When things are getting fuzzy

The story of Michael Phelps in the Olympics last summer captivated the world. His quest to achieve more gold medals than any other athlete made for interesting stories during the coverage of the games. One interview featured his life, for years, leading up to the 2008 Olympics. He ate, slept, and trained – period. For years that was the sum total of his life. He stayed focused on his goal and said no to everything else.

Finally we come to the fourth phase of Thom Rainer’s Simple Church – focus. Once you have accomplished the other three – Clarity, Movement, and Alignment, then the hard part will begin, and it will never end. It will be ongoing for the rest of your ministry life.

Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside the simple ministry process. Focus is the most difficult element to implement. Things outside the simple process threaten to steal attention and energy from what has been determined as necessary.

To focus is to say “no” a lot. Saying no is difficult, and must be done with God’s wisdom and timing. Here are Rainer’s five essentials to focus:

Eliminate nonessential programs-focus requires churches to forsake programs that are outside the ministry process.

Limit adding more programs-less really is more; less programs mean more focus on the programs offered; less programs means more impact.

Reduce special events-simple churches are so focused on their ministry process that there is little time for extra events that distract.

Ensure the process is easy to communicate-in order for people to agree with the single-minded focus of your church, the process must be easily communicated.

Ensure the process is simple to understand-people are incapable of focusing on something they do not understand. Understanding leads to focus and commitment.

Simple churches have focus. It is necessary but not easy. The focus will be tested and questioned. Church leaders must have the single-mindedness of the Apostle Paul who said, “One thing I do”.

Are you ready to be focused, to say no? Are you committed to staying focused on your simple ministry plan?

Getting your ducks in a row

My youngest son is playing rugby this fall. It’s a new sport to us, but he loves it. Even though it’s all new to me, I am noticing a unique feature of rugby. As the team advances the ball down the field, their formation is very much in alignment. It’s like a diagonal across the field: as the player carrying the ball is approached by the opposing team, he laterals it off to the next player in line. If it all goes well, they can advance the length of the field to score. If the alignment is broken, their advance is stopped and the ball is turned over.

Churches can lose alignment just like a rugby team – anything from team members not doing their assigned tasks to outside forces breaking the alignment.

Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. Without alignment, the church will be a multitude of sub-ministries. In a church that lacks alignment, it does not feel like one body. It feels more like a building that houses a variety of sub-ministries. Simple churches intentionally fight the drift into misalignment. They insist that every staff member and each ministry embrace their simple ministry process.

Once again, Thom Rainer in his book Simple Church provides five essentials to maintain alignment:

Recruit on the process-churches that bring people on the team who are committed to their simple process are enjoying the power of alignment. Everyone’s energy is moving in the same direction.
Offer accountability-without accountability, people naturally drift away from the declared ministry process. Leaders should avoid the two extremes of micromanagement and neglect. Micromanagement stifles creativity and hampers shared leadership; neglect fosters complacency and leads to a fragmented team.
Implement the same process everywhere-a church that is committed to alignment implements the same process everywhere. All ages should be following the same process so that understanding is increased; unity is promoted, and families experience the same process.
Unite leaders around the process-if leaders are not united in the same direction, the body of Christ is ineffective. When one part wants to be a separate body, there is division, and the world is confused.
Ensure that new ministries fit-the most challenging aspect of alignment is pulling existing ministries and staff in the same direction. It is much easier to align new people and ministries to the overall direction. If they do not fit, you simply do not allow them to begin.

God’s plan is for His body to be one. A lot is at stake - Redemption. Eternity. Transformation. Unity is essential.

Is there a traffic jam in your church?

I came through Davidson yesterday afternoon just as the elementary school was dismissed and the college was changing classes. Traffic was backed up for several blocks as cars were waiting to turn, college kids were crossing the street, and buses left the school.

Congestion stinks. It’s bad enough when you’re trying to get somewhere; it’s even worse when it’s a church. Spiritual movement is stifled. The building of lives is slowed. Congested churches are filled with the same people-people staying the same. Unchanged. Unmoved. According to Scripture a believer’s life is to be transformed more and more. There is to be progression, movement.

Thom Rainer’s book Simple Church describes four concepts that will help churches get “uncongested”. Yesterday we looked at Clarity. Today, we will examine Movement.

Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. Assimilation effectiveness is more important than programmatic effectiveness. Movement is how someone is handed off from one level of commitment to a greater level of commitment with ever-increasing levels of commitment..

To implement the movement element, church leaders must take a fresh look at the weekly church calendar and the regularly scheduled programs. All programs must be placed in sequential order along the ministry process.

Here are Rainer’s five prescriptions to help you unclog your process, to remove congestion.

Strategic programming-begin with a clearly designed process; choose only one program for each phase; design each program for a specific aspect of the process, and place the programs in sequential order.

Sequential programming-order the sequence of your programs to reflect your process; designate a clear entry-point to your process; and identify the next level of programming.

Intentional movement-create short-term steps; capitalize on relationships; consider the “Now What?”; and connect people to groups.

Clear next step-new believers need a clear next step in order to nurture them in the movement of the gospel.

New Member’s Class-teach the simple process and ask for commitment to the process.

If this sounds a little too programmatic for you, consider this: Jesus had no Plan B. He simply poured Himself into His disciples. The Gospel of Luke shows three distinct phases of the discipleship process: calling, building, and sending. They are sequential, designed to move the disciples into greater levels of commitment.

Should we do any less?