Shared Learning Experience

WELCOME!

Session Five Focusing for

Transformation

Core Purpose for Today

Our core purpose today is to understand how we can use the concepts in the book, Simple Church, in order to focus our churches more on the mission of growing mature disciples of Jesus Christ.

Objectives for Today

• Understand the power of simplicity.

• Explore the process that helps grow a person in their faith--a discipleship pathway.

• Understand how to apply the 4 basic concepts from the book.

Ground Rules

• Be on time• Be engaged• Be curious• Be respectful:

Please silence cell phones

Spiritual Centering1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Don’t you know that all the runners in the stadium run, but only one gets the prize? So run to win. 25 Everyone who competes practices self-discipline in everything. The runners do this to get a crown of leaves that shrivel up and die, but we do it to receive a crown that never dies.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27, continued

26 So now this is how I run—not without a clear goal in sight. I fight like a boxer in the ring, not like someone who is shadowboxing. 27 Rather, I’m landing punches on my own body and subduing it like a slave. I do this to be sure that I myself won’t be disqualified after preaching to others. -- Apostle Paul

Reflection Questions…

1. How does this scripture speak to you?

2. What is the prize that we disciples are striving to reach?

3. How clear is your church about its mission? Are you “running aimlessly” or focused?

4. How might your church more intentionally “run in such a way as to get the prize”?

Action Plan Review

Action Plan ReviewTips for a Good Discussion

1. Time-keeper and Facilitator

2. Each person share

3. Move the discussion along-20 min

4. Away from “right or wrong” and toward learning and growth

5. Peer mentoring opportunities

Action Plan Review, questions

Accountability: Were you able to accomplish your plan? If not, what got in the way?

Application Learning: How did you apply what you learned to your specific situation?Peer Mentoring:

How can your teammates help you achieve your plans?

Action Plan Review, Assignments

1. In what ways did you share your findings from the Community Interviews with your congregation?

2. In what ways are you sharing what you are learning in the Shared Learning Experience with others in your church?

Secular Case Study: Southwest Airlines

• They are the largest domestic carrier in the U.S.

• They have had 40 consecutive years of profitability (thru 2012).

Southwest Airlines: Mission

“The mission [why they exist] of Southwest Airlines is dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.”

Southwest Airlines: Vision

“Our vision [where they are going] is to expand our locations both domestic and overseas by being the largest and most profitable airline company to achieve both short and long-haul carries efficiently and with low cost. Also to be an airline carrier that has the most productive workforce to guarantee the best flight possible for each and every passenger.”

Southwest Airlines: Values

1. Warrior Spirit--Work Hard, Desire to be the best, Be courageous, Display urgency, Persevere, Innovate

2. A Servant’s Heart--Follow The Golden Rule, Adhere to the Principles, Treat others with respect, Put others first, Be egalitarian, Demonstrate proactive, Customer Service, Embrace the SWA Family

Southwest Airlines: Values, cont.

3. Fun Luving Attitude—Have FUN, Don't take yourself too seriously, Maintain perspective, Celebrate successes, Enjoy your work, Be a passionate Teamplayer

Southwest Airline: Simple Model

• They fly one model of airplane (lower maintenance, training costs).

• They go point to point (rather than using a hub and spoke model).

• They practice fuel hedging (locking in low prices).

• They do not serve meals on any flights.

Southwest Airlines: Employees #1

• "Our people are our single greatest strength and most enduring long-term competitive advantage.” -- Gary Kelly, CEO

• “At Southwest Airlines you have the freedom to be creative, dress casually, and have fun on the job.”

• “Not just a career, a cause.”• Had nearly 200,000 resumes for fewer

than 5,000 positions (2011)

Reflection Questions

1. What strikes you about what you’ve heard? Would you like to work for Southwest? Why?

2. What are your church’s mission, vision, and values? Are they clearly defined? How do they help your church focus and limit what you do?

3. What is your church’s greatest asset (strength)? How can you build on it?

Simple Church

…a congregation designed around

a straight-forward and

strategic process that

moves people through the

stages of spiritual growth.

Our marching orders:

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the

world!

The United Methodist Church

Example of a Discipleship Pathway

Cross Church’s mission statement:“Love God. Love others. Serve the

world.”

Cross Church’s Discipleship Pathway

• Love God = Every member is expected to be a regular participant in worship where they will be drawn closer to God.

• Love others = Every member is expected to be in a small group or Sunday school class where they will be connected to others.

• Serve the world = Every member is expected to serve outside the church.

Simple Church – 4 Elements

1) The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it.

2) The process flows logically (movement)

3) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment).

4) The church abandons everything that is not in the process (focus)

Simple Church - Clarity

Clarity – The ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people.

• Clarity and simplicity go hand in hand.

• A process that has clarity is clearly defined.

• The leadership and the people must know exactly how the church is structured to move people toward spiritual growth.

Simple Church - Clarity

• Use illustration to reflect the process, show progression, help simplify.

• Are we tour guides or travel agents?

Simple Church - Movement

Movement – the sequential steps in the process that causes people to move to greater areas of commitment.

• Movement is about flow.• We must have a clear entry

point into the process.• Leaders must focus as much on

what happens in between the programs as they do the programs.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Simple Church - Alignment

Alignment – the arrangements of all ministries and staff around the same process.

• Alignment ensure the entire church is moving in the same direction

• All churches naturally drift away from alignment.

• Without alignment, energy draining complexity is assured.

Simple Church - Focus

Focus – the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process.

• Movement is the most difficult simple church element to understand, focus is the most difficult element to implement.

• The element that gives power and energy to clarity, movement, and alignment.

“Just say NO”

Simple Church - Focus

• Without focus, the church becomes cluttered despite its process.

• Don’t forget the power of asking the words: “so that” to make sure what you’re doing is focused on your mission and vision.

Activity

1 - - - - - - ---- - - 50 - - - - - - - -- - 100Complex Simple

X = YouL = LeadersG = Guests

Simple Church – Key Points

Pastors need to be designers instead of program managers.

Simple is never the same as easy.Change is difficult without crisis.Mission must be clear to all.

Communicated in the form of an illustration.

Measure movement horizontally not vertically.

Reflection Questions

• Describe your church’s discipleship pathway. Is it easy to understand?

• Does your church provide a travel agent or a tour guide for those on the pathway?

• How might your process move people?• What are examples of ministries your

church may need to stop doing?• How might you and your FCJ Team help

your church become simpler?

Key Learnings and Takeaways

Action Plan & Prayer Concerns

Action Plan: Assignments

1. Develop a plan to help your church decide which next step it will take in the FCJ process.

2. Find out if your church has official mission, vision and values statements. If your church hasn’t established these, then you’re encouraged to wait until Step 3 of FCJ before working on them.

Options for your next FCJ step

1. Apply to enter Step 2. 2. FCJ Team teach Step 1 to other leaders in their church using the curriculum.3. Have a new group of leaders go through Step 1 next fall.4. Any combination of the above.5. Finish and not continue any of the above.

Our FCJ Toolbox

• Asking the “so that…” question• Using a team/church covenant• MissionInsite demographic tool• Prayer Team• Leadership Development Team• Lifecycle model• Vision and values

statements

Core Purpose

Our core purpose today was to understand how we might use the concepts in Simple Church to focus our churches more on transformation and less on programs.

Objectives

• Understand the power of simplicity.

• Explore the process that helps grow a person in their faith-a discipleship pathway.

• Understand how to apply the 4 basic concepts from the book.

Wrap-Up & Closing

Next book:• The Externally-Focused

Church, by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson

• Evaluations

Have a great month!