We're in the middle of our autumn pastoral team planning retreat. This planning retreat always especially focused on where we are going in the next year and on into the future.
Last night our opening exercise was to split up into 3 groups with the task of imagining "what will New Life look like __ years from now, if God's favor continues to be upon us." Each group had a year benchmark--3, 5 and 10 years.
It was a powerful exercise in helping us anticipate the future to help us make adjustments in the present. The fact is, what we do today is going to have an exaggerated impact 3, 5 and 10 years from now. If we can anticipate and respond to some of the problems and challenges of the future, perhaps we can adjust now to change their size and impact of future challenges.
Pastor Mark's quote was, "leaders step into the future and walk around in it. They don't just respond to problems. They go into the future first, before everyone else."
That is a great quote! Love it. I heard one similar but not as good. That is, "nothing ever happens once."
Posted by: Matt Mason | November 06, 2007 at 11:33 AM
One day you will have to explain how in the world y'all go about making such goals, and being so confident that it's God's leading. And not the basics about things being in line with the Word of God, using wisdom, getting advise from other godly people, etc.
And *especially* not this usual answer of 'pray (or pray and fast) and God will give you the answer'! Believe it or not, for a lot of people this just does not work - no matter how sincere you are about wanting God's will, and no matter how much you beg Him for an answer. Sometimes there is just nothing.
But you guys never, ever seem to go through that. Y'all are ALWAYS sure of God's leading, otherwise you wouldn't be doing it.
Posted by: Mo | November 06, 2007 at 07:15 PM
Mo,
What is "basic" about the Word of God, prayer and fasting, and getting advice from Godly people?
Hopefully we can learn where such confidence comes from, if not from the basics.
Posted by: emanon | November 06, 2007 at 10:40 PM
I'm not discounting those things. They are givens. But the truth is that after you do all of that, sometimes you are still not quite sure.
Posted by: Mo | November 07, 2007 at 08:29 PM
I agree that praying, fasting and reading the Bible does not get God's fax machine whirrin' and hummin' with detailed life plans and my name in the "to:" field. (But does wishin' hurt;-)?) You're right Mo, that many times after all that you are still left with tough decisions and a lack of ironclad direction.
However, I find that I am more prepared for and comfortable with "Holy Darkness" when I've prayed, fasted and read Scripture. I step out more boldly expecting that God will be with me and the He will keep His word to "direct my steps".
In relationship to my post, I'll just say that weren't saying "this is what God will do in 5 years". Rather it was more "this is what we've seen over the last 5 years so lets look at what things will look like 5 years from now if this keeps up". Then based on that we asked ourselves what kind of challenges we anticipate facing. With this in mind we hope we are better able to make adjustments in the present that prepare us for the future. It's far from perfect but still helpful.
I appreciate the great dialog!
Posted by: Kevin | November 07, 2007 at 09:09 PM
Thanks much. I wish y'all would say it like that more often, though. It's always a complete certainty that this is what God has said. It makes it very hard to relate, when most peoples' experience is not that way.
Posted by: Mo | November 08, 2007 at 07:32 AM