a  Resource  Guide  for  the  “90-­‐day  micro-­‐strategy”  

     

Excerpted  from  “Facilitators  Guide  for  Ministry  &  Mission  Conference”                                                  

(Content  contributed  by  Dwight  Zscheile,  Dave  Logan,  Robbin  Whittington  and  others)      

ADAPTED  WITH  PERMISSION  FROM  THE  EDITOR,  ROBBIN  BRENT  WHITTINGTON  FOR  USE  WITH  MISSIO:ENGAGE!  COMMUNITIES  OF  PRACTICE  

Facilitators Guide for Ministry & Mission Conference • May 5, 2012

Content contributed by Dwight Zscheile, Dave Logan, Robbin Whittington, and others 5

Strategy MappingWe can use strategy mapping as a tool to help us map out and live into God’s promised future, rather than our current default future. Strategies are a bridge from a default future to an invented future that honors our values and highest aspirations, both individually and communally. We call these maps micro-strategies because much experience has proven that it is essential to take small, steady steps in the direction we want to be traveling. Otherwise we risk the likelihood that we may dream big and yet have no way of planning, implementing, or testing our assumptions about how we can live into that future.

So, how do we get started? The 90-day micro-strategy is an effective tool for personal and communal transformation. In his book, Tribal Leadership, Dave Logan describes specific steps involved in creating effective strategy maps with a deadline. (Note, the process has been introduced by Logan; we have added theological language for our particular use.)

Acknowledge the core values of the group and its vision. Do this by asking questions about what we stand for and deeply value, and what we live for.Have three separate conversations.1. Discern and Commit to a specific outcome (what God wants).2. Explore and list the gifts and abilities and resources God with which God has equipped us. 3. Commit to specific actions in order to move toward the outcome.

Two important notes from Dave: 1. Most progress toward the 90-day outcome/mission will take place between days 41 and 80, so don’t be discouraged if progress is slow to observe and measure at the beginning. And, from Tribal Leadership, an outcome is very different from a goal. “A goal refers to something off in the future, and implies a failure in the present; an outcome, is a present state of success that morphs into an even bigger victory over time. The difference is the contrast between ‘I hope we make it—it’ll be great when we turn this around’ (setting a goal) and ‘we have already succeeded, and this is how it looks at this point in the process’ (succeeding now with an outcome).”The strategy mapping system is self-correcting when used as intended. If we choose an outcome that’s not in alignment with our deepest values, or if it requires something we don’t feel called to do, then we will get feedback from the process that is both realistic and valuable. We can choose at any point in the process to either acquire an missing assets, or we can go back to our core values and vision to help guide us into what God is calling us to do and be in the world. We need to continually ask ourselves, “What is God up to in the world?” and, “How has God equipped me/our community to help with his vision and hope for the world?”

We offer one example strategy map using the concepts from Dwight’s book to guide the map; and one in which we begin to think about and name Jesus’ core values and noble cause or vision.

This is a valuable tool and a resource for helping us to sustain our focus, our passion, and our commitment.

“There are countless Episcopalians who have enor-mous gifts to offer the church as it participates in God’s mission. Too often, those gifts remain undiscovered and under-utilized. Helping people to hear God’s call, discern how God has shaped them for ministry, and share in the church’s life and leadership is critical.” —Dwight Zscheile, from People of the Way

Facilitators Guide for Ministry & Mission Conference • May 5, 2012

Content contributed by Dwight Zscheile, Dave Logan, Robbin Whittington, and others 6

Core ValuesCore Value is whatever is most important to you as a child of God. Core values are our spiritual fuel; they are what matter so deeply to us that without them, life wouldn’t be worth living.

It also helps to consider who has inspired us; even asking what historical figure we’d most like to emulate; or what we want people to remember most about us after we’re gone.

Revisiting the past is one way to discover core values. We have included an activity: Mountains and Valleys, to help us record the life changing events and major milestones from our lives that point directly to our core values. We can easily find our core values by noticing which values are touched upon or triggered when remembering the high and low experiences—our Mary and Martha experiences—from our past.

VisionA shared vision will be a statement that expresses the highest aspirations for the group. A shared vision will be a pronouncement of a future state that will happen through a communities’ coordinated actions. It will be bigger than what one person can do alone, no matter how many people are offering technical support; it requires people’s best efforts and passions.

The reason to find a shared vision is that it will give us a vision that transcends individual differences, produces alignment and an environment where we can partner with people we don’t even like. It unites the community. It is at its heart about alignment.

