Book I'm currently reading - It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It

A book has been passed around through our office these past couple of weeks. My Sr pastor read it and then was passed to the 2nd in Command. How I was chosen to be the third to read it, I don't understand. Its a book by Craig Groeschel, founder of LifeChurch and teh title is IT: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It. His basic premise is that some churches have it and some don't. When you do have it, you know it and when you don't, you know that, too.





The main thrust is Groeschel's sharing of seven things churches with it all share in common:

• vision


• Divine focus


• Unmistakable comaraderie


• Innovative minds


• Willingness to fall short - being willing to make mistakes or fail


• hearts focused outward


• Kingdom-mindedness

I'm about halfway through the book - its not a terribly difficult read, but very thought provoking. I finished the section on vision deciding, "I really need to get a better understanding of what vision really is." We've been through the exercise of writing vision statements for my areas of ministry, but this is so much more. Groaschel suggests answering the following questions:

1. Why does your organization exist? (If you can't answer this clearly, I'll bet you an overpriced latte that there are a few things your organization should stop doing immediately.)


2. What can your organization be best in the world at? (Borrowing from Jim Collins in Good to Great.)


3. If you could do only one thing, what would it be?


4. If you left your organization tomorrow, what would you hope would continue forever?


5. What breaks your heart, keeps you awake at night, wrecks you? (pp.44-45)

He spent the main part of this chapter just talking about the power of a clear vision. This is my current prayer - God, in the work which You have called me to in this moment, do people know what I am about? Do they know where we are headed, not just in our college ministry or in recreation-related ministry, but where is our church going? Am I aware of the vision we have as a church? If someone asked me, "What is Lexington Baptist about?," what would I tell them? Our pastor has said he's identified three things that make us who we are (since he's been here): Worship, missions, and prayer.

Is collegiate ministry here working towards this vision?

This feels like its going to be a multi-part work in progress - mostly for my own personal benefit, but look forward to interaction with anyone who reads. I'm ready to ask myself hard questions and struggle through discovering answers. God is already using this book to challenge me. Do I have IT? Have I lost IT?