Thursday, July 12, 2007

vision...3 doors to pass through


ok. Been here 2 weeks. This is what I know so far.


plan


  1. July-Sept is pray and listen time, while doing some organizational "tweaking" and puting things in order. door 1

  2. Oct-Dec is teams collaberatively fixing, elliminating, and building new systems. door 2

  3. Jan 1 we should have a beta version of a new and improved 5 stones. door 3

balance


  1. 5 stones is to serve the seminary, college, and community.

  2. 5 stones is to function as a collaberative learning community.

  3. 5 stones is to balance the word and the spirit in all things.

challenges



  1. the church needs to simplify programming.

  2. the church needs to have a healthier financial stewardship.

  3. the church needs to exit a poverty mentality, a woundedness festering, and function as a unified whole again.

  4. the church needs to be outwardly focused.

  5. the church needs to learn the fun of diversity and deference in the context of unity.

expect



  1. change. Everything from budget to facilities, to staff, and everything else.

  2. new leaders to emerge.

  3. old leaders to face the challenge of reinventing themselves in some areas.

  4. some people will leave, and some will come.

assets



  1. God!!!

  2. Loyal people committed to the vision and each other who have shown tremendous tenacity and character in a tough season.

  3. a great location and calling at the A/U chapel.

  4. A mildly insane pastor; great staff; wonderful board; team leaders; servants...etc. You!

So: we will see some change in the first 3 months; then some more; and some more and some stabilizing by next March where we will probably have a pretty good handle on most of this.


you should



  1. pray.

  2. commit to tithing; small group; and finding your place to give your gift.

  3. forgive others, defer, and focus on bringing out the best in those around you.

  4. work on your list of 10 people you know who are unchurched and what you need to do to love them, serve them, and get them to 5 stones.

  5. have a teachable attitude, roll with it, and let go of offences and any bitter roots.

  6. have Fun!!! enjoy God and work hard as we rebuild our walls.

this isn't rocket science

1 comments:

david sherwood said...

from an actual e-mail [name not included]

I feel like I do as much as I can underground, but I want to move onward and upward. I want to DO more hands on. so what's my part?

Please don't mistake this as the "look at me...look what I do" way. (I actually shrink in my seat about 6 inches when I get called on.) I know it can be so easy to fall into that mode and think that what we DO will pacify God and His will for us, as opposed to the way we discern what He has for us. I really don't know what he wants me to do, but I do know that it has taken a long time for 1 of 2 things to happen: He's just now telling me to do "something" OR He's been telling me all along and I'm just now listening.................

"God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt"... I want to get dirty, really dirty..... I want to make an impact and see the evidence of what I helped to do or create or be... something..... so whatcha got for me?

[my reply]

The long answer is "I don't know" ask God? He will show you how to use your gifts uniquely in the church and the community.

The short answer is:

1. Write down the story of how Jesus rescued you. Put 5 stones website on the bottom of the page
2. Make 10 copies
3. Bake 10 pies
4. Give pies and your testimony to: The neighbors on both side of your house; some guys at the police station or firehouse; any local family members who are unchurched; and 1 random person that you don't know at all at a real-estate agency, laundrymat, etc.


go scare yourself having an adventure with jesus...it's addicting

 

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