This past weekend was a great example of why I love what I do. Things were happening with my clients in various places around the country, but I could only be in one place. In many ways that was good as I seek to raise the capacity of my clients to address their own opportunities and challenges.
Spiritual Strategic Journey: I was with a smaller membership congregation going through a Spiritual Strategic Journey process. This was the weekend to help them move from the ideas they generated out of their 100 days of discernment in dialogue and prayer triplets to three identifiable scenarios for their future life and ministry. The process went very well and they seemed enthusiastic to move away from business as usual to grasp a challenging future.
Conflict Mediation: In another place a congregation was voting on whether or not to move forward with a conflict mediation process. I had provided a steering committee in the congregation with a report last week and seven recommendations. In conflict there is hardly ever unity. The vote to move forward was positive with 94 percent voting in favor of taking the next steps. That is an amazing vote for a congregation in medium to high intensity conflict. It shows their resolve to work through their past to present issues so they can become captivated by God’s future for them.
Spiritual Strategic Journey: A third congregation had a formal presentation of their three scenarios to their congregation last night with the hope that a clear theme would emerge for their future story of ministry. This congregation had done the best job I have seen done by any congregation in developing and presenting their three scenarios. I attended their dress rehearsal last Thursday night. At the presentation last night around 300 people were present. This was a phenomenal number when you consider that their Sunday morning attendance is around 450 including all ages. The attendance was their greatest victory. The fact that they definitely narrowed their focus by the responses people made will help them move forward to their future story.
Healthy Decision Making: In a fourth situation a denominational region was having a board meeting on Saturday. A couple of years ago I worked with them on a process for making healthy decisions around divisive issues. They did well with this process. They also realized they had learned a process that could be used in other situations. The next emotional issue has arisen. Rather than making it a contest, they proposed to move forward with a healthy decision making process that involves several months of discernment. I have not heard the formal report of their Saturday board meeting, but I am convinced there is a resolve in this region to focus on processes that unite rather than processes that divide.
I love what I do! This weekend made ministry famous in my heart and soul.
