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