Now for the processes....

By processes, I mean the way we work through our strategy to achieve the vision.

Sometimes, when I talk to other pastors, they are overwhelmed when they hear how much goes into making a Sunday happen at Gateway Community Church. They believe that we are just swimming in a vast sea of resources. It's true that we have a lot of resources that other churches don't have (lighting systems, sound equipment, multi-media presentations, etc.), but it's also true that there are a great number of churches who have far more than Gateway. Sometimes, I'm overwhelmed when I hear how much goes into making a Sunday happen at their churches.

But regardless of whether you have a lot of bells and whistles or just a few, your technology is not your greatest resource. Technology is a great tool, but having Pink Floyd quality light shows or "Spielbergesque" video presentations isn't an end to itself. Having all the tools in the world is a great thing, but if you have no one to use those tools, you have a serious problem. The greatest resources in the world, therefore, aren't things. The greatest resources have always been, are, and will always be, people.

To put it simply, the processes you develop to work your strategy and achieve your vision are directly related to the processes you use to develop your people. If you don't develop your people, you can just forget about your strategy and vision. You won't ever get there...

Many of you know that I'm a history major. History has always fascinated me, especially when it comes to studying visionary leaders of the past. One of my heroes is Dwight D. Eisenhower. More than 60 years ago, Eisenhower was given the monumental task of leading the Allied effort against Nazi Germany. He was charged with planning, coordinating, and executing an invasion into Western Europe, liberating France, and delivering the death blow to Hitler's empire. Of course, all of that was too much for one man. What Eisenhower needed was a group completely dedicated to achieving victory. He had his staff, and he had his senior officers. But he also had his junior officers leading thousands of troops out in the fields. To be successful, Eisenhower knew that he had to get everyone of the same page, despite their obvious differences (nationalities, personal agendas, biases, etc.). To be successful, he had to sell the vision. He had to formulate a strategy. But he also had to develop the people that would achieve that strategy. His subordinates spent months training in the fields, preparing for the day when they would do it all for real. There were training steps that each one had to complete before he could move on to another. The processes for developing his men were so cumulatively thorough and so successful that when it really counted in the heat of battle, even when things seemed to go haywire, they were able to achieve victory.

Developing people... in the end it all comes down to that, whether you're talking about successful churches, corporations, institutions, or armies. As I see it, just about all of the stuff we've talked about over the past few days is impossible without developing people. For Gateway, I want you to see the process for developing people in four steps....

It may be a little difficult to read, but here's a summary...

1. Entry We know that everyone begins somewhere. For many, the first steps to their development will be their openness to the gospel. They can't accept the gospel until they're at least open to it. Sunday morning services are designed specifically with folks at the entry level in mind. They must communicate to people in a dynamic and relevant way, why Jesus Christ matters to their lives. After they've entered a relationship with Christ, they're ready to move to the next level.

2. Next Steps This stage is for those who have trusted Christ, and are ready to begin the discipleship process at Gateway Community Church. The most important things that happen during this stage are a personal decision to be baptized by immersion (if the person has not received it) and seek formal membership at Gateway. Membership here is key. If one chooses not to join the church, how can we be sure that their vision is in line with ours? When they've completed the requirements for membership, then they're ready to continue growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

3. Discipleship The next step to developing people is discipleship. Not to beat a dead horse, but in case you haven't "gotten" it yet, we expect our people to get involved in service in one of our ministries. We also do all we can to connect people to others through our life group ministries, where one can have accountability for his/her growth in Christ. And remember what I wrote a few days ago about finances. Part of discipleship is realizing that everything we have is under God's control and bringing what He requires back to Him is essential. We have a responsiblity to help our people manage what God has given them so that they can be obedient to Him and experience the rewards of their obedience. Throughout this stage, people are growing in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

4. Leadership This is the stage that would comprise the core of Gateway Community Church. And don't worry, the core can be as large as those who choose to be a part of it. Eventually, we want those who are engaged in the discipleship process to take a leadership role within our service and discipleship ministries. They can take what they have learned in both the volunteer and life group realm and put it into practice by training others to work toward the shared vision of leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Now not everyone comes to the table the same way. Some who come will already be ready for Stage 3. Others won't have completed Stage 2. Some of you may be involved in a life group but still haven't trusted Christ, been baptized, or joined the church. That's fine, we're praying that your experience in group will lead you to trust in Christ. But whoever you are there is a place in the process, a place in the strategy, a place in the vision for you!

Developing the process to develop the people, to work the strategy to achieve the vision...

Pretty cool, huh?

Later,
Thayer