STEP 3: ALIGN
Link words and actions to mission and values
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matt 6:21
I attended worship last year at a congregation in the Washington DC area. I located it via Google and was impressed with their inviting home page. I soon discovered, however, that most of the links to other pages and articles were inoperable but that didn’t deter me from deciding to worship there the next morning. Upon arriving, I noticed a big welcome sign out front but I was hard-pressed to find appropriate signage directing me to the sanctuary. Entering the sanctuary, I observed the colorful “welcome to worship” message on the screen and found a pianist to be playing some delightful background music. I was handed a worship bulletin by one of the members who seemed more interested in checking her emails than making me feel welcome. As worship progressed, I found the sermon engaging and the eclectic blend of music delightful but other portions of the service bland and disjointed. Driving back to my hotel I couldn’t but feel conflicted about what I now call my bi-polar worship experience. Four key learnings came out of this experience for me:
We “experience” a congregation’s mission and values and not just read or hear about it
This “experience” begins BEFORE (website, signage), DURING (greeters, sermon, bulletin, music) and AFTER (refreshments, take-home gift, greeters in the parking lot) the main event
ALL aspects of the experience have to be in alignment or the main message will suffer.
The overall experience has to be sufficiently life changing that I would be interested in coming back, and perhaps even bringing a friend
Alignment is that optimal state in which the experience of mission, vision, values, strategies, people, products and processes all work in concert to fulfill the mission, providing a life changing experience for everyone involved. Aligned congregations – from the lead pastor to the new member – understand not only the strategy and goals of the organization, but also how his or her work contributes to them. Everyone can articulate what they are about and has his or her own elevator speech about the congregation. It culminates into an experience that exemplifies the DNA of the congregation. For people to experience the essence or DNA of your congregation, there must be alignment in the following areas: 1) Strategic, 2) Language, 3) Process and, 4) People.
1. Strategic Alignment
Leaders must ensure that the strategic direction of the congregation is clearly articulated and fully aligned with the “member” experience.” These elements include the organization’s mission, vision, strategic plans, organizational goals, strategies and member expectations. A congregation I work with had invested a considerable amount of time. money and effort developing a new strategic plan. When I asked to see the plan, not a single leader had a copy of it at their meeting and it quickly became apparent that the plan was not being used regularly to frame their conversations, evaluate their progress or inform their decisions. Unfortunately, this is often the case for congregations that create a strategic plan. The planning process helps leaders envision the future and become more proactive but the end result - the plan - often ends up on a shelf in the church library that few people ever refer to. The fault is often the document itself. Many of the plans I get to see are lengthy, cumbersome documents that are not organized in a way that facilitates easy implementation. Specifically, the plans do not:
Measurable goals that are easy to determine if they’ve been fulfilled
Include specific timelines for when the actions steps will be completed
List the person or team who will be held accountable for fulfilling the goal.
The plans I get to see often have a laundry list of strategies but lack focus as to which strategies are most important. Sometimes the plans I see look more like notes from a brainstorming session than an action plan for living into God’s preferred future.
I’m a fan of clear, concisely written plans that limit each strategic initiative and their accompanying strategies to just a few pages. The action steps are in bullet form and arranged in chronological order by their anticipated completion date. The plans I create usually have a four-page executive report that is made available to all members and provide all the necessary talking points for living into the vision. My hope for every congregation is that they would have a plan that it would be used regularly to guide leadership conversations, set meeting agendas and inform decision-making, dictate what people write and talk about, and serve as a measuring stick for ministry effectiveness.
2. Language Alignment
Just as any sport uses key words and phrases to describe what’s going on in the game, congregations need a common language that helps focus the efforts of it’s members. If a congregation chooses to work with Vibrant Faith Ministries, you can be pretty sure that some of the common language is going to be around the phrases related to our Five Principles:
Faith is formed by the power of the Holy Spirit through personal, trusted relationships—often in our own homes.
The church is a living partnership between the ministry of the congregation and the ministry of the home.
Where Christ is present in faith, the home is church, too.
Faith is caught more than it’s taught
If we want to have Christian children and youth, then we need Christian adults
You can expect to hear the following words and short phrases woven into our sermons, news articles, small group settings and planning meetings:
Caring Conversations, Devotions, Service, Rituals and Traditions (the Four Keys)
Do less, go deeper!
