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THE STRATEGIC CHURCH #1: STRATEGIC CHURCH LEADERSHIP ................................... PAGE 3 Strategic leaders know how to focus on the right things in the right way at the right time, and they provide vision and direction for growth and success of the church. Strategic leaders are intentionally innovative, values driven, and Spirit-sensitive. They build with strategic principles that build strategic churches. #2: STRATEGIC CULTURE IDENTIFIED ................................... PAGE 7 The strategic leader knows how to identify and develop strategic culture within the church. Church culture is the life force that the Holy Spirit uses to give energy, personality, and uniqueness to the church. Transforming the church culture is necessary to reach our cities and grow dynamic churches with specific distinctives. A strategic culture is a rich culture where authentic community lives out kingdom values in a powerful way. #3: STRATEGIC CULTURE DEVELOPED .................................. PAGE 11 Strategic culture is developed when the congregation owns the vision and the leaders implement the culture in all areas of church life and ministry. The culture is identified and developed by focusing on those precious and unmovable values that make up the formulation of your kingdom of God DNA. We will focus on four strategic cultures that build strategic churches: culture of teams, culture of faith, culture of focus on people, and culture of presence encounter. In this session we will focus on building a culture of teams. #4: STRATEGIC CULTURE OF FAITH ..................................... PAGE 19 The strategic church has established a deep and powerful culture of faith. Every church has its own culture and its own feel or atmosphere in and around the church. Church culture is comprised of behavior, values, beliefs, and principles of a church working together. These build what we identify as our atmosphere. Faith is the atmosphere that builds a culture of believing God to do awesome and mighty things. It captures vision and implements the power of the kingdom where we live. Faith believes in and for miracles. #5: STRATEGIC CULTURE OF FOCUS ON PEOPLE ........................ PAGE 25 The strategic church is being led and built by strategic leaders who are people-centered. The people are the focus and are treated with graciousness and high respect. To love people is to be vulnerable, authentic, transparent, and full of grace virtue. A culture that loves people is saying at every level that people are important, people are a gift, and people are why we exist as a church. We will learn to heal the broken and to show genuine care and love and grow great people. #6: STRATEGIC CULTURE OF ENCOUNTERING GOD’S PRESENCE ......... PAGE 31 The strategic church is a church saturated with a powerful presence of a living God. The leadership team is passionate about leading people into a fresh and life-changing presence encounter. Building a culture that knows and loves the presence of God is achieved by leaders who have personally encountered God’s presence and minister from that encounter. The strategic church makes church a place for a presence encounter by establishing presence encounter prayer, worship, corporate gathering, and a passion for God atmosphere. In God’s presence things happen, people are transformed, bondages are broken, prodigals return, and impossible situations melt.

2011 Regional: The Strategic Church

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2011 Regional: The Strategic Church 3

SESSION #1 STRATEGIC CHURCH LEADERSHIP Introduction: The strategic church series is aimed at all levels of leadership who are seeking to build strong, impacting, city-reaching, nation-changing, local churches. The strategic church is built by strategic leaders who have the ability to anticipate, prepare, and get positioned for the future. It takes all levels of leadership to function to full skill and wisdom capacity to build the strategic church. This series of six messages are all directed toward leaders. Our approach to these sessions will be: (1) Strategic Church Leadership; (2) Strategic Culture Identified; (3) Strategic Culture Developed; (4) Strategic Culture of Faith; (5) Strategic Culture of Focus on People; (6) Strategic Culture of Encountering the Presence of God.

I. DEFINING THE STRATEGIC LEADER

A. The Identifiable Difference Between Pastor And Strategist

1. Pastors and pastoral teams are trained in and focused on pastoring people, not on strategies.

2. Pastors and pastoral teams are spiritually challenged daily in just facing

today.

3. Pastors and pastoral teams may lose heart to take risk, plan futures, and make hard changes.

4. Pastors and pastoral teams are not always trained, gifted or skilled to

be strategic.

5. Pastors and pastoral teams can develop a strategic quality in the team that will be effective.

B. The Power of Strategy

1. Strategy is to lead

Coined in 1826, the word strategy is of military origin, coming from the Greek word strategikos which means “of the general”. Stratagas is a leader or commander, the chief person.


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2. Strategy is to pursue objectives.

Strategy is the means by which objectives are consciously and systematically pursued and obtained over time.

3. Strategy is A Style of Thinking

Strategy is a style of thinking, a conscious and deliberate process, an intensive implementation system, the ability to achieve future success.

4. Strategy is An Idea

Strategy is an idea, a style of thinking which sets a course of action that promises a winning future position.

II. DEFINING THE STRATEGIC CHURCH

A. To build a strategic church we must define what a strategic church looks like and aim at that mark strategically. We must be strategic before we can do strategic. Matthew 16:16-19; Ephesians 3:20-21,9-11; Isaiah 14:27; 1 Timothy 3:15 1. The strategic church is both the product of God’s purpose and the

means for achieving God’s purpose of reconciling people to Himself and to restore people’s lives to working order in harmony with His design.