According to Logan, “The second technique to setting a noble cause is to ask what we call the Big Four Questions. As we watched leaders do their work, we noted that they tended to ask, “What’s working well?” “What’s not working?” “What can we do to make the things that aren’t working, work?” and “Is there anything else?” These questions capture a group’s current assessment of its situation and its aspirations about what should change and why.” Continue to ask these questions.

This process and journey is a call to personal and communal transformation; to a new conversation. And if we can call out shared values, a noble cause, and an outcome that is bigger than any one of us, we will be inspired to participate in a committed communal effort (even working alongside those we don’t like in day-to-day life) to move toward the shared future to which God is calling us.

Facilitators Guide for Ministry & Mission Conference • May 5, 2012

Content contributed by Dwight Zscheile, Dave Logan, Robbin Whittington, and others 7

AcceptanceAchievementAdventureAltruismAppreciationAuthenticityAuthorityAutonomyBalanceBeautyBelongingChallengeChoiceCollaborationCommitmentCommunityCompassionConnectionContributionCourageCreativityEducationEmpowermentEquality

ExcellenceExcitementExpertiseFairnessFaithFamilyFinancial securityFocusFreedomFriendshipFulfillmentFunGraciousnessGratitudeGrowthHappinessHarmonyHealthHelping othersHonestyHopeHumilityImaginationIndependence

IntegrityIntellectIntuitionJoyJusticeKindnessKnowledgeLeadershipLearningLoveLoyaltyMaking a differenceMarriageNatureNurturingOrderPassionPeacePeace of mindPersonal growthProductivityReaching potentialRelationshipRespect

ResponsibilityRomanceRoutineSecurityServiceSharingSinceritySolitudeSpiritualityStewardshipStrengthSuccessTeachingTeamworkToleranceTraditionTravelTrustTruthVitalityVulnerabilityWisdomZest for life

In an ever-changing world, core values are constant. Core values are not descriptions of the work we do or the strategies we employ to accomplish our mission. The values underlie our work, how we interact with each other, and which strategies we employ to fulfill our mission. Following are some sample Core Values to help jump-start the personal journey toward discovering yours.Circle or highlight the values below that best express your deepest, most essential self, and the values as they honor God and God’s mission, and our faithfulness to the life of Christ.

Facilitators Guide for Ministry & Mission Conference • May 5, 2012

Content contributed by Dwight Zscheile, Dave Logan, Robbin Whittington, and others 8

The following excerpt is from the Introduction of Dwight’s book, People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity. While describing the needs and journey of a church where his wife had been called as rector, their journey can serve as a road map for us, both individually and in community.

Luke 10:38–42:Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This congregation, and its members in their daily lives, could identify readily with Martha. We were used to being worried and distracted by many things—such is life in twenty-first-century America. We began to ask, what is the “one thing” for us? How can we attend to the presence of Jesus, both personally and corporately? What kind of focus would give us clarity amidst all the struggles, distractions, temptations, and challenges of contemporary life? How can the important work of hospitality, justice, and care for a hurting world be carried on with the spiritual attentiveness of Mary?

This congregation (like many in the Episcopal Church today, I suspect) was in need of discerning the focus that gives us new life and identity in Christ. Many congregations across America today are distracted and overwhelmed by doing too many things. Many are harried, anxious, worried, or resentful. In many places and many ways, we have lost our focus, and as a result, we have become stuck—stuck in establishment patterns that struggle to engage the new world in which we find ourselves; stuck in a sense of paralysis, despair, and confusion over who we are and what we should be about; stuck in conflict, often over concerns that, while not unimportant, allow us to avoid confronting directly the massive adaptive challenges before us; stuck behind the red doors of church buildings that are too often closed to our diverse neighbors; stuck in our inability to imagine what God is up to in our midst and in the lives of people surrounding us.

Like Mary and Martha, we need to figure out what the one thing for us is. We need to pay close attention to how God is showing up in our lives, and in our communities, and to remember and trust that God has gifted each of us in a particular way to do God’s work in the world.

We need to engage in practices that will begin to reshape our imaginations for how God is active in our lives.

According to Dwight, the key in all this is beginning to trust the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst and in the neighborhood, forming community; coming to understand, envision, and trust that we are participants in God’s life and mission.

Question: Do you ever feel like Martha, “worried and distracted by many things”? What might it mean for you personally and for your congregation communally to focus on “the one thing” that Jesus calls you to?

The following Activity—Mountains and Valleys—will help us move more deeply into our personal stories and offer an opportunity to share our essential values, what matters most in life. It will be very helpful, after a word or phrase comes to you and you’ve written it down, to ask, “What does this mean to me/us?” to get to the underlying core value.

