It’s Possible To Prioritize Discipleship With Every Core Initiative
by Certified Church Consultant Barry E. Winders
As most of us know, there are churches that are making disciples even during a crisis like a pandemic. This is because leaders decided to do what was necessary to make it happen.
Thousands of churches close their doors every year in the U.S. due to the lack of urgency and laser focus on the Great Commission. However, those churches who have struggled with the lack of growth know in their heart of hearts that doing the mission is not optional!
The point is, it’s never too late. It’s about where you go with what you’ve got and finding a way. What if your organization had a filter for planning and decision-making? What if your leaders had a question they could ask their teams to keep the process focused on the “why”?
A mission filter helps leaders discern every decision to make sure it accomplishes the mission of the church. In my newest book The Mission Filter, the aim is to raise mission consciousness amid a crisis and even during a pandemic. At this time more than ever, the pandemic has become a huge distraction for leaders. This is not to say that the church doesn’t have opportunities to provide pastoral care and nurture. But it is important to recognize the opportunities to share Christ with others and develop disciples on their journey.
The Mission Filter emphasizes the priority of mission, encouraging readers to embrace it and keep it alive for the next generation. With intentionality, better decision-making, and everyday hope, readers can embrace the challenge of how to filter core ideas and core initiatives to faithfully and consistently execute the mission of making disciples.
Understand that there are expectations you and I put on ourselves and those that other people put on us. However, we should care only about the strategy of developing followers of Christ. This expectation can be set for yourself as well as a leadership team. It’s never too late to begin. Sure, others may have their focus on numbers, budget, and maintaining status quo, but they have pressure now, in today’s spiritual climate, to survive. Remember, survival is not a place to go. Remind yourself that doing the mission of making disciples for Jesus Christ is a worthy pressure to feel.
Make sure you’re living your own expectations and not the expectations of others. Refuse to follow the herd! Ask yourself, will this activity share Christ’s invitation to follow? Then ask how it does. Yes, it is possible to prioritize discipleship with every core initiative.
The Mission Filter is available @ Amazon, Cokesbury and Barnes and Noble
