Begin your Disciplemaking Pathway in the Harvest

Begin your Disciplemaking Pathway in the Harvest

Micah Dodson and I talk about the primary shift a leader must wrestle through in order to establish a culture of disciplemaking in your church.  This is perhaps the key philosophical decision a leader must make to create an intentional community of disciples, making disciples.  After we discuss the shift then I ask Micah to present a challenge to take the next step to strengthen your disciplemaking culture.

You will need 6 minutes to view this video; I promise it will be worth your time – CLICK HERE!

To get the conversation started – share your take away from the video below.

Making Disciples Coaching Guide

Making Disciples Coaching Guide

7 Question to Innovate Creative Solutions in Ministry during Uncertain Times

7 Question to Innovate Creative Solutions in Ministry during Uncertain Times

History will tell the story how the Church decided to act in faith and be the Church in crisis.

Last Tuesday Gina (my wife) and I made an executive decision for our small group.  We have a wonderful host couple that open their home so that our group of 5-17 members (depending on the week) can meet on Tuesday evenings for about 28 weeks throughout the year.  A number of our participants have compromised immune systems or loved ones who are at greater risk than the general population.  Last weekend our church, like about many other congregations across the country, launched their first-ever online worship service.

Back to our small group.  I discussed the situation with Gina and we came up with a solution.  Due to the the various reasons above – we moved our small group gathering to a virtual format, using Zoom.  This is not an original idea with us.  In fact, this might seem old school for many.  But, it was an innovative solution to a real and pressing issue.

This allowed our group to meet without concerns for the health of our people who deal with compromised immune systems.  More importantly, this removed the excuse not to meet.  Check-out the list of questions below to consider creative solutions to complex problems.

7 Questions to Innovate Creative Solutions in Ministry during Uncertain Times
  1. What is influencing our decisions as we navigate this crisis?
  2. How can we leverage the circumstances the crisis is presenting, to move the mission of Jesus forward?
  3. Brainstorm a list of ideas that come to mind.
  4. Narrow the list to the best 3-5 ideas.
  5. What are the pros and cons of each idea?
  6. Choose the best idea that you can execute within a certain timeframe.
  7. What are the necessary steps to implement this idea.

Going to an online platform to keep your church connected might be the direction you need to move right now.  This forced migration might be the best thing for your congregation.  Perhaps, online isn’t something you need to do and there are other considerations that will allow you to capitalize on the opportunity?

Three COMPLIMENTARY Coaching Sessions to Innovate Creative Solutions During Uncertain Times

With the warnings, limitations and restrictions imposed on your ministry; would you like help navigating this season?  With that in mind, InFocus is offering three complimentary coaching appointments, 30 minutes each.  Going online with worship services, small groups or your entire ministry is innovative.

With the current restrictions the government has enforced due to the Coronavirus there was an uptick in webinars just last week to assist leaders that need to introduce online solutions for their church, facilitated by experts in the field. If you would like assistance on sorting through all the options I would be happy to coach you around the best way to address your need.  Simply click on the button below to schedule a time that works for you.  You determine the agenda:

  • Taking your worship services online
  • Taking your disciplemaking online
  • Taking your church online

…..or some other topic of your choosing!

CLICK HERE  to schedule your first appointment

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Questions to Sharpen your Disciple Making Process

7 Questions to Sharpen your Disciple Making Process

Four findings recently surfaced from a national study of Disciple Making in USA churches:

  1. Fewer than 5% of churches in the US have a reproducing disciple making culture
  2. An absence of churches reflecting viral-like disciple making movements
  3. Lack of commonly understood definitions
  4. Overestimating Impact

*National Study on Disciple Making in USA Churches: High Aspirations Amidst Disappointing Results

The report cited above elaborates on each of the key points.  If you lead one of the churches within that 5%, then your ministry is exceptional – well done!  You can read the report in it’s entirety – CLICK HERE.

7 Questions to Sharpen your Disciple Making Process

Reflection Questions:

  • What was your discipleship journey like?
  • What “steps” of your journey have been repeated by others, through your ministry?
  • When you consider the essential steps a disciple takes, what steps are missing from the list you created above?
  • What steps does your church do well?

Planning Questions:

  • Which steps could your church improve on?
  • Select one step you need to focus on now?
  • Identify one action you can take to enhance that step.

Of course, these questions are just a first step.  But when taken seriously, consistently monitoring progress, you can create a “reproducing disciple making culture”.  It is within reach.  You can move the needle in the right direction.  Review the Making Disciples Storyboard and assess where your ministry is strong and where there are gaps.  Then take action.

It is mind-boggling to think that the primary mission of the church is to make disciples; yet, less than 5% of our churches “have a reproducing disciple making culture”.  Through the hard work of capable disciplemakers under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – we can do better than that!  Wouldn’t you agree?

 

Leadership Collective 2020 is underway!

Leadership Collective 2020 is underway!

We met in La Jolla, CA and had a rich time of connecting and learning.

Four values define the Leadership Collective:

  1. Continual Learning
  2. Meaningful Relationships
  3. Challenge Assumptions
  4. Action & Reflection

The Kick-off Retreat focused on disciplemaking.  We asked participants to process four key questions so that they could:

  • DEFINE a disciple
  • ASSESS their discipleship process
  • IDENTIFY a Person of Peace
  • ENVISION their discipleship process
Leadership Collective 2020!

Morning “toast” with Collective participants.

What I enjoyed most was the way God worked during our time together to build trust, provide unique insights and forge new pathways to make more and better disciples.