Theology matters
You can’t expect households to practice faith at home unless they’ve first learned how to practice faith in the congregation
Parents, grand parents and god parents are the primary faith shapers of young people
AAA Christians: people who are authentic, available and affirming
A congregation’s common language must draw people’s attention to its mission. It should remind people of the primary principles and practices that lead to the fulfillment of the mission.
Emphasize common language by creating a “Talking Points Script”
Begin by writing a one-page script that can be shared with every leader. It typically includes your mission statement, vision statement, core values, goals, key messages and your congregational covenant (if you have one). People crave clarity and good leaders provide the clarity on a regular basis. If you can communicate those key items in a simple, clear and consistent manner, people will start to remember them. Find ways to Integrate your talking points into worship services, meetings and congregational events. Recite your mission statement during your weekly worship services. Read your script at all leadership meetings. Embed key talking points into your website and all publications. Pour your mission and vision into all your words and actions. When members start repeating your talking points to others you know that you’re making headway!
Share the congregation’s “Talking Points Script” with new members and new leaders
Use new member gatherings and new leaders training events to communicate your congregation’s DNA. Share stories of how the congregation lives out its DNA at and beyond the congregation. Walk through each key message or talking point and share stories and examples of how i gets lived out and invite participants to consider how they might align their words and actions with the congregation’s DNA.
Provide annual “refresher” trainings for ALL leaders based on the talking points
Your alignment will either increase or decrease based on how well your members and leaders consistently communicate the same messages. Provide Council/Session members, ministry team members, teachers and mentors resources and tools for communicating the congregation’s DNA in their particular ministry settings. Provide multiple training opportunities and vehicles to ensure 100 percent participation in refresher trainings. In many congregations, the pastor is the only person who communicates these key points, and when the pastor accepts a new call, the mission, vision, values and key message leave as well. This can be avoided when all members and leaders are equipped to share the congregation’s key talking points.
Develop your “WAY"
Executives from around the world pay big bucks to attend Disney seminars on the “Disney Way” - learning how they do business, how they treat employees and their guests, and how they maintain their unique culture. For a time, Hewlett Packard was known for their egalitarian, decentralized culture known as the HP Way. A congregation I served in the past modeled their ministry after the Simple Church movement where everything they did had to help people “Connect with God, connect with each other, or connect to the needs of the community.” If it didn’t honor one or more of these three intentions, then it wasn’t part of this congregation’s “Way.” Write down what your “way” would look like if it was infused into every individual and ministry team. Consider creating a congregational covenant that would help capture the “WAY” for your congregation. Share the “WAY” by reading your covenant at all meetings and major events. A Sample Leadership Covenant Form (Tool #20) is found in the Leadership Toolkit.
Language alignment is reinforced by what business consultant Tom Peters calls "management by walking around." A pastor I coach practices “walking around” management by regularly asking members questions such as “Mary, in what ways do you see us fulfilling our mission?” or “Susan, what are your thoughts about our three main goals for this year?” or perhaps “Tom, which of our five core values are you most energized by?” The pastor states, “I get a weekly reality check about which messages are getting through to our people, and what messages I need to pay more attention to in the future.”
3. Process alignment
Congregations become much more nimble and adaptive when there is clarity about the congregation’s policies, procedures and practices. I remember working in one congregation where it took the leaders nine months to find out if I had continuing education funds. I often work with program staff that haven’t had a performance review for years, and are unsure what they’re responsible for. One congregation went through a particularly rough time when their administrator died of a heart attack. Staff members and leaders quickly realized that nobody knew where he kept access codes, keys, payroll records, background check information and legal contracts. It cost the congregation huge amounts of time, energy and resources to get back up to speed and it derailed their efforts to address more pressing matters related to their mission.
Do you have a current Policies Manual? An Employee handbook? Do your job descriptions for employees reflect the goals and values of the congregation? Leaders are always surprised when I ask them about these details. I usually remark, “If you have these tools and procedures in place, we won’t have to spend any time in the future fighting unnecessary fires.”
