Process: The Bosses' Helper

There are two crucial questions for a church to answer. The first one is a “What” question, which allows the body of Christ to ask itself, “What is our mission?” The second one is a follow-up question to the first: “How will this mission be accomplished?” It is the “How” question.

In my last post, I wrote that purpose is boss. Our purpose and mission should decide everything. If we don’t pursue God’s purpose, we forfeit the right to even call ourselves the Church. It is the ultimate question. However, the process question runs a close second in importance. What do I mean by process?

There was a man who noticed a city work crew. It was a peculiar sight. The truck would pull up and one employee would get out and dig a hole. When finished, he returned to the truck and the other employee would get out. He would fill the hole. Eventually the man approached the truck and asked, “What are you guys doing?” One worker replied, “Our crew is responsible for planting trees in the city but the guy who puts the tree in the hole called in sick today.”

You see, process is important. The sequence of steps that leads to a fully developed follower of Christ is important. Every church must clearly define its process, the movement that takes a first-time guest, especially someone who is not a Christ follower, to the point of being a ministering member. It must be clear, simple, and strategic.

It must be clear and succinct enough to write on a business card. It must be simple enough for any person to understand. And it must be strategic, i.e., the process itself must be the means to fulfilling the purpose of the church.

This process should be made up of three parts. There is something about the number three that the human brain can remember. I have noticed that process statements which have four parts, not three, are harder to retain. Maybe God has built something into the number itself which is conducive to memory.

What's your process? How is it helping "boss" your church?