Did Jesus Have a Strategic Plan

Based on Material by David S. Young, Springs of Living Water

Jesus did have a strategic plan!

•  He did move with intentionality – Read The Woman at the Well – John 4
•  He had intentional purpose meeting the woman at the well
•  He knew how to reach her
•  He watched to see her life transformed
•  He knew she would learn to share her faith with others

Thirst:

• Church renewal – a thirst to grow spiritually
• Enter dialogue about spiritual thirst
• Meet people’s thirst –identify to meet spiritual needs (practical needs)
• Jesus planning – identify those who are spiritually thirsty  (people – lonely, isolated, struggling, hurting etc.)
• Thirst leads people to find where God is calling the church

Encounter:

• A grace-filled space of discovery
• Reach over barriers to build relationships
• Create a context to meet spiritual needs
• Offer what they need most deeply (share the Good News)

Offer a cup of cold water:

• Help people discover what they have to offer
• Invite people to share what they can
• The least likely gain a vision
• Unlikely people in unlikely places share the gospel
• Giving a cup of cold water

Transformation:

• Jesus did not focus on bigger & better
• He focused on transformed lives
• Transformed lives become transformed churches
• Congregational participation
• Observe what is right & build on it
• Identify strengths, dialogue with appreciative inquiry
• God’s gifts & talents lie in what is right, build on it

Mission:

• Symbolically, Leave the water pot behind – leave the past
• Engage in your mission going forward
• Engage imagination, creativity
• Discern ministry opportunities

Jesus is able:

• To meet people who are thirsty
• Lead them through transformation
• Call them to serve in mission

The Result:

• The church begins to grow
• First – within current members
• Second – with adding new people
• Church becomes a vital place