Changing what we talk about
At our training events, we tell people, “If you want to change your congregation, change what you talk about.” Our conversations must be aligned with our mission. Therefore, If you want your congregation to live into its mission, then make sure that your sermons, meeting agendas, programs, events, and publications all address how you’re fulfilling the mission. If you want to revitalize your congregation, spend time at Council/Session meetings talking about ideas and steps that lead to congregational vitality. I can usually tell how committed a congregation is to their mission or a particular project simply by looking at their meeting agendas. Most agendas are filled with committee reports, and sections called “old business” and “new business.” The last two categories are usually filled with whatever items people want to talk about. They rarely have any connection to the congregation’s mission or strategic plan. Sometimes I challenge meeting conveners by saying “Help me understand why you think this annual goal is important when nothing was said about it during your Session meeting.” What get’s measured, get done. What get’s discussed gets traction.” Be intentional about what you’re measuring and what you’re discussing. It will change your life and your congregation! To consider how you might plan future meetings differently, refer to the “Meaningful Meetings Checklist ” (Tool #21) found in the Leadership Toolkit.
4. People alignment
Margaret Mead reminded us many years ago: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I have yet to find a revitalized congregation that didn’t have a multitude of ‘thoughtful committed AAA Christians” aligned around a common vision and purpose. The process works similar to the flashmob videos you can watch on Youtube (check out the ”I Believe” video). The alignment process starts with us and then it spreads to other staff, and then the governing council. Soon it gets passed on to the Sunday School teachers and mentors. A “buzz” starts to occur surrounding what’s happening. The “Faith Flashmob” continues to unfold and some households start modeling the desired behaviors and telling their stories. The choirs start talking about it and begin living the vision.. Before you know it, the new vision has moved beyond a few individuals to being “mainstream,” impacting the majority of its members. The people initially involved must believe they can make a difference, and that their efforts will have a ripple effect on their congregation.
Many people refer to the the quote from the book Good to Great about “getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats.” There is certainly no shortage of books and Bible verses that describe the qualities of a good leader. From the lists I’ve observed, however, I feel that there are a few essential qualities that are often get overlooked as I’m looking for the individuals who can create the energy that arises out of a “flashmob” mentality. Specifically, I’m looking for leaders who are:
Alignment is about deep change
Alignment is sustained when we “go deep” in our change efforts. A congregation I worked with had as one of their goals to become known for extravagant hospitality. Their plan for enhancing hospitality only focused on training ushers and greeters and providing better signage around the building. These were good places to start but only scratched the surface on creating a memorable experience of hospitality for visitors. They needed to go deep by evaluating how well their website provided a visitor-friendly experience. They needed to “go deep” by rethinking the color schemes of their building, the type of coffee, treats and refreshments they served and how one might be treated if visiting other portions of the building. They needed “go deep” by rethinking about how hospitality would be experienced in small group settings, and how accessible staff were on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. They needed to consider how make worship an engaging and transformative experience and how make the worship bulletins more user-friendly. They needed to “go deep” by considering what they hoped a visitor would experience after the worship service, and after they returned home. Whatever your core values are, go deep by considering how that value might permeate every program and point of contact for members and visitors. Select one of your core values and then take a few moments to complete the “Integrating Your Core Values” form found in the Toolkit (Tool #19)
We can also encourage our households to “go deep” in areas such as practicing faith at home. When my own family made a commitment to be more intentional about practicing faith everyday, everywhere, we created a one-page narrative based on our responses to the following questions:
The most successful leaders are those who are congruent and fully aligned within themselves, and with their congregation. There is simply no substitute for total alignment and congruency within a leader. When this is multiplied throughout an organization - the power is undeniable. What’s your plan for helping individuals and teams become more fully aligned with the congregation’s mission? As this alignment takes shape, the results will be tangible and transformative!
____________________________________________________________________________
Questions to Ponder
Link words and actions to mission and values
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matt 6:21
I attended worship last year at a congregation in the Washington DC area. I located it via Google and was impressed with their inviting home page. I soon discovered, however, that most of the links to other pages and articles were inoperable but that didn’t deter me from deciding to worship there the next morning. Upon arriving, I noticed a big welcome sign out front but I was hard-pressed to find appropriate signage directing me to the sanctuary. Entering the sanctuary, I observed the colorful “welcome to worship” message on the screen and found a pianist to be playing some delightful background music. I was handed a worship bulletin by one of the members who seemed more interested in checking her emails than making me feel welcome. As worship progressed, I found the sermon engaging and the eclectic blend of music delightful but other portions of the service bland and disjointed. Driving back to my hotel I couldn’t but feel conflicted about what I now call my bi-polar worship experience. Four key learnings came out of this experience for me:
We “experience” a congregation’s mission and values and not just read or hear about it
This “experience” begins BEFORE (website, signage), DURING (greeters, sermon, bulletin, music) and AFTER (refreshments, take-home gift, greeters in the parking lot) the main event
ALL aspects of the experience have to be in alignment or the main message will suffer.