Faithful to the “One Thing”

Tool

for i

dent

ifyin

g Es

sent

ial V

alue

s:�

ese

are

wha

t we

stan

d fo

r, w

ithou

t whi

ch li

fe

wou

ld n

ot b

e w

orth

livi

ng. E

ssen

tial o

r cor

e va

lues

will

alw

ays h

ave

a un

iver

sal b

ene�

t.

Mar

y

Mar

tha

Tim

ePa

stTo

day

Inst

ruct

ions

Iden

tifyi

ng M

ary

and

Mar

tha

Even

ts o

r Life

-de�

nin

g M

omen

ts1.

Ide

ntify

2-3

“Mar

y” an

d “M

arth

a” ev

ents

from

you

r life

. For

Mar

tha

even

ts, t

hink

of a

tim

e whe

n yo

u fe

lt fr

azzl

ed, d

istra

cted

by

man

y th

ings

, whe

re y

ou fe

lt re

sent

ful o

r cut

o�

from

God

. For

Mar

y ev

ents

, writ

e abo

ut

thos

e tim

es w

hen

you

felt

deep

ly co

nnec

ted

to a

sens

e of w

hat G

od w

as ca

lling

you

to; w

hen

you

felt

cent

ered

, fu

lly p

rese

nt, a

nd th

at th

e eve

nt w

as v

ery

life-

givi

ng.

2. F

or ea

ch ev

ent,

put a

mar

k on

the d

otte

d lin

e to

indi

cate

whe

re in

tim

e the

even

t too

k pl

ace.

� e

n la

bel t

he

even

t. Tr

y to

iden

tify

at le

ast 3

–5 fo

r tod

ay’s

exer

cise

. 3.

For

each

Mar

y m

omen

t, pl

ace a

chec

kmar

k ab

ove t

he li

ne re

pres

entin

g ho

w si

gni�

cant

or b

less

ed y

ou

expe

rien

ced

the e

vent

.

Iden

tifyi

ng E

ssen

tial V

alue

s or

Mis

sion

al V

alue

s 1.

Ide

ntify

val

ues f

or ea

ch ev

ent a

nd w

rite t

hem

nex

t to

the c

heck

mar

k bo

th ab

ove a

nd b

elow

the l

ine.

2. F

or ea

ch ev

ent a

bove

the l

ine,

ask

, “W

hat v

alue

s wer

e pre

sent

or h

onor

ed th

at m

ade t

his e

vent

so li

fe-g

ivin

g fo

r me?

”3.

For

each

even

t bel

ow th

e lin

e, a

sk, “

Wha

t val

ues w

ere a

bsen

t or t

hrea

tene

d or

disr

egar

ded

that

mad

e thi

s eve

nt

so p

ainf

ul fo

r me?

”4.

Now

, loo

k at

the v

alue

s you

hav

e ide

nti�

ed an

d co

nsid

er if

ther

e is a

nyth

ing

even

mor

e sig

ni� c

ant t

han

thes

e.

Ask

, “W

hat d

o th

ese m

ean

to m

e?” A

re th

ere e

ven

mor

e ess

entia

l val

ues.

Choo

sing

the

mos

t Ess

entia

l Val

ues

Now

look

acr

oss a

ll of

the e

vent

s and

choo

se y

our t

op 3

–4 v

alue

s. C

onsid

er h

ow st

rong

ly y

ou fe

el ab

out t

hem

, or

how

o� e

n th

ey sh

owed

up

on th

e cha

rt.

Mou

ntai

ns a

nd V

alle

ys R

esou

rce

usin

g th

e st

ory

of

Mar

y an

d M

arth

a to

dis

cove

r Val

ues

copy

right

©20

12 C

ultu

reSy

nc a

nd R

obbi

n W

hitti

ngto

n

Copyright © 2010 CultureSync. 2012 Adapted for use in the Episcopal Diocese of WNC Text by Dave Logan and Julian Bergquist. Page 4 of 4 http://www.culturesync.net/happiness

My Essential Values

From the Mountains and Valleys exercise, list the top values you discovered that most represent who you are and who God is calling you to be (The particular order does not matter).

List Your Top Values

For each value on the left ask yourself the following questions to help you reduce this list to just your top 3–5 core values. It may help to talk to a friend or another person you trust to help walk you through this.

What is really important to me about that? Look for deeper values.

Could I live without it?

Does it compel me even in the face of adversity and difficulty?

Write your top 3–5 values below. If you clearly notice that some values are more important to you than others, you can put them in order of significance.

Write a sentence about each value and why it is so important to you.

