8 Simple (but not easy) Rules for Movement: Part 1 - Owning Our Commission

Over the next eight Mondays, we will examine each of these rules.

We’ve all purchased a product that promised easy installation. The box explicitly stated that anyone—even the most hapless novice—could follow these simple, straight-forward instructions with little more than a flat head screwdriver and the included Allen wrench. Four hours later, you’re sitting in the garage with random screws and half-assembled parts strewn about, wondering why you didn’t just pay the extra 40 dollars to get the preassembled unit.

The resources developed for church leaders aren’t all that different. Four easy steps transitioning your stagnant, inward church into a disciple-making, mission-sending force for the kingdom. Easy, right? It’s little wonder so many pastors spend each Monday with frustrations rivaling that of the fictitious man in his garage. They’ve got some pieces in place, but it’s seemingly impossible to envision how to move from their current reality to their aspirational vision.

Some just give up. They determine that God’s preferred future is out of reach. They might continue to fulfill their obligations to an ecclesio-centric ministry, but they’ve abandoned any hope of taking practical steps to lead God’s people in mission. Others move on. They find another church that seems to have more pieces already assembled or where it appears that the random assortment of parts is a bit easier to construct. Often, after the initial honeymoon phase, these leaders realize that the proverbial grass is certainly not greener in another field—they’ve simply chosen new problems.

A third group grapples for an easy fix. They identify the supposed problem in the church—poor leadership, lack of prayer, few personal evangelists, ...