2. The strategic church is patterned after the first church that Christ built

as seen in Acts 1-7. The first Spirit-filled, Spirit-driven, kingdom expanding church was a strategic church.


B. The Strategic Church Non-Negotiable Factors

1. Spirit-filled and Spirit-driven

Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-13; 2:33, 38

2. Growing and spreading Acts 1:8; 2:40-41; 4:4

3. Praying and interceding Acts 1:12-14,24; Acts 3:1; 4:23,31; 6:4-7; 7:55-60

4. Preaching and teaching Acts 2:36-39

5. Belonging to and building together Acts 2:40-41; 5:14

6. Celebrating life and fulfilling purpose Acts 2:42-46

7. Reaching people and impacting the region Acts 2:47; 4:30-31; 4:16,33; 5:12,15-16,38-39

III. THE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP SUCCESS ELEMENTS

A. Strategic Leadership is a Team

1. No one leader can provide the full extent of leadership required in any local church to build strategically.

2. The strategic leadership team blends all the talents and types of leaders into a great team.

3. The lead pastor directly motivates, empowers, and casts vision, but it takes a team to become strategic with attention to details, efficient, careful, and organized.


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B. The Eight Strategic Church Leadership Success Components

1. Strategic leader: Skilled in developing a strategy, one who answers the

important questions of what do we do, for whom do we do it, how do we excel. Skilled in knowing the plan and implementing the plan and process. Establish organizational structure, allocate resources, communicate vision.

2. Strategic analysis: What is the state of your church spiritually and

organizationally? Carefully consider demographics, various strengths and weaknesses, change in leadership, building program, growth time, plateau or decline, staff changes. What is the overall atmosphere and culture of the church? What are the internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats?

3. Strategic vision: Define the biblical target intended for the future, the

church’s fundamental objective, why the church has a purpose, clarity of the thing you are seeking to build, a vivid picture.

4. Strategic planning: Defining strategy, direction, and making decisions

on achieving the goals. Building team communication and team discussion on where we are going and how we will achieve our strategy.

5. Strategic thinking: Built upon the core values and beliefs the leader

holds as convictions, causing a specific way to think about everything. Skilled in knowing specific actions that must be taken to close the gap from ideal to reality. A strategist mind thinks ahead of all circumstances and problems. Any thinking that is in line with church strategy is strategic thinking. Thinking without vision and strategy is not strategic.

6. Strategic direction: Strategic leaders access, analyze, and then set

direction to achieve the strategy. They choose models, teams, values, methods, and determine the pace of forward movement. Then they move forward, design, align, and build the strategic church.

7. Strategic execution: Linking strategy to operations and synchronizing

people and their various contributions. This is the discipline of execution, systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, questioning, tenaciously following through and ensuring accountability.

8. Strategic culture: A learned and shared pattern of thought and

behavior characteristics of a given group of people, including beliefs, morals, habits, and values, combining all together become a spiritual DNA and a definable spiritual culture.

By Frank Damazio Lead Pastor, City Bible Church


SESSION #2 STRATEGIC CULTURE IDENTIFIED Introduction: The strategic leader understands the simplistic picture of the strategic church that is to be built. The church you see will be the church you build. The culture of any church has roots in its basic theology, ecclesiology, pneumatology, and heritage. There are many varied church cultures identifiable from evangelical to Pentecostal, from charismatics to new arising movements of churches. We see the seeker church, the user friendly church, the 24 hour prayer focus, the prophetic-healing, the Bible teaching, the G-12 – just to name a few. Each one of these has roots in a teaching, a way they see to do church. Ultimately this becomes an atmosphere or a spiritual culture. The strategic culture we seek to build is rooted in beliefs, behaviors, values, and convictions. Wayne Cordeiro says, “Culture is to the church what a soul is to the human body. It is the overall life force that the Holy Spirit uses to give energy, personality, and uniqueness to everything a body of believers says and does.

I. HOW CULTURE IS ESTABLISHED

Culture

Priorities

Principles

Values

Convictions

Core Beliefs

The Word of God


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II. THE ALWAYS PRESENT MAIN INTEGREDIENTS THAT MAKE CHURCH CULTURE

A. The Obvious Ingredients

1. Church vision

2. Church leadership 3. Church celebrations 4. Church demographics 5. Church heritage and history

B. The Not so Obvious Ingredients

1. The atmosphere

2. The spiritual health 3. The unresolved conflicts 4. The functional or dysfunctional organization 5. The level of passion and excitement


III. THE UNIQUE CHURCH CULTURE OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH Acts 1:4-5,8; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:33,38; Zechariah 4:6; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 6:18; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 14:2,4,14; Acts 13:9,52; Exodus 5:19

A. The Values of a Spirit-Driven Church

1. The value of a prayer culture

2. The value of a worship culture

3. The value of a spiritual gifts culture

4. The value of a Holy Spirit presence culture

5. The value of a prophetic presence culture

6. The value of a personal Holy Spirit encounter culture

7. The value of a supernatural miracles and healing culture B. The Blending of Values into Relevant Church Culture

1. The blending of Spirit-filled values into a relevant, vibrant church that

connects with today’s culture is the challenge the strategic leadership team must wisely and successfully achieve.

