Shared Vision
Our church has involved our people in strategic planning by the use of a small group process we call our "Shared Vision" meetings. Here's how it works. Begin by inviting members to sign up one of several sessions, taking no more than 25 people per night. Ask five groups of five members to write out their most compelling dreams for your church. Have the groups of five meet to discuss the individual dreams and from them to produce a group vision. When complete, write the five group visions on large sheets of news print and post them around the meeting room. Give each of the 25 participants 5-10 colored stickers they can use to "buy" ideas from the group vision statements. Compile the results. There will be a tendency for people to be attracted to certain outstanding ideas. Continue to meet with groups of 25 people in the "Shared Vision" process until all your members, or a representative sample, have participated in the process. A prioritized list of the outstanding dreams and ideas will provide raw material for a plan that has broadly involved your people. Your leadership then draws upon the shared vision ideas in charting new programs, ministries, direction for the church.
It is important to note that this process is not intended to surrender the responsibility for setting God's vision and direction for the church, but it takes place within the vision and mission established by the pastor and church leaders.
Here is the information sheet we sent to our people prior to their participation in the meetings: Preparing for the Shared Vision Meetings
Step 1 Plan to arrive on time for your meeting. All four Shared Vision Meetings will be 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Community Room of the Union Township Administration Building, located on the corner of Cincinnati Dayton Road and Beckett Road. The Community Room is on the lower level of the Administration Building and is entered from the rear of the building, opposite the Police Station.
Step 2 Carefully read the following statements of the church's mission, vision, and five key areas that our ministries and programs must address. These statements are the foundation for our dreams and ideas for ministries and programs: Our Mission Lakota Christian Church exists to honor God by attracting and leading people to faith in Christ, connecting them in meaningful relationships, developing them to Christ-like maturity and love for one another, and empowering them for service in the church and a life mission in the world. Our Vision for the Future We believe GodĘs vision for Lakota Christian Church calls us to become a full-service, multi-congregational church with a broad range of high quality services, programs, and ministries meeting the spiritual needs of 1000 members in worship and small Bible study groups by the year 2000. Five Key Areas To accomplish our mission, the church must provide every member with the opportunity to have effective experiences in worship, fellowship, education, ministry, and outreach.
Step 3. Using those three statements as a framework, think about your most compelling dreams for our church. What is the best way for us to accomplish our mission and vision for the future? What needs do you and your family have that our church should meet? Imagine that Lakota is the church of your dreams. What would we look like? What would we do? What facilities and resources would we have? Describe our worship, fellowship, educational programs, ministries, and outreach to unchurched people. Write down your dreams for the church. A single typewritten sheet is best. Two to three handwritten pages will do. You may want to use the five key areas or phrases from the mission or vision statements as headings for various ideas that make up your dreams for the church. For example: "Lakota Christian Church exists to . . . empower people for service in the church." Every new member is enrolled in an eight-week course on discovering and using his spiritual gifts. Every new member is deployed on a ministry team suited to his gifts, temperament, and passion. Or, "Lakota Christian Church exists to . . . connect people in meaningful relationships." Every member is involved in a small Bible study group where they build close friendships with other members who join them in learning, loving, praying, serving, and reaching out to other people. Every Bible school class and small group has a "Fun & Fellowship" meeting every month. Every member and prospective member of the group receives a personal invitation to every fellowship every month. Completing your statement or list of dreams prior to the Shared Vision meeting will help you in effectively participating in the session.
Step 4 As you write out your dreams and ideas for our future, pray that God would lead you to see clearly what our church should be and do. Ask God to fill each member who participates in the Shared Vision Meetings with wisdom, enthusiasm, and excitement for what He will do with and through our church in the future. Ask for his help in achieving the mission and vision He has given us. Pray for Dr. McCarty and the elders as they lead our congregation, especially as they help us in planning for the future.
Step 5 Attend the Shared Vision Meeting you sign up for. You will have the opportunity to share your dreams and ideas with other members and with our leaders and to hear what others are dreaming for our church. You will also have the opportunity to help us identify the best ideas generated at the meeting.
Step 6 Continue to pray for our leadership team as they conduct the Shared Vision meetings and as they incorporate the dreams and ideas from members into our strategic plan. Specifically:
1.Ask God to give our leaders wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5
2.Ask God to empower us to carry out the Great Commission Jesus gave to us as His Church. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
3.Ask God to give our leaders and members the faith to believe that He will do immeasurably greater things than we can ask or imagine. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20.