Typically, churches aren’t stuck when it comes to the mission. Fortunately, we don’t have to search very far in the Scriptures to discover God’s intent for the church to reach the nations. However, where churches are notorious for being stuck is in what comes next: Understanding and developing the steps that are necessary to take in order to make that vision a reality.
This is where strong leadership is needed. The task of leadership is to break a complicated process of moving from where you are to where God wants you to be into clear, simple, easy, natural steps that make vision real.
1. Clear
If what you’re asking people to do is confusing, chances are they’ll move in a different direction than you intend for them to, or worse they won’t move at all. Your idea and message may seem obvious and clear to you, but it doesn’t matter how clear it is in your mind. You’ve got to figure out a way to make it clear to the people you want to take the step.
2. Simple
If you want people to take a step that will move them and the organization in a preferred direction, then it can’t be complicated. If you’ve ever put together IKEA furniture then you understand what I mean. It’s amazing how they can fit a 6×6 entertainment center in a box the size of a Rubix Cube, and for some reason there always seem to be parts left over! The best and quickest process is always a one step process.
3. Easy
Let me be clear. By no means am I saying that helping people take steps towards making vision real is easy in the sense that it is painless, peaceful or comfortable. Moving people toward a preferred future vision of reality (change), by its very nature, is difficult and painful. Rather, I’m asserting that easy solutions to complex problems lead to movement.
4. Natural
If you are intentional in forming the culture of the organization, then you will be creating an environment that tells people where they should naturally move toward and how they should behave. People should begin to see it as the natural, obvious step they should move toward.