2. The desire of strategic leaders is to have an impact on their world, but somehow we get stuck in the same old systems that bind us to past practices. Take the Spirit-filled values and repackage them, realign them, redesign methods, and move into a new future.

3. Relevant church culture should be biblical, spiritually powerful, expand the kingdom of God, reach people for Christ and disciple them. Design a culture that has strong roots with flexible methods.


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C. Designing a Strategic Culture with Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

1. Strategic culture of team leadership

2. Strategic culture of faith atmosphere

3. Strategic culture of focus on people

4. Strategic culture of encountering God’s presence

5. Strategic culture of church growth

6. Strategic culture of emerging leaders

7. Strategic culture of powerful prayer

8. Strategic culture of leadership trust and integrity

9. Strategic culture of reaching the lost and the prodigals

10. Strategic culture of loving the house of the Lord

D. Sample of Church Culture (City Bible Church)

1. Culture of Teaching and Preaching the Word of God

2. Culture of the Holy Spirit

3. Culture of Prayer and Worship

4. Culture of Church Growth

5. Culture of Team of Teams

6. Culture of Appreciation and Emerging Leaders

7. Culture of Multi-Generational

8. Culture of Multi-Cultural People

9. Culture of Multi-Site

10. Culture of Faith for the Supernatural

11. Culture of Reaching the Nations

12. Culture of Visions and Dreams



SESSION #3 STRATEGIC CULTURE DEVELOPED: THE CULTURE OF TEAMS

Introduction: Strategic culture is developed when the congregation owns the vision and the leaders implement the culture in all areas of church life and ministry. The culture is identified and developed by focusing on those precious and unmovable values that make up the formulation of your kingdom of God DNA. We will focus on four strategic cultures that build strategic churches: culture of teams, culture of faith, culture of focus on people, and culture of presence encounter. In this session we will focus on building a culture of teams. Team ministry is a value in the strategic culture we are building into our local churches. The team of teams expands the layers of team ministry to every aspect of the church. The whole church is led by a team of teams. The team leader develops a team and then trains that team to develop their own teams thus forming one large team consisting of many smaller teams. The team leader must have heart, skill and principles – the heart to pass on the heart of the team, the skill to know how to build a team, and the principles to know what sustains a team. Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6; Numbers 11:17,24-25,29; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

I. THE LEAD PASTOR AS THE TEAM LEADER Ephesians 4:11-12; James 3:4; Ezekiel 34:23; Numbers 27:15-23

A. The Gift-Mix of the Set Leader

Numbers 27:16 – 17 Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd. 1. The set leader, or what I am labeling as the lead pastor or senior

pastor, usually is a person with a blended gift-mix of the Ephesians 4:11-12 gifts, who has been set in to direct vision, steer the sheep, and feed the flock.

2. The set leader must have a specific gifting and anointing to lead a

team, build a vision, strategize the organizational and spiritual aspects of the church, to lead leaders, and to build the church through leaders.


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B. The Team and Teams in a Local Church

1. The team of elders have oversight and authority.

God chooses, calls, and gifts certain persons to be leaders with spiritual authority to oversee, rule, guide and lead the church, working with the team leader who is the lead pastor. Titus 1:5; James 5:14; Acts 14:14,21-23; 15:6,22; Acts 11:30; 14:23; 16:4; 20:17; 21:17-18; 20:28-31; 1 Peter 5:1; Hebrews 13:7,17; 1 Timothy 5:17

2. The team of leaders fulfill the vision by leading teams.

Not all leaders need to be ordained elders, but they must be gifted to lead as those wh pastor, counsel, equip, shape, and grow their area of responsibility. Proverbs 12:17; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Proverbs 24:6; Amos 3:3; Exodus 18:17-18

3. The teams with team members fulfill the vision by serving.

All persons who function on a team should have the same vision, values, and principles that all team leaders have. They must have a conviction that God has placed them where they are for His pleasure and His purpose and for the good of the church.

II. THE CULTURE OF TEAMS GROWS AND CHANGES

A. Defining what A Team Is

1. A team is a specific number of people with gifts, talents, and skills that engage in mutual and collective interaction, joint decision-making, and mutual accountability, sharing the leadership role among the team.


2. A team is two or more ministries joined together by the spirit for multiplied effectiveness in fulfilling God-given vision.

