New Reality Number 5

"The shift from planning to preparation." (pg. 92) We think that we can predict and plan for the future. But our predictions and plans are based on an incremental, steady growth approach. What if our growth isn't incremental?

"God wants his people to pray and to prepare for his intervention." (pg. 93) So how do I prepare? "Spiritual preparation has the goal of getting God's people in partnership with him in his redemptive mission in the world." (pg. 95) The 5 elements of spiritual preparation architecture:

Vision

• informs your decision making
• engenders commitment: "it generates energy, fires up the imagination,a nd inspires excellence." (pg. 97)
• creates meaning
• it is discovered, not invented: "listen to the heart hopes of the people you lead. Ask them what they would like to see God do in their lives and in the lives of the church and in the community. Listen to the leaders. Listen tot he inner core. But also listen to the "fringe", the people who come infrequently (there could be a good reason for their non participation)." (pg. 99)
• look at where you are
• talk with your leaders

Values

• it's more than what people say, it's what they do: "values are demonstrated by behavior." (pg. 102)
• "practice kingdom values may mean adjusting the church calendar to give people more time to participate in community or work place ministries." (pg. 104)

Results

• create a ministry score card, and keep score
• play to win
• celebrate results: reward the right behaviors so you can get the results you are looking for

Strengths

• awareness of individual strengths
• building of the individual strengths
• "get better at what you're already good at." (pg. 111)
• "celebrate their unique strengths and contributions." (pg. 113)

Learnings

• "church leaders must go to "school" all the time." (pg. 117)
• go where life is happening
• get outside the box
• create a learning community of 3 or 4 leaders
• develop a chief learning officer
• secure a learning coach for me. Meet with them at least twice a year. They need to understand my life mission, learning style, and leadership challenges.

"Our mission is to introduce the kingdom into this world, with its preferred future for humanity. The future is the best place to start." (pg. 119)