This is an edited version of notes taken from the live blog of the Auxano Houston co::Lab Session #6. All coaching sessions took place at Gateway Community Church in Clear Lake, TX with Vision Coach, Will Mancini.
The Primary Objective: To define Vision Proper, explain how to cast vision and discuss how to use the Vision Frame in ongoing visioning and planning work.
The Auxano Houston co::Lab has inspired four previous posts: Pursuing God’s Vision for Technology in the Church; Finding Your Church’s Sweet Spot; Digital Missions: What Do You See? and Whose Vision is it Anyways?
In the final hours before our last session (that will be live blogged), I have been reflecting on what I’ve learned about casting vision.
Vision-casting was not new to me prior to co::Lab. Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” I’ve participated in vision planning retreats many times.
We just completed the second track of Auxano’s Vision co::Lab at Gateway Community Church in Houston. This is a portion of my notes from the day long session. I wrote previously about the Lab and reasons why I’m attending here.
One of the greatest benefits to being in this learning community is the opportunity to make new friends. Church leaders participating include Wendell Hutchins, Church of Champions; Jim Martin, The River UMC; Steven Barr, LifeWorship Ministries; Matt Neely, The Watershed Church; and Andy Sytsma, New Life Church. Our lead navigator is Will Mancini, Auxano founder and visionary captain.
The primary objective for this session was to learn how to identify and develop The Kingdom Concept. The one thing your church does better than 10,000 others.
During a recent study of church consulting leaders, I was introduced to Will Mancini, clarity evangelist and founder of Auxano, a firm that guides churches in the area of vision. I got in touch with Will to learn more about his process and to share my passion for pursuing God’s vision for technology in church.
This year Auxano launched Vision co::Lab, a learning community of pastors and church leaders that meets one day a month over a six month period to focus on the process of defining and communicating vision. Expressing interest in the Vision Pathway principles and coaching strategy for teaching them, the door opened for me to participate in the Houston co::Lab.
Five reasons I am looking forward to participating in this unique learning environment:
Digital Missions is the leveraging of technology to spread the gospel. Over the next five years, thousands of churches will consider developing innovative technology initiatives. A hot trend in church consulting is the emergence of specialists that are helping align media and technology with everything the church does.
For insights on this trend, I turned to three experts on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and consultants in the church. They are…
The statistic is often quoted…
85% of all churches today are in plateau or decline.
This is a distressing number, no matter how many times it’s repeated. While looking at what’s being done to turn the situation around, church consulting in particular, six signs of hope emerged.
Gordon is focused on the intersection of communication technologies and church growth. Here he looks at best practices for using media, marketing and collaboration to build community.
