Over the next month or so I will be opening my articles with insights from my
good friend and church consultant, George Bullard. I will be adding some comments
to what George has written in his book, Faith Soaring Churches.
“Congregations seeking to transform are committed to the big picture of
process. They desire to be captivated by God’s vision for their future. They are able
to focus on the process of adult disciple making. They are not controlled by their
management groups.
Especially they are not controlled by one or two stellar programs that seem to
outshine everything else that happens in the congregation, and seem to attract a
lot of resources and praise. This is a bad thing? Not bad. But a dominating program
can become the vision rather than God’s vision being that which captivates the
congregation.”
There are a number of key thoughts upon which I want you to focus. The first
is that a congregation is captivated by God’s vision for their future.
Disciple making is the second key thought. This means truly following our
Lord’s commission to go into all the world and to make disciples. Who have you
thought to capture in this arena of disciple making? Who have you encouraged to
be a part of First Christian? Don’t get caught in the trap of taking ownership for one
or two programs that are your favorites. These kinds of traps limit our ability and
our chance to make disciples.
Finally allow God’s vision and not your vision or a vision of some group to be
that which captivates our congregation. Always keep God’s vision in the forefront.