The overall experience has to be sufficiently life changing that I would be interested in coming back, and perhaps even bringing a friend
Alignment is that optimal state in which the experience of mission, vision, values, strategies, people, products and processes all work in concert to fulfill the mission, providing a life changing experience for everyone involved. Aligned congregations – from the lead pastor to the new member – understand not only the strategy and goals of the organization, but also how his or her work contributes to them. Everyone can articulate what they are about and has his or her own elevator speech about the congregation. It culminates into an experience that exemplifies the DNA of the congregation. For people to experience the essence or DNA of your congregation, there must be alignment in the following areas: 1) Strategic, 2) Language, 3) Process and, 4) People.
1. Strategic Alignment
Leaders must ensure that the strategic direction of the congregation is clearly articulated and fully aligned with the “member” experience.” These elements include the organization’s mission, vision, strategic plans, organizational goals, strategies and member expectations. A congregation I work with had invested a considerable amount of time. money and effort developing a new strategic plan. When I asked to see the plan, not a single leader had a copy of it at their meeting and it quickly became apparent that the plan was not being used regularly to frame their conversations, evaluate their progress or inform their decisions. Unfortunately, this is often the case for congregations that create a strategic plan. The planning process helps leaders envision the future and become more proactive but the end result - the plan - often ends up on a shelf in the church library that few people ever refer to. The fault is often the document itself. Many of the plans I get to see are lengthy, cumbersome documents that are not organized in a way that facilitates easy implementation. Specifically, the plans do not:
Measurable goals that are easy to determine if they’ve been fulfilled
Include specific timelines for when the actions steps will be completed
List the person or team who will be held accountable for fulfilling the goal.
The plans I get to see often have a laundry list of strategies but lack focus as to which strategies are most important. Sometimes the plans I see look more like notes from a brainstorming session than an action plan for living into God’s preferred future.
I’m a fan of clear, concisely written plans that limit each strategic initiative and their accompanying strategies to just a few pages. The action steps are in bullet form and arranged in chronological order by their anticipated completion date. The plans I create usually have a four-page executive report that is made available to all members and provide all the necessary talking points for living into the vision. My hope for every congregation is that they would have a plan that it would be used regularly to guide leadership conversations, set meeting agendas and inform decision-making, dictate what people write and talk about, and serve as a measuring stick for ministry effectiveness.
2. Language Alignment
Just as any sport uses key words and phrases to describe what’s going on in the game, congregations need a common language that helps focus the efforts of it’s members. If a congregation chooses to work with Vibrant Faith Ministries, you can be pretty sure that some of the common language is going to be around the phrases related to our Five Principles:
Faith is formed by the power of the Holy Spirit through personal, trusted relationships—often in our own homes.
The church is a living partnership between the ministry of the congregation and the ministry of the home.
Where Christ is present in faith, the home is church, too.
Faith is caught more than it’s taught
If we want to have Christian children and youth, then we need Christian adults
You can expect to hear the following words and short phrases woven into our sermons, news articles, small group settings and planning meetings:
Caring Conversations, Devotions, Service, Rituals and Traditions (the Four Keys)
Do less, go deeper!
Theology matters
You can’t expect households to practice faith at home unless they’ve first learned how to practice faith in the congregation
Parents, grand parents and god parents are the primary faith shapers of young people
AAA Christians: people who are authentic, available and affirming
A congregation’s common language must draw people’s attention to its mission. It should remind people of the primary principles and practices that lead to the fulfillment of the mission.
Emphasize common language by creating a “Talking Points Script”
Begin by writing a one-page script that can be shared with every leader. It typically includes your mission statement, vision statement, core values, goals, key messages and your congregational covenant (if you have one). People crave clarity and good leaders provide the clarity on a regular basis. If you can communicate those key items in a simple, clear and consistent manner, people will start to remember them. Find ways to Integrate your talking points into worship services, meetings and congregational events. Recite your mission statement during your weekly worship services. Read your script at all leadership meetings. Embed key talking points into your website and all publications. Pour your mission and vision into all your words and actions. When members start repeating your talking points to others you know that you’re making headway!
