieve

The answer to this conundrum is FAITH! You have to believe and ask God for his guidance and to help you make these things happen! The most satisfying thing in coaching congregations is to see them finally see the light at the end of a long tunnel. We talk of faith a lot in our sermons and bible studies, but many times forget to practice it in the every day life of the congregation. In the end you will wind up with two plans; one to overcome the challenges of the past and secondly, start to implement the plan for the future!

Be positive and approach this New Year with faith that God will provide --- that’s just good stewardship!