Steps to unLearning Church
by Phil Miglioratti
#ReimagineMINISTRY… Church ... Prayer ... Discipleship ... Evangelism ... Citywide Collaboration ...
• Aim for a Big Picture Reassessment
- Past - a respectful (unpretentious/unpretending) analysis
- Present - an objective assessment (click and scan for SWOT template)
- Future - a wise applicaton ("These leaders knew the right time to do what needed to be done." 1 Chronicles 12:32 )
• Identify These Components
Past Present Future
- Principles - that guide our decisions
- Priorities - we use to determine emphasis, personnel, finances
- Programs - that are intended to produce disciples, missional lifestyles, community impact
- Practices - we rely on to teach, train, deploy
- Places - facilities and environmets where we worship, fellowship, do discipleship, express stewardship, live out Church partnerships
- Peoples - who we were, who we are, who we must become
• Ask Tough Questions
WHO?
* Who designed how we perceive this ministry? or, determined how we operate this program?
* Who were they?…and in what ways are we different today?
* Who were they serving?…and how are the persons we are called to reach different today?
* Who responded well to the style and structure they used?…but who was not considered?…and who was not impacted?
* Who shoukd be invited to be involved in these discussions about the future?
WHAT?
* What problem were they solving?
* What impact did they have?
* What cultural factors have changed?
* What are the 3-5 critical problems we must solve to be effective in this ministry...for this time...and place?
* What must we unlearn (see "P" component above) in order to reimagine future church?
WHERE?
* Where (location) were the traditions and practices that have influenced how we think about ministry birthed, lived-out?
* Where we are now, how is “place” different for us than those who shaped our principles?
* Where we are now, how will this palce becoming different?
WHEN?
* When has our church been most effective* When we look at ourselves today, what bothers us the most?* When we look back 3-5 years from now, what is your biggest concern?* When we pray for the future, how will we discern the leading of the Spirit?
WHY?
* Why did you begin attending, worshipping, serving here* Why do new people think of vivisting our church/minstry?* Why are we, what is it that motivates us?* Why is our meesaging effective with some but not others?
HOW?
* How should we begin to ask-seek-knock for direction adn discerment in shaping he future?* How coudl changes in the way we communicate (teaching, promotion) bring better results?* How do we move forward while listenitng to and learning from those who are hesitatn, fearful, disagreeing?
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