B. Different Seasons in the Life of a Team

1. The disconnected talents of individual people who work together These people do work together within a department but do so from a distance and not as a group. They share information and ideas but not with a common purpose and focus of discussing and accomplishing it together.

2. The pseudo team that exists but isn’t effective These individuals are in a team but are not joined or working together to achieve team performance. The sum of the whole is less than the potential of the individual parts. Publicly they are a team but privately they are individuals.

3. The potential team that may become a team Some teams get close to this beginning point but cannot overcome all the obstacles and get stuck in this season.

4. The real team that has all the pieces in place This is a group of committed people who have the basics in place and a passion to build a real, leadership-functioning team.

5. The high impact, great achievement team that has weathered the storms These are team people who are deeply committed to each other’s growth and success and have a strong commitment to common purpose and vision to fulfill.


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III. THE COMPLEXITY OF TEAM CULTURE

A. The Complexity of Ingrained Individualism

1. The strong leader type person who would make a great team leader is hindered by the very thing that makes them strong. The leadership gift may conspire against the making of a team.

2. The strong individual leaders would and could prefer to work alone or

with very few people because it is faster, cleaner, gives more quality control, and allows for their leadership gift to function freely without restraints. The old saying that reflects this is “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”

3. The very culture of organizations today emphasizes individual

accomplishments and not team accomplishments, which further ingrains the culture of individualism.

B. The Complexity of Natural Resistance

1. There can be a natural resistance to move beyond individual roles and

to accountability in our patterns of work and measured results.

2. There can be a resistance to taking responsibility for the performance of others and a willingness to let people assume responsibility for ourselves.

3. There can be a resistance to sharing the recognition of achievements with the team.

C. The Complexity of Stubborn Habits

1. Longstanding habits, demanding schedules, and unwarranted assumptions can prevent leaders from taking advantage of a team.

2. A leader may understand many principles of teams but simply not apply

them in a disciplined way and thereby miss the performance potential of the team.

3. A team leader does not build a team by just establishing a team

environment or teaching team principles but by actually working and doing things as a team.


IV. IHE COMMITMENT TO BUILD TEAM CULTURE

A. The Personal Commitment to Build Team Culture

1. The commitment to become a team person in heart, attitudes, and actions, owning the culture and speaking positively about all the team members and team purpose.

2. The commitment to let go of personal, ingrained individualism and re-learn new skills, new values, and new behaviors and then live it out.

3. The commitment to overcome barriers that stand in the way of team performance, resulting in greater achievements for the whole.

B. The Leadership Commitment to Build Team Culture

1. The leader commits to building with and through the team they work with, purposing to reinforce team principles and team purpose beyond individual functional agendas.

2. The leader commits to making a team out of the individuals they are working with and believing teams surpass individuals in fulfilling vision.

3. The leader allows and encourages the team to lead, to have vital input,

to make impacting decisions, and to recognize strong gifts within the individuals on the team.

C. The Team Members’ Commitment to Build Team Culture

1. The team members commit to the vision for teams and work hard to develop a heart for team culture, helping to build team momentum by working to shape a meaningful team.

2. The team members embrace team leaders and team leadership

philosophy with an attitude of ownership to the team and its purpose.


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V. THE COMMON OBSTACLES TO TEAM CULTURE

A. The Lack of Conviction Obstacle

1. The leader actually believes teams are good when you need them to accomplish more quickly what you want done, but they do not perform as well as individuals.

2. The idea is good but really teams can waste my time in unproductive

meetings and too much discussion that actually produces more work, more complaints, and fewer results.

3. The idea of teams is good for relationships but not for getting work

done, nor for decisive action.

B. The Personal Discomfort Risk Obstacle

1. Some leaders have a hidden fear of working with a team. They may be loners, really shy, or not a people person. This leader likes to work alone, quietly, doing it the way they want to do it without questions and interruptions.

2. Some leaders have a discomfort with the idea of meeting and being

vulnerable to other people, discussing things, maybe disagreeing with someone or worse yet having someone make me explain my perspective.

C. The Challenge of Working with Perceived Lesser Leaders Obstacle

1. The idea of putting all of my time and effort as a leader into the hands

of a group of people whom I think are not all that gifted and may actually dilute my leadership aspirations.

2. The lesser leader scenario is usually only a perceived, unproven

thought or perception. The lesser leader has not been developed and may be a huge surprise to you.

3. Team culture must be built to tolerate some failures and goals not met

on time and to accept the fact that every team member can develop if given time, mentoring, and opportunity and to give talent a chance to grow and fail, being an encourager, a builder, and a maker of great team players.


D. The Quit Too Soon Obstacle

1. The team will require effective communication and constructive conflicts that deepens interpersonal skills and genuine relationships.

2. The frustration of growing together may cause some to think that

leaving the team or staying in the team but withdrawing emotionally and mentally from the team is the right response to tension.

3. The team that doesn’t quit too soon perseveres in learning helpful

criticism, active listening, giving the benefit of the doubt, support, and recognizing the interests and achievements of others.

