These are exciting times at our church. We are preparing for an incredible holiday season. So many new people visit our church during this time. We want to give each guest a remarkable experience. That’s our vision. That’s our heart. That’s our mission. That’s why we serve. And it all starts with “WHY”.
That last statement, “it all starts with WHY”…implies this is only the start…so there must be more to it…after this initial start. Right?
Yes, with this compelling “WHY” we must move on to answer the next question: “HOW?”. This is how we turn our vision into meaningful action.
“Vision without action is merely a dream.
Action without vision just passes the time.
Vision with action can change the world.”
Joel A. Barker
Asking the “HOW?” question results in an action plan. And that is the secret to providing a remarkable experience for each guest.
Many churches create a check list of action items that looks something like this for Christmas Services:
You may be thinking, “that would be so nice, but it’s way too late for us.” Don’t be discouraged. It’s never too late. And don’t wait for someone else to start. Today is a great day to take just one step in the direction of developing an action plan. That’s how most of my ministry action plans got started…way too late and not so perfectly. But it is not about perfection…it is about progress. So each time you cycle through this process of moving from WHY to HOW, you’ll continuously improve upon the previous action plan. When it comes around to this time again, you’ll have a head-start: building on the previous copy and not working off a blank page.
The benefits are well worth the effort: teams are coordinated, leaders see how the pieces are related, busy work is reduced, communication is improved and so much more. Ultimately our compelling vision is turned into meaningful action. And we can go home and celebrate the peace and joy of Christmas!
Mark DeMoss
Director of Church Success Teams
Contact your Church Success Partner at CSP@FellowshipOne.com
