I just returned from a quick trip out to Dallas. Other than having to spend the night in Memphis on the way home (weather delays), it was an amazing trip. Our leadership team was able to spend two days with 10 very cool churches from across the country–learning, strategizing, pushing the envelope in how to reach and develop people for Jesus.
One of the biggest discussions centered around moving from being a program driven church to become a people development church. Here are a few of the shifts that MUST take place . . .
Program driven —————–> People development
Standardized approach ——–> Individually customized
Scripted pattern ———–> Shaped (life coaching)
Participation (get more people in the programs) —–> Life transformation
Didactic (someone stands up and lectures) ——> Everyone discovers together
Delivery of information ———> Debriefing life experiences
Curriculum guided ———–> Life-centric
Plugged in (to existing church programs) ——-> Pushed out (to make a difference in the world)
Growing into service ——–> Growing through service
Generationally siloed ———-> Intergenerational
Compartmentalized (in life) ——-> Integrated (life and spirituality)
Artificial ——————-> Organic
Build the organization ————-> Develop people
I’m very excited about seeing these shifts implemented. In fact, I believe they are essential to the future health and success of being the church in post-Christian American culture.