Your Core Values What Each Value Means (Create a definition that is meaningful to you)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Faithful to the “One Thing”M

ary

Mar

tha

Tim

ePa

stTo

day

Mou

ntai

ns a

nd V

alle

ys R

esou

rce

usin

g th

e st

ory

of M

ary

and

Mar

tha

to d

isco

ver E

ssen

tial

Val

ues

copy

right

©20

12 C

ultu

reSy

nc a

nd R

obbi

n W

hitti

ngto

n

Copyright © 2010 CultureSync. 2012 Adapted for use in the Episcopal Diocese of WNC Text by Dave Logan and Julian Bergquist. Page 4 of 4 http://www.culturesync.net/happiness

My Essential Values

From the Mountains and Valleys exercise, list the top values you discovered that most represent who you are and who God is calling you to be (The particular order does not matter).

List Your Top Values

For each value on the left ask yourself the following questions to help you reduce this list to just your top 3–5 core values. It may help to talk to a friend or another person you trust to help walk you through this.

What is really important to me about that? Look for deeper values.

Could I live without it?

Does it compel me even in the face of adversity and difficulty?

Write your top 3–5 values below. If you clearly notice that some values are more important to you than others, you can put them in order of significance.

Write a sentence about each value and why it is so important to you.

Your Core Values What Each Value Means (Create a definition that is meaningful to you)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

copy

right

©20

12 C

ultu

reSy

nc a

nd R

obbi

n W

hitti

ngto

n

Usi

ng Je

sus

as a

n ex

ampl

e fo

r Ide

ntif

ying

Cor

e Va

lues

and

Vis

ion

Core

Val

ues

that

one

gro

up id

enti�

ed:

Reco

ncili

atio

n

Who

lene

ss; S

alva

tion

Righ

teou

snes

s

Self-

Empt

ying

Rela

tions

hip

Com

pass

ion

Zeal

Fort

hrig

ht

Tabl

e Fe

llow

ship

(Rel

atio

nshi

p)

Hig

h-de

� niti

on v

isio

n of

the

King

dom

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n:

Love

God

; lov

e ou

r nei

ghbo

r; lo

ve o

urse

lves

.

To m

ake

pres

ent t

he c

ompa

ssio

nate

hea

rt o

f God

.

Don

e al

l tha

t has

bee

n co

mm

ande

d by

God

.

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n

List

Cor

e Va

lues

Li

st C

ore

Valu

es

or E

ssen

tial B

elie

fsor

Ess

entia

l Bel

iefs

Wha

t we

stan

d fo

r. W

ithou

t W

hat w

e st

and

for.

With

out

whi

ch li

fe w

ould

not

be

wor

th

whi

ch li

fe w

ould

not

be

wor

th

livin

g. C

ore

valu

es w

ill a

lway

s liv

ing.

Cor

e va

lues

will

alw

ays

have

a u

nive

rsal

ben

e� t.

have

a u

nive

rsal

ben

e� t.

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n: A

stat

emen

t tha

t exp

ress

es G

od’s

deep

est y

earn

ing;

God

’s hi

ghes

t asp

iratio

ns fo

r us

as a

com

mun

ity. �

at w

hich

we

are

aim

ing

for.

� e

one

esse

ntia

l thi

ng (M

arth

a an

d M

ary)

. A

pro

noun

cem

ent o

f a fu

ture

stat

e th

at w

ill h

appe

n th

roug

h a

com

mun

ity’s

com

mitt

ed a

ctio

ns.

yes

no

copy

right

©20

12 C

ultu

reSy

nc a

nd R

obbi

n W

hitti

ngto

n

List

eve

ry g

ift a

nd s

tren

gth

you

have

:

• Bib

lical

war

rant

: Luk

e 10

:1–9

.• C

ongr

egat

iona

l stre

ngth

s/sp

iritu

al g

ifts

in h

ospi

talit

y, p

raye

r, se

rvic

e.• T

wen

ty p

eopl

e in

con

greg

atio

n w

ho a

re

com

mitt

ed to

this

out

com

e.• M

any

book

s writ

ten

abou

t thi

s tha

t we

can

use

as re

sour

ces a

nd in

spira

tion.

• Man

y re

latio

nal c

onne

ctio

ns w

ith

neig

hbor

s in

wid

er c

omm

unity

.• H

oly

Spiri

t’s p

rese

nce

and

guid

ance

.

List

eve

ryth

ing

you

will

do:

• Cre

ate

sub-

stra

tegy

to o

ffer o

ppor

tuni

ties

for c

omm

unity

con

vers

atio

n ar

ound

this

to

pic.

