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Discerning God's Vision
Christians in the United States are on mission territory. People no longer flock to fill the churches on Sunday morning or any other day of the week. Many people unaffiliated with a church seem indifferent to any activities happening in neighboring churches. What is a congregation to do?
- PRAY: Ask God for guidance as your congregation takes a serious look at its mission and
ministry. Why does your congregation exist? Is your congregation relevant? Is your
congregation meeting needs beyond your congregation?
- CELEBRATE: Give God thanks for the significant ways God has blessed your congregation.
Perhaps you reached out during the war years, supported youth that attended camp; financed a
seminarian. . .the list could go on and on. Truly celebrate God's blessings, but recognize God
may be calling you to new opportunities. Let go of the past. Prepare for the future.
- DISCERN: Make discerning God's vision a top priority for your congregation. Plan to
plan. Perhaps invite an outsider to help with the planning process. Select a time line for
the discerning process. Review current literature on strategic planning. Check with your
synod office staff for other congregations who have gone through a meaningful process.
Ask about available resources that might assist your congregation. Choose to be intentional
about discerning God's vision for your congregation.
- FAST: Call a fast! Give up the normal activities of the church to allow the congregation
to discern God's vision for your congregation. Do not squander away your new "free" time with
trivial activities.
- INVITE: Find ways to include all (children, shut-ins, youth, etc.) to pray and discern
God's vision for your congregation. Then, truly listen.
- STUDY: Read one of the gospels of Jesus. What did Jesus try to teach his followers?
What mission did Jesus ask of his followers? How is your congregation to spend its time,
energy and financial resources?
- NAME IT: What is the fundamental mission of "the church" in all places and all times?
(see John 13:34-35; Acts 1: 8; Matthew 25:28) Find the phrases, which connect with your
congregation. Keep your mission statement short and easy to remember. A sixth grader should be
able to repeat it by memory. (Perhaps a small group may need to finalize the wording of your
"new" mission statement.)
- PUBLICIZE: Once the congregation has affirmed the mission statement: publicize,
publicize, publicize. Include the mission statement in all church publications.
- PLAN MORE: Keep going. Precisely how will your congregation live out its mission?
Look around you. Ask probing questions? Listen. Listen. What are the needs of your
neighborhood and community? Pray. Formulate goals to reach your mission statement. Be
specific! How does God want you to live out the mission statement? Prioritize. What comes
first? Select a reasonable number of goals. Allow God to stretch your pondering. Remember
God is your guide.
- DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN: This plan will include: who, what, when, where, and cost.
Then, begin to implement the plan.
- COMMUNICATE: Find ways to keep your congregation informed. Communicate and then
communicate more by seeking creative ways to share the story of God's vision for your
congregation. Be sure to communicate beyond the church walls to the community.
- GIVE THANKS: Give God thanks for the movement of the Spirit in your midst. Give God
thanks for leading your congregation in ways to claim the opportunities for mission and
ministry.
For more resources on discerning God's vision for your congregation, see the
Congregational Leadership Series of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America and
Augsburg Fortress Publishers.
Written by Robin McCullough-Bade
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