The title is not flashy. I get that. The process may not be pretty but is necessary and often overlooked in the passion of the hunt. We often look at the call that is laid on our hearts by the Father and that is exciting. We are given a mandate and taught to stir up the people to see the vision laid before us. Like Moses, we begin to try and accomplish the task, only to hear what was said so long ago by Jethro:
Exodus 18:17,18
17 Moses’ Father-in-Law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
What are we to do? In this day of a pandemic, how should we lead? Do we just follow what we have always done or is it now time to adjust? The answer is “maybe.” Not a good answer? Before you rush to make changes, take the time to assess. Assessment of where you are allows for you to see what you have been doing both positively and negatively. Knowing where you are is the first decision that allows for change in your life and ministry. Don’t lie to yourself or those you lead without true knowledge of what is around you. Once that is truly understood the next steps can be significant or not. Remember, no decision is a decision.
Scott Cochrane, scottcochrane.com, shares a blog entitled “3 Ways to Leverage Process to Unlock Progress.” In this article, we see three important thoughts:
- Great ideas are important they’re just not enough.
I love this thought simply because I seem to have a ton of great ideas. Sadly, those ideas don’t have the logistics behind them to be fully fulfilled. An idea may jumpstart a step in the leadership journey, but those ideas need to be fleshed out against your core values and overall mission of the church. Do they fit? Are we in a position to accomplish this now? What needs to change for this process to work? We don’t ask enough questions that need to be answered. We start at step 15 rather than 1,2,3…etc.
- People might reject a good idea if process has been violated.
We get a good idea and envision its completion. We verbalize what has been laid on our hearts. Yet, people want to know how we accomplish something and has the path or process for an idea been worked through that is laid out by the team. We think we are leading only to find out we are by ourselves in our leading. If that is the case, are we leading at all or just on a private walk? This tells us we need to know the processes we have to reveal ideas and directions and allow those on our team to speak into our ideas. Collective IQ. Others may be the process people that take an idea and put the components together to make what we dream into a reality. Don’t shortchange the process.
- The best route between two points is not a straight line.
Too many pastors and ministries have had a great idea and have decided to accomplish the idea in the next day or two. What may take place is the idea could catch flak quickly, people get upset that have no idea of what the leader/pastor is doing, or the team/staff works to a point of exhaustion trying to fulfill the dream and frustration sets in. We may have won the battle but lost the war. A dream does not just have a straight line of fulfillment. There is much to do to accomplish the task. Success is making sure the elements involved understand and know their roles in the decision. This is the place to over-communicate. Nothing is a straight line.
Always remember that meetings with clear process and communication are the fertilizer for ministry growth. So, I ask today as God asked Adam in the garden, “Where are you?” Are you asking this of your ministry? Family? Personal journey? What processes do you use to work through your ideas and leadership?
In planting, a church you must work through these details. What we have seen with Send Network Indiana is the necessity of clear paths of communication and processes for a church to start and to grow successfully. What also is a blessing is that God can use anyone willing to follow Him to accomplish this grand idea!!