RETHINK - RESET - RELAUNCH

…the prudent give thought to their steps…

PROVERBS 14:15

There are three big and bold words that have become talking points for the OMN Leadership Team over the last few months.  These three action words provide a positive response to the unprecedented challenges that pastors and leaders have recently experienced.     

The Barna Group, a research organization, has underscored the growing number of ministers in the United States who have felt like stepping down or walking away from their current ministry assignments.  They suggest 2 in 5 ministers have quit. The reasons cited include general frustration, a sense of failure, a loss of focus, and physical and emotional drain.   Added to this is the continued unsettledness and unstableness of the current culture. How should we respond?  

In Luke 4, we read that Jesus was tempted to step back, step down, and step away from his divine calling.  However, during this battle, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, did not back down or away but was empowered to stay the course. In fact, his resolve catapulted Him into the beginning of his amazing miracle ministry. 

This season has helped build a platform for our best days in ministry.  Although the demands have been high and the race at times unpredictable, this has given us the chance to assess methods and motives. This moment in time has called on us to be willing to make adjustments and take new actions. With the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to move forward with certainty, confidence, and courage.

Three actions to take moving forward in the face of the current challenges and opportunities as a pastor and leader:

Action 1: RETHINK:  to reassess, to think again before taking action.

Take some time to pause and pray about what adjustments and changes are needed to effectively fulfill the Great Commission in your ministry context.  It will require a willingness to examine things like structure, staffing, schedules, sermons, and even service orders. It may be painful and call for letting go of something that has been done for years, but in the long run, this will bring greater growth and fruitfulness.        

• RESPONSE:  Set aside a half day this month to pray, ponder and prioritize your schedule, your vision, and the current needs of your church and community.  Write down your thoughts and begin to ask, How can I lead more effectively?

Action 2: RESET:  to adjust, to set again for a different outcome.   

The second action is just as important as the first. Resetting takes your thoughts and puts them into a plan for action. This may call for making significant changes in the calendar, team assignments, or discipleship efforts. Thom Davis of UNSION Broadcasting, an AG mission's television ministry, discussed with me recently live-streaming Sunday services.  He asked, Why are churches still live-streaming? The question prompted an insightful conversation, and we concluded that this is a good time to reset this newer form of ministry by looking at the purpose, length, response, and content. The value? Bring a more effective use of time, talent, and treasure, and with better results.

• RESPONSE:  Set dates and times for these actions to take place and invite others to help you make the shifts. Put into place action steps that will produce more meaningful results, building stronger and more effective outcomes.  

“Never restart a journey and use the same road that failed you before.”

Dennis E. Adonis

Action 3: RELAUNCH:  to begin again, to carry on with a new vision and vitality. 

New beginnings, new chapters, and new starts are a gift. This is a perfect time to restart and relaunch updated and improved efforts and ministries that will lead to fulfilling the Great Commission.  Rethinking and resetting are fruitless without relaunching. Put doable and achievable action steps in your God-given idea or plan. 

• RESPONSE:  Enlist the personnel needed, establish the dates, and secure the resources required to relaunch the changes. Then go for it with clarity, confidence, and celebration.

I am very encouraged about what God has in store for you in the days ahead. I am equally excited about what God is going to do and is doing in the Oregon Ministry Network as we rethink, reset and relaunch.  The days ahead will be filled with adjustments and a great revival as we follow the Holy Spirit’s lead.  Let’s stay strong together!  

See, I will do a new thing. It will begin happening now. Will you not know about it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19