E. The Little Foxes that Destroy the Team Obstacles

1. Degenerating attitudes that verbalize negative thoughts into negative words such as: This is a waste of time. We have no clue why we meet. Nobody is really into doing what we are doing.

2. Interpersonal attacks made behind people’s backs to other people not

in the team, about the team, or specific team members. 3. We/They syndrome that criticizes the leaders who make decisions that

affect your ministry. “If this department is so important, why don’t they give us more resources?” “They don’t understand what we really do so why should they make any decisions that affect us?”

4. Insufficient and unequal commitment of team members to the

workload and intensity in fulfilling the agreed upon vision, using personal styles and personality types as the reason we all work so differently.


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VI. THE TEAM BUILDING ABSOLUTES A. Principles of Team Ministry

Due to human nature, numerous and manifold problems can potentially arise within a leadership team. In order to maintain the unity and effectiveness of the team, the following principles must be diligently practiced by all team members.

1. The principle of recognition (John 1:6-8,19-23; 3:26-31; Romans 12:3-8)

2. The principle of harmony and unity (Philippians 1:26; 2:1-2; 4:1-3)

3. The principle of esteeming one another (Phil 2:3-4; 1 Thess 5:12-13)

4. The principle of loyalty (1 Sam 24:1-10; 26:6-10; 2 Sam 11:9; 15:21; 18:12)

5. The principle of relationship (1 John 3:16)

6. The principle of communication (Amos 3:3)

7. The principle of forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35; Ephesians 4:32)

8. The principle of having the same vision (Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 1:14; 2:46; 4:23-32; Philippians 2:2)

9. The principle of having proper attitudes of humility, teachableness, flexibility, and servanthood.

B. Absolutes for the Team

1. Ownership of Vision: Owning the vision means that as a leader I devote myself to understanding the vision and values of my church. I personally assimilate the vision into my spirit, soul, and mind. I make the vision my vision and I commit my heart to have faith for the vision and to impart the vision to others.

2. Alignment with the Lead Pastor and the Team: Unaligned leaders from

subcultures and create subvision within the vision that causes confusion and low productivity. Aligned leaders know the vision, believe in the values, and know how to build together with the team.

3. Guards the spiritual atmosphere of the local church: Guards by keeping

a pure spirit as a leader, rejects negative gossip, speaks words of faith and encouragement, respects the core values that builds the atmosphere, sensitive and alert to anything divisive.

By Frank Damazio

Lead Pastor, City Bible Church


SESSION #4 STRATEGIC CULTURE OF FAITH

Introduction: The strategic church has established a deep and powerful culture of faith. Every church has its own culture and its own feel or atmosphere. Church culture is comprised of the behavior, values, beliefs, and principles of a church working together. These build what we would identify as our atmosphere. Faith is the atmosphere that builds a culture of believing God to do awesome and mighty things. Faith captures the vision and implements the power of the kingdom where we live. Faith believes in and for miracles. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” Helen Keller

“Faith is like electricity. You can’t see it, but you can see the light.” Author unknown

“Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods.” C.S. Lewis

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Hebrews 11:6

“…for he (Moses) looked to the reward.” Hebrews 11:26

I. HOW DOES A STRATEGIC CHURCH ESTABLISH A DEEP AND POWERFUL CULTURE OF FAITH?

A. Faith atmosphere starts with leadership. “…but be an example to the believers…in faith…” 1 Timothy 4:12

“Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose faith follow…” Hebrews 13:7 1. Four Characteristics of Faith in Leadership

a. A faith spirit

b. A faith perspective

c. A faith perseverance

d. A faith confession


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2. Four Questions a Leader Must Ask Himself About His Faith.

a. Am I confident in God and His Word? (A question of trust)

b. When conflict or obstacles arise hindering God’s vision, do I have a tendency to look at the obstacle or God’s ability to fulfill His promise? (A question of perspective)

c. Am I confident in the vision God has given me or do people and circumstances sway me away from Gods vision? (A question of perspective)

d. Do I find myself confessing my moods or God’s Word? (A question of spirit)

e. Do I confess the ultimate victory or over focus on the present reality? (A question of honoring God)

f. Do I instill confidence in God’s people by my perspective, confession, and spirit or do I instill insecurity by expressing my moods? (A question of leadership)

B. A faith atmosphere is created by the Word of God. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17

“…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:23 “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.” James 1:18

1. A faith atmosphere that is created by a people who are established in God’s purpose. Ephesians 1:9


2. A faith atmosphere that creates confidence in the vision God has given the church. Ephesians 3:10

3. A faith atmosphere that proclaims the promises of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20

4. A faith atmosphere that bases all church activity around the principles of The Word of God. Psalm 138:2

5. A faith atmosphere that is created by people who have been taught the word of God and align themselves to it. 1 John 2:14

Questions every leader should ask about the church they are building

1. Do the people I pastor have “the big picture” of what God is doing in His historical redemptive work? (Do they have context?)

