Next...

Last week I concluded a series on how I view Vision, Mission, Strategy, Steps and specifically how those steps (the 4L Model of Discipleship) apply to the process and allow integration. Having a vision for one’s life (let alone for one’s business, church, organization, etc.) is important, but many visions lack a plan for execution. My process does not guarantee that I will always do everything right or even know what to do, but my Mission does provide a filter to make sure I have the right focus and then I can implement a Strategy and the appropriate Steps. So, what’s next?

First let me begin by saying that what is next does not replace what is current. I am still called, in part, to serve a church and to lead the next generation in an institutional setting. Thus, I will continue to serve as pastor and teach as an adjunct when given the opportunity. However, my calling changed slightly late last summer. Instead of serving a church, I believe my call is to serve the church. Instead of leading the next generation of church leaders in an institution, my call is to serve the next generation of church leaders.

Either of these changes has many possibilities to fulfill that calling. Both ideas coalesce in many different ways. The current generation of church leaders has a plethora of opportunities from which to grow – books, conferences, video training, etc. While any of those may be in my future, the current plan is to begin providing quality training pastors in remote areas of the world. Many people have done this over the last few centuries, and many are doing this today. Many individuals leave everything behind to serve as missionaries, literally heeding Jesus’ command to make disciples by going.

But that is not my calling. As I mentioned, while my calling has expanded from serving a church to the church, I do not sense God leading me away from my current responsibilities as pastor. And while leading the next generation of church leaders has expanded related to the where, I believe that my role as an adjunct at the seminary allows me to equip many leaders every year who will equip far more people than I could every fathom. Thus, I will stay where I am and do what I currently do, but I will be adding another aspect by training others. More importantly, I, and a few others (through a new organization), will be coordinating the efforts of many individuals who will train church leaders, Lord willing, from all parts of the earth.

In Acts 1.8, Jesus said we must continue to expand the mission field. Over these past few years, I have personally expanded mine. First, we left a church in the town in which we lived (our Jerusalem) to minister in a nearby town (our Judea). Then we moved a couple of hours away to realize our Samaria. And now,the intention is to be engaged in training the nations by going to the ends of the earth (at times, physically, but constantly through the use of technology).

So, what’s next?

I have planted the seed in this post. Next week I will share how this new venture fits within my overall process and fill in the details including the name and website of our new organization (PTC, what we call it for short). You can then follow the story of  PTC on its own blog, while I carry on this blog with a focus on living in, not of, the world.