Helping Make Vision Reality
Helen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight, but no vision.” I agree. When I have a clear vision of where God’s leading me, I wake up in the morning fueled by a sense of purpose and clear direction. When I don’t see where God’s leading me, It’s easy to get discouraged and distracted. Helen’s words remind me of how Eugene Peterson translated Proverbs 29:18 in the Message saying this, “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves.” Can you relate? Are you filled with vision for the future or are you stumbling along wondering what’s next for you and your church?
At Passion for Planting, we believe the number one competency of every church planter is the ability to hear God’s voice. (Brett Andrews shares why we believe that in this short video) If you want a Godly vision to pursue, you need to spend time alone with God seeking his direction. Godly visions arise from times of prayer and digging into scripture listening for the voice of the Good Shepherd. Have you been listening for God’s voice recently? Has he been guiding your steps and giving you vision for where he’s leading you and your church?
We want to help you hear God’s voice and follow his leading. That’s why we create strategy templates, which aren’t filled with answers, but questions for you to wrestle with in times of prayer and Bible study. Our hope is that by using our strategy templates, you’re able to discern God’s vision for how your church will make disciples and start new churches to introduce even more people to the love of our Heavenly Father.
We’ve filled this newsletter with resources to help you listen to God’s voice and to help you refill your vision bucket. Enjoy!
-Patrick Bradley, Director of Operations
July 2021 – Contents
- Leadership Multiplication Strategy Template
- Exponential Regional Conferences
- Church Planter Distance Residency
- Small Groups Strategy Template
Leadership Multiplication
If you have a God-sized vision, you won’t be able to accomplish it alone. You’ll need to develop leaders to work alongside of you and invests their gifts and passions into the vision. So what will you do not only to develop leaders in your new church, but to also develop a culture of leadership reproduction within the church?
To help you answer that question we’ve developed a Leadership Multiplication Strategy Template. Download our template and work through the questions asking God for lead along the way. Ask him to speak to you and help you answer the questions and develop this strategy, so your church can develop more workers for the harvest.
Exponential Regionals
One way God speaks to us is through other people. That’s what we believe God will be doing through the upcoming Exponential Regional conference which will be happening in-person this fall across the United States.
We’re excited to be hosting one: the Washington, D.C. Regional Conference. The theme of the conferences is Together. We’ll be challenged to consider how churches can work together to saturate our communities with the gospel of Jesus. Would you join us and hundreds of other leaders for inspiration, encouragement and equipping at one of Exponential’s Regional conferences this fall? Exponential hosts these events in cities around the country to make their conference experience more accessible and affordable to church planters and their leaders. Other conference locations include Houston, Bay Area, Southern California, and Chicago. Register early as space is limited. Don’t miss the group deals, so you can bring your entire team
Distance Church Planter Residency
Do you know someone who has a vision for starting a new church? We connect with church planters on a regular basis that have a vision for a new church, but lack the knowledge, experience, and training necessary to making their vision a reality. That’s why we developed a Church Planter Distance Residency program.
Our program equips church planters to start healthy, multiplying churches wherever they are located. No need to uproot and move to a new city to participate in our training. Our program doesn’t just fill leaders up with vision but offers them practical training on how to make disciples and turn them into a spiritual family on mission for Christ. To learn more about how our program can equip you or another leader you know to plant a healthy multiplying church visit our residency webpage. We’re now accepting application for our 2021-2022 cohort which starts in September. Start your application today!
Small Groups Strategy
Do you have a vision for how people within your church will build meaningful relationships with other believers? The solution most churches offer to meet this need is some flavor of small groups. Small groups are great, but don’t assume that all small groups are the same. There are many ways for small groups to function and reproduce. Don’t copy and replicate the small group strategy of another church without first seeking God’s vision for how small groups will work at yours. We’ve designed our Groups Strategy Template to help you discern the vision God’s giving you for small groups at your church.
Download your free copy today and start dreaming about how your church will help more people grow spiritually, develop relationally, and produce more disciples of Jesus.