2. Do the people I pastor understand God’s vision for The Church? (Have they seen beyond their individual needs?)

3. Do the people I pastor memorize, quote, proclaim, and stand on The Word of God? (Do they know their spiritual inheritance?)

4. Do the people I pastor base their daily decisions and long range goals on the word of God? (Are they principled believers or emotional believers?)

5. Do the people I pastor live consistent lives centered on God’s Word or do circumstances move them? (Do they reign in life or are they defeated by life?)


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C. A faith atmosphere is created by effective communication of the vision God has given the local church.

“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”Acts 26:19 “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:6 “Where there is no revelation (prophetic vision), the people cast off restraint…” Proverbs 29:18 “Speak to the children of Israel that they bring me an offering…let them make me a sanctuary …according to all that I show you…” Exodus 25:2, 8-9

D. Five things need to take place in order for a local church to capture the vision God has given it.

1. Vision must be understood by the leadership of the church.

2. Vision must be communicated by the leadership . 3. Vision must be embraced by the people.

4. Vision must be implemented by wise leadership. 5. Vision must be dependent upon God’s power and ability to fulfill the

vision because it is beyond our present abilities.


II. EIGHT WAYS TO CULTIVATE A CORPORATE FAITH ATMOSPHERE

A. Use the power of testimony.

B. Use concise statements which everyone can memorize and quote.

C. Use graphics that capture the imagination of the church.

D. Write out the vision so that everyone can see and be reminded.

E. Stop and celebrate when the church meets certain landmarks in its vision journey.


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F. Continually tell the story of your journey.

G. Use annual vision banquets to discuss progress.

H. Educate mid-tier leaders of what is happening in the church.

By Bob MacGregor Lead Pastor, City Harvest Church


SESSION #5 STRATEGIC CULTURE OF FOCUS ON PEOPLE Introductory Thoughts: The strategic church is being led and built by strategic leaders who are people-centered. People are the focus of ministry and they are treated with graciousness and high respect. To love people is to be vulnerable, authentic, transparent, and full of grace virtue. A culture that loves people is saying at every level that people are important, people are a gift, and people are why we exist as a church. We will learn to heal the broken and to show genuine care and love and grow great people. In a day and age when lasting relationships and value for people is not the norm, the Church of Jesus Christ has to set a new standard. Each member of the body is vital, equally important, yet with different function. A new order must being established – it’s a Kingdom culture of honoring people. Key Verse: Matt 10:40-42 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

I. UNDERSTANDING THE FOUNDATION FOR MAKING PEOPLE PRIORITY Matthew 10:40-42

A. Jesus personally identifies with every individual, no matter what their status in life and carefully observes how they are received


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B. Our ministry of “receiving others” shows “who” and “what” we believe about God and those He commissions

C. Any reward for receiving people is not based on quantity or actual value, but the degree of love and affection given Hebrews 6:10

II. THREE CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WE MUST RECEIVE

Matthew 10:40-42

A. Prophets 2 Kings 4:9-10 1. Prophet: one sent from God to speak forth a message. For application

purposes, this could refer to any anointed, commissioned, legitimately called, or ministry leader.

2. In the name of the prophet: out of respect for that function and

ministry.

3. Receives a prophet’s reward (3 Jn 5-8).

B. Righteous men - An equitable man of character, just, right with God.

1. This would be the fellow believer – good people who serve God and are

diligent to pursue right standing with the Lord. These deserve our attention and efforts.

2. These are the every-day common-folk, the ones whom we could begin

to take for granted.


C. Little ones - Lowly in spirit, little in the eyes of an undiscerning world – yet high in heaven’s esteem. Zechariah 13:7 1. This might be someone who’s weaker or less experienced in life and in

understanding than you are. One of the greatest tests that you will face in life is serving someone who knows less than you do in a particular area.

2. Cold water: the smallest of service. We are in the gospel business and

McDonalds does a better job of serving kids (little ones) than the church does.

3. Severe consequences if you cause a “little one” (mikros – small in size

or numbers) to stumble. III. RECEIVING PEOPLE IS A RESPONSE TO THE VALUE OF

HONOR A. Honor leaders

1 Peter 2:17

B. Honor parents Exodus 20:12

C. Honor your spouse 1 Peter 3:7

D. Honor widows and orphans 1 Timothy 5:3

E. Honor all people 1 Peter 2:17


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IV. RECEIVING PEOPLE IS A RESPONSE TO THE VALUE OF PERSONAL GROWTH 1 Peter 4:10 “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” A. People are very important in the spiritual growth process

Ephesians 4:16

B. What people bring into my life

1. Emotional connection (Genesis 2:18) 2. Structure and accountability (Proverbs 11:14; 27:6) 3. Grace (1 Peter 4:10; Galatians 6:1) 4. Truth and wisdom (Proverbs 15:22) 5. A sense of the universality of suffering (Eccl 4:10; Gal 6:1-5) 6. Discipleship (2 Timothy 3:10)