Share the congregation’s “Talking Points Script” with new members and new leaders
Use new member gatherings and new leaders training events to communicate your congregation’s DNA. Share stories of how the congregation lives out its DNA at and beyond the congregation. Walk through each key message or talking point and share stories and examples of how i gets lived out and invite participants to consider how they might align their words and actions with the congregation’s DNA.
Provide annual “refresher” trainings for ALL leaders based on the talking points
Your alignment will either increase or decrease based on how well your members and leaders consistently communicate the same messages. Provide Council/Session members, ministry team members, teachers and mentors resources and tools for communicating the congregation’s DNA in their particular ministry settings. Provide multiple training opportunities and vehicles to ensure 100 percent participation in refresher trainings. In many congregations, the pastor is the only person who communicates these key points, and when the pastor accepts a new call, the mission, vision, values and key message leave as well. This can be avoided when all members and leaders are equipped to share the congregation’s key talking points.
Develop your “WAY"
Executives from around the world pay big bucks to attend Disney seminars on the “Disney Way” - learning how they do business, how they treat employees and their guests, and how they maintain their unique culture. For a time, Hewlett Packard was known for their egalitarian, decentralized culture known as the HP Way. A congregation I served in the past modeled their ministry after the Simple Church movement where everything they did had to help people “Connect with God, connect with each other, or connect to the needs of the community.” If it didn’t honor one or more of these three intentions, then it wasn’t part of this congregation’s “Way.” Write down what your “way” would look like if it was infused into every individual and ministry team. Consider creating a congregational covenant that would help capture the “WAY” for your congregation. Share the “WAY” by reading your covenant at all meetings and major events. A Sample Leadership Covenant Form (Tool #20) is found in the Leadership Toolkit.
Language alignment is reinforced by what business consultant Tom Peters calls "management by walking around." A pastor I coach practices “walking around” management by regularly asking members questions such as “Mary, in what ways do you see us fulfilling our mission?” or “Susan, what are your thoughts about our three main goals for this year?” or perhaps “Tom, which of our five core values are you most energized by?” The pastor states, “I get a weekly reality check about which messages are getting through to our people, and what messages I need to pay more attention to in the future.”
3. Process alignment
Congregations become much more nimble and adaptive when there is clarity about the congregation’s policies, procedures and practices. I remember working in one congregation where it took the leaders nine months to find out if I had continuing education funds. I often work with program staff that haven’t had a performance review for years, and are unsure what they’re responsible for. One congregation went through a particularly rough time when their administrator died of a heart attack. Staff members and leaders quickly realized that nobody knew where he kept access codes, keys, payroll records, background check information and legal contracts. It cost the congregation huge amounts of time, energy and resources to get back up to speed and it derailed their efforts to address more pressing matters related to their mission.
Do you have a current Policies Manual? An Employee handbook? Do your job descriptions for employees reflect the goals and values of the congregation? Leaders are always surprised when I ask them about these details. I usually remark, “If you have these tools and procedures in place, we won’t have to spend any time in the future fighting unnecessary fires.”
Changing what we talk about
At our training events, we tell people, “If you want to change your congregation, change what you talk about.” Our conversations must be aligned with our mission. Therefore, If you want your congregation to live into its mission, then make sure that your sermons, meeting agendas, programs, events, and publications all address how you’re fulfilling the mission. If you want to revitalize your congregation, spend time at Council/Session meetings talking about ideas and steps that lead to congregational vitality. I can usually tell how committed a congregation is to their mission or a particular project simply by looking at their meeting agendas. Most agendas are filled with committee reports, and sections called “old business” and “new business.” The last two categories are usually filled with whatever items people want to talk about. They rarely have any connection to the congregation’s mission or strategic plan. Sometimes I challenge meeting conveners by saying “Help me understand why you think this annual goal is important when nothing was said about it during your Session meeting.” What get’s measured, get done. What get’s discussed gets traction.” Be intentional about what you’re measuring and what you’re discussing. It will change your life and your congregation! To consider how you might plan future meetings differently, refer to the “Meaningful Meetings Checklist ” (Tool #21) found in the Leadership Toolkit.
