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
Be
Be
Be
on time
engaged
curious
respectful:
Please silence cell phones
Spiritual Centering
1 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 Review
Tips 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
Step Step
commitment.
1
2
• 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
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.
“Just say NO”
• 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.
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 - - - - - - - -- - 100
Complex
Simple
X = You
L = Leaders
G = 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!