V. RECEIVING PEOPLE BRINGS ADDED VALUE INTO MY LIFE AND OUR CHURCHES

A. Receiving into our lives and church helps us move beyond our current place of understanding, knowledge, comfort and kingdom influence Acts 18:24-28


B. Receiving is not based on subjective feelings or ideas, but on the surety of Christ’s ministry towards us Romans 15:7

C. We receive because they are worthy in the Lord

Romans 16:1-2; Colossians 3:23-24

D. We receive because they possess a strong love for us – if we don’t receive them, we will miss out and what God wants to do through them Philippians 2:25-30

E. We are to receive even when mistakes have been made.

This preserves unity, keeps the basis of relationship founded in Christ, and allows a free-flow of forgiveness in our own lives. Philemon 10-17; Matthew 5:7

VI. HINDRANCES TO RECEIVING PEOPLE

A. Self-centeredness 3 John 5-12

B. Lack of willingness to receive input

1 Kings 12:1-19

C. Love for gossip and slander Proverbs 17:9

D. Disputes over little things Romans 14:1; Proverbs 19:11

E. Unresolved offenses and wounds Proverbs 17:19


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VII. PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FROM THE WAY JESUS RECEIVED PEOPLE

A. Jesus chose to take Jairus’ struggle seriously Matthew 9:18-23

B. Receiving people is practical Matthew 10:42

C. We must be willing to go outside normal limitations to

receive people Matthew 15:21-28

D. People will be vulnerable to enemy attack unless someone steps up and receives them Matthew 17:14

E. Simple faith & ministry towards people establishes Christ’s Kingdom Matthew 18:2-5

F. The Kingdom is built upon people who are not always the highest & best Matthew 19:13-15

G. Receiving “little ones” and teaching them to worship is threatening to some, but exciting to Jesus Matthew 21:14-17

By Derrill Corbin Lead Pastor, Life Center


SESSION #6 STRATEGIC CULTURE OF ENCOUNTERING GOD’S PRESENCE

And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” Exodus 33:14-15 INTRODUCTION: The strategic church is a church saturated with a powerful presence of a living God. The leadership team is passionate about leading people into a fresh and life-changing presence encounter. Building a culture that knows and loves the presence of God is achieved by leaders who have personally encountered God’s presence and minister from that encounter. The strategic church makes church a place for presence encounter by establishing presence encounter prayer, worship, corporate gathering, and a passion for God atmosphere. In God’s presence things happen, people are transformed, bondages are broken, prodigals return, and impossible situations melt. Psalm 91:1; 140:13; Psalm 139:6-8; Psalm 51:11; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 31:20; Acts 3:19

I. THREE ASPECTS OF GOD’S PRESENCE

A. Definition of Presence

1. The Hebrew word paniyam is translated presence 76 times. Paniyam is derived from the root word pana which means "to turn the face."

2. The presence of God in scripture has the idea of God's face being turned toward someone in acceptance and favor. His presence fills up, pervades, permeates, overspreads.

3. Coming face to face in relationship with God to receive everything He has for your life.


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B. Omnipresence – God’s presence is everywhere, everyplace.

1. He is present in the whole of creation and universe.

2. Scriptures: Psalm 139:6-8; Jeremiah 23:24; Isaiah 66:1

C. Manifested, sovereign presence – God chooses to reveal

Himself sovereignly.

1. At times this strange sense of God may pervade a building, a community or a region, affecting those who come within its power.

2. Scriptures: Genesis 3:8; 4:16; Leviticus 22:3; 2 Chronicles 5:11-14

3. To be in the presence of the Lord is to be revived. When a community of believers is brought low before the presence of the Lord, when the very air that they breathe appears to be supercharged with the sense of His presence – this is the beginning of revival. It is revival!" J. Edwin Orr, Times of Refreshing

D. Felt-realized, personal presence – The vivid presence of God.

1. When omnipresence becomes manifested presence, it then may

become a personalized presence, a revealed presence.

2. Scriptures: Psalm 22:3; 51:11; 16:11; 31:20; Acts 3:19; Luke 10:38-42

3. During a spiritual awakening there is first an overwhelming awareness of the presence of God among His people. I have no hesitation in saying that this awareness of God is the crying need of the church today." Ted S. Rendall, Fire in the Church


II. THE LEADER FINDS THE PLACE OF GOD’S PRESENCE

A. The Personal place

God wills that we push on into His presence and live our whole life there. Making a place for God’s presence is our first passion. Exodus 33:14-16; Exodus 25:22 1. The place of God’s presence is not just a positional standing in God’s

presence.

2. The place of God’s presence is the experience of God’s presence personally and powerfully. a. To commune with us. b. To confirm His word to us. c. To inspire our heart. d. To lift our faith.

