4 Shifts by PM

SHIFT HAPPENS
4 CURRENT SHIFTS WE NEED TO MAKE
Mark Smallcombe 2008

FROM “HOW TO” – TO “WANT TO”

With so much information & training, its not “an understanding” problem we have – it’s a “desire” problem we have. We assume people will want to “do” if they know how to It is an issue of the mind versus the heart Effective pastors create desire by prophetic vision casting, bold challenge and prayer If you want to deal with the “want to” issue, it requires God’s help. He changes hearts. Pray and call for repentance (change only comes with repentance) and be patient as God begins to change hearts

FROM “COMING” – TO “GOING”

We will never grow by expecting people to come to what we have or to where we are. It’s a faulty idea to believe the world exists for the church or for you. No! You and the church, exists for the world! The action is out there! God has called us as ‘Sent’ people. He said “go out” and compel people to come that my house might be full. It’s not just about enlarging the size of your building or parking lot to have more people come. It’s about enlarging the size of your people so they can carry the mission out to where they live and work. Lost people are like customers who change their attitude when they see you are there for their agenda – not your own. The discipleship process happens as you go out (learning how to take rejection for Christ in the market place or be required to give an answer for your faith) not by staying in comfort of your four walls

FROM “PROTECTION” – TO “PROCLAIMATION”

We will never grow if all we do is try & protect what we have. We have to shift from a ‘fear of loss’ motivation to a ‘hope of gain’ motivation. The church tries to protect itself from the culture and its systems. The end result is trying to legislate our morality. We don’t have to protect God – but joyfully announce His Kingdom and His reign. Stop being fear driven and start being faith driven. Christ was ultimate in his proclamation – by suffering and giving his life for all. Be the hands, feet and voice that takes the message out! When the disciples stayed in Jerusalem trying to protect the good thing they had started – God had to send persecution to get then to start shifting outward so the gospel’s message would be proclaimed in all the earth

FROM “RELEVANCE” – TO “INFLUENCE”

The real purpose of relevance is to have influence. Only for that sake – other wise we become the end in ourselves. Making your church or your company ‘slick’ or ‘with it’ must have the goal of taking the influence of your message beyond where you are – or otherwise its just the “trimmings’ that ends up only influencing those already in the church or business. We have made excellence a goal instead of effectiveness as the goal. Effectiveness gets results which leads to influence. Radical influence is not just ‘Sunday’ influence or workplace influence. Its market place influence. Jesus said we lack wisdom (we play our games like children) in the most important area of influence – the marketplace! A great way to begin influence is to create Kingdom bottom lines and entry points to your business or church E.G. use entry level positions in your company to employ offenders being released from prison – to help them change their lives. This will give you relevance and influence when people find out about it. We can’t tell people how to influence – just humbly coach and inspire them to create entry points for people