4. People alignment
Margaret Mead reminded us many years ago: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I have yet to find a revitalized congregation that didn’t have a multitude of ‘thoughtful committed AAA Christians” aligned around a common vision and purpose. The process works similar to the flashmob videos you can watch on Youtube (check out the ”I Believe” video). The alignment process starts with us and then it spreads to other staff, and then the governing council. Soon it gets passed on to the Sunday School teachers and mentors. A “buzz” starts to occur surrounding what’s happening. The “Faith Flashmob” continues to unfold and some households start modeling the desired behaviors and telling their stories. The choirs start talking about it and begin living the vision.. Before you know it, the new vision has moved beyond a few individuals to being “mainstream,” impacting the majority of its members. The people initially involved must believe they can make a difference, and that their efforts will have a ripple effect on their congregation.
Many people refer to the the quote from the book Good to Great about “getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats.” There is certainly no shortage of books and Bible verses that describe the qualities of a good leader. From the lists I’ve observed, however, I feel that there are a few essential qualities that are often get overlooked as I’m looking for the individuals who can create the energy that arises out of a “flashmob” mentality. Specifically, I’m looking for leaders who are:
- Nimble and adaptive. They willing to try new things in new ways and are okay with failing if it leads to new insights about themselves or their organization. They are open to the Spirit working in their life molding their ministry. They view life and faith as an adventure.
- Comfortable with chaos and conflict. These individuals understand that ministry is messy and that chaos is part of the transformation process. They’re okay with not having to control everything and not having a ready answer. They understand that people can agree to disagree agreeably and therefore, are willing to speak their truth in grace-filled ways, realizing that others may have different and equally valid viewpoints.
- Willing to be held accountable and hold others accountable: They live out of their commitments rather than their excuses, refusing to play the role of a victim. They expect others to hold them accountable for the promises they make, and will hold others accountable for the commitments they agree to.
Alignment is about deep change
Alignment is sustained when we “go deep” in our change efforts. A congregation I worked with had as one of their goals to become known for extravagant hospitality. Their plan for enhancing hospitality only focused on training ushers and greeters and providing better signage around the building. These were good places to start but only scratched the surface on creating a memorable experience of hospitality for visitors. They needed to go deep by evaluating how well their website provided a visitor-friendly experience. They needed to “go deep” by rethinking the color schemes of their building, the type of coffee, treats and refreshments they served and how one might be treated if visiting other portions of the building. They needed “go deep” by rethinking about how hospitality would be experienced in small group settings, and how accessible staff were on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. They needed to consider how make worship an engaging and transformative experience and how make the worship bulletins more user-friendly. They needed to “go deep” by considering what they hoped a visitor would experience after the worship service, and after they returned home. Whatever your core values are, go deep by considering how that value might permeate every program and point of contact for members and visitors. Select one of your core values and then take a few moments to complete the “Integrating Your Core Values” form found in the Toolkit (Tool #19)
We can also encourage our households to “go deep” in areas such as practicing faith at home. When my own family made a commitment to be more intentional about practicing faith everyday, everywhere, we created a one-page narrative based on our responses to the following questions:
- What prayers and caring conversations might we have at the dinner table?
- What books, topics or questions might we discuss in the car?
- What might our bedtime routine look like?
- In what ways could we to serve each other better?
- What community service projects should we participate in this year?
- When can we have the grandparents share their life and faith stories with our kids?
- How can we more fully involve godparents in the faith lives of our children?
- What are our favorite family scripture passages? Why?
- When is the best time to have family devotions? What might we do during these times?
- Who should we keep in our prayers? How will we remember to pray for them?
- How can we make birthday celebrations sacred moments?
- What are some ways we can have fun together as a family?
The most successful leaders are those who are congruent and fully aligned within themselves, and with their congregation. There is simply no substitute for total alignment and congruency within a leader. When this is multiplied throughout an organization - the power is undeniable. What’s your plan for helping individuals and teams become more fully aligned with the congregation’s mission? As this alignment takes shape, the results will be tangible and transformative!
____________________________________________________________________________
Questions to Ponder
- What areas does your congregation need to address to be more fully aligned, strategically?
- What are some of the words and phrases that should part of our common language?
- What procedures, practices and processes do we need to tighten up or address?
- What qualities do we look for in our leaders?
- How do we nurture these qualities in our current leaders?
- What’s the next step for integrating our core values into our congregation?
- What kind of alignment would you like to see in your life? Your household?