3. The place of God’s presence is “to practice the presence of God…, to

live in the conscious awareness of Our Father, engaging in quiet, joyful, and continuous conversation with Him.”

4. The place of God’s presence is to “live an inner life of unceasing prayer

and strive for all we think, say, and do to be a reflection of what is pleasing to God.”

Quotes: • Brother Lawrence: “I make it my priority to persevere in His holy

presence, wherein I maintain a simple attention and a fond regard for God which I may call an actual presence of God. To put it another way, it is an habitual, silent, and private conversation of the soul with God.”

• A.W. Tozer: “It is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience, they are not the better for having heard the truth.”

• Unknown: “Prayer is so simple. It is like quietly opening a door and slipping into the very presence of God. There, in the stillness, to listen to His voice, perhaps in petition or only to listen. It matters not. Just to be there in His presence is prayer.”

• Augustine: “Thou has formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”

• A.W. Tozer: “The Holy Spirit speaks to thirsty hearts whose longings have been wakened by the touch of God within them.”

• St. Teresa of Avila ““Close your eyes and follow your breath to the still place that leads to the invisible path that leads you home. No one else controls access to this perfect place. Give yourself your own unconditional permission to go there.”


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B. The Secret Place Psalm 31:20; Psalm 91:1; Luke 6:12; Mark 1:35

Solitary place: a deserted place, uninhabited, alone, lonesome.

1. The secret place is not a fast place.

2. The secret place is wherever you open your spirit and shut out everything else.

3. The secret place is where you transform your heart into a sanctuary of prayer and communion.

C. The Special Place Matthew 6:6 1. The special room is your inner chamber.

Andrew Murray: “‘When you pray,’ says Jesus, ‘enter into your inner chamber, and having shut the door, pray to your Father which is in secret.’ That means two things. Shut the world out, withdraw from all worldly thoughts and occupations, and shut yourself in alone with God, to pray to Him in secret. Let this be your chief object in prayer, to realize the presence of your heavenly Father. Let your watchword be: Alone with God.”

2. The special room is a room without distractions.

a. Shut yourself apart with God, away from other people and distractions. Develop a one-on-one relationship with God, you and Him, not you and everyone else and God. Don’t depend on someone else to hear from God for you. Hear what He has to say to you yourself.

b. Shut the door, shut out all distracting voices and tune in our hearts

to the one voice that we long to hear.

St. Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux: “Wherever thou shalt be, pray secretly within thyself. If thou shalt be far from a house of prayer, give not thyself trouble to seek one. For thou thyself art a sanctuary designed for prayer. If thou shalt be in bed or in any other place, pray there. Thy temple is there.”


D. The Happening Place (In these scriptures, “before” is the same word for “presence”.)

1. A place of covenant and of blessing

(Genesis 17:1-2)

2. A place of intercession (Genesis 18:22-23; Exodus 33:14-16; Psalm 27:8)

3. A place of brokenness before God (Genesis 32:28-30; Jeremiah 18:2-6)

4. A place of communion/A place of mercy (Exodus 25:22)

5. A place of relationship with God (Exodus 33:11; Deuteronomy 34:10)

6. A place of holiness and judgement (Leviticus 10:1-3; Psalm 17:1-3)

7. A place of joy and rejoicing (Psalm 16:11)

8. A place where impossible situations melt (Psalm 97:5; Luke 18:27; 1:37-38)

9. A place of transformation (Exodus 34:29-30; Psalm 17:15; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

10. A place of refreshing (Acts 3:19)

11. A place of worship (Psalm 22:3; 95:2; 100:2)

12. A place of release for the prophetic word (2 Kings 3:15; Ephesians 5:19; 1 Samuel 3:9-10)


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III. THE CONGREGATION ENCOUNTERS GOD’S PRESENCE

A. Encountering God’s Presence in Corporate Prayer Isaiah 56:7; Genesis 28:17; Ezekiel 22:30; Acts 4:31; 1:14; 2:42 1. Building an atmosphere of prayer by sustaining a prayer spirit

throughout the church where every believer faithfully participates in fervent prayer.

2. Developing personal prayer disciplines, group prayer, concert prayer, and all church prayer.

B. Encountering God’s Presence in Corporate Worship 1 Peter 2:5-9; Ephesians 5:18-19; Psalm 147:1-2

1. Three basics of worship

a. Psalms: songs of praise from scripture or from the Psalms

b. Hymns: songs of praise of human composition

c. Spiritual songs: songs of pra8ise

2. The sacrifice of praise and God’s enthroned presence Psalm 22:3; 141:2; 1 Timothy 2:2; Isaiah 54:1; Psalm 98:4; Hebrews 13:15 The sacrifice of praise is a new song from the heart of the worshipper that is spontaneous, unpremeditated, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, a song that flows from the heart with the lifting of hands and singing freely.


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