• Inv

ite m

embe

rs o

f com

mun

ity to

eng

age

in p

lung

ing

at th

e C

omm

unity

Cen

ter

that

is lo

cate

d a

bloc

k fr

om th

e ch

urch

.• C

onta

ct m

embe

rs (p

hone

cal

ls) o

f the

fi v

e ne

ighb

orin

g ch

urch

to in

vite

them

in

to th

is c

onve

rsat

ion

and

expe

rienc

e.• C

reat

e an

ann

ounc

emen

t to

shar

e w

ith

chur

ches

for a

Sun

day

bulle

tin o

r e-

anno

unce

men

t.

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n: C

ultiv

atin

g at

tent

iven

ess t

o G

od’s

pre

senc

e an

d m

ovem

ent

in o

ur m

idst

and

bey

ond

us, e

spec

ially

in th

e liv

es o

f our

nei

ghbo

rs.

Out

com

e/M

issi

on

Hos

t at l

east

two

com

mun

ity g

athe

rings

to o

rgan

ize

two

“plu

ngin

g” te

ams t

hat w

ill sp

end

time

at th

e C

omm

unity

C

ente

r in

orde

r to

get t

o kn

ow th

e pe

ople

who

live

nea

rby.

Th

e te

ams w

ill a

sk q

uest

ions

abo

ut th

e ho

pes,

drea

ms,

chal

leng

es a

nd o

ppor

tuni

ties o

f the

surr

ound

ing

area

.

Due

Dat

e: _

_7_/

__15

_/_1

2_

Find

/dis

cove

r gift

s an

d/or

peo

ple

with

nec

essa

ry g

ifts:

•

Criti

cal m

ass i

n th

e co

mm

unity

who

wan

t thi

s out

com

e (2

0% o

f act

ive

aver

age

Sund

ay a

ttend

ance

).•

Ask

thre

e m

ore

peop

le to

hos

t com

mun

ity g

athe

ring

in th

eir n

eigh

borh

oods

.

Pitf

alls

or U

ntes

ted

Ass

umpt

ions

: •

That

peo

ple

are

look

ing

for a

chu

rch

and

that

they

will

kno

w h

ow to

fi nd

us—

that

we

can

sim

ply

wel

com

e th

em w

hen

they

show

up

(esp

ecia

lly if

they

look

and

act

like

us)

. •

That

peo

ple

com

e to

us a

lread

y C

hris

tian,

and

that

we

can

just

mak

e th

em c

hurc

h m

em-

bers

. •

That

eve

ryon

e m

ust l

earn

our

cha

rmin

g an

d an

tiqua

ted

cust

oms a

nd la

ngua

ge, r

athe

r th

an c

laim

ing

mor

e de

eply

the

vern

acul

ar p

rinci

ple

that

lies

dee

p in

our

Ref

orm

atio

n he

ritag

e of

tran

slat

ing

the

chur

ch’s

life

into

the

lang

uage

of t

he p

eopl

e, e

ven

as la

ngua

ge

and

cultu

re c

hang

e.

• O

ur h

isto

rical

app

roac

hes t

o m

issi

on te

nd to

ass

ume

a pl

ace

of p

rivile

ge, w

here

we

dis-

pens

e re

sour

ces o

r pow

er fr

om th

e ce

nter

, as b

enef

acto

rs.

G I F T S

A C T I O N S

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n

Y/N

?

Y/N

?

Core

Val

ues

or

Esse

ntia

l Bel

iefs

Vul

nera

bilit

yR

elat

ions

hip

Hop

eR

econ

cilia

tion

Sam

ple

90-d

ay M

icro

-Str

ateg

y M

ap u

sing

pri

ncip

les

from

Dw

ight

Z.

yes

no

List

eve

ry g

ift a

nd s

tren

gth

you

have

:(�

e p

artic

ular

gi�

s and

reso

urce

s with

whi

ch G

od

has e

quip

ped

you

and

your

com

mun

ity to

ful�

ll G

od’s

calli

ng fo

r you

and

you

r com

mun

ity):

Iden

tify

the

asse

ts y

ou c

urre

ntly

pos

sess

that

wou

ld

help

you

ach

ieve

you

r des

ired

outc

ome.

For

exa

mpl

e,an

ass

et c

an b

e an

y of

the

follo

win

g:• N

etw

orks

of r

elat

ions

hips

: pro

fess

iona

l, pe

rson

al, f

amili

al• E

duca

tion

/ cer

tifi c

atio

ns• A

vaila

ble

sour

ces o

f edu

catio

n• A

pplie

d kn

owle

dge

or sk

ills

• Life

and

wor

k ex

peri

ence

s• A

vaila

ble

budg

et• A

vaila

ble

sour

ces o

f fun

ding

• Ava

ilabl

e eq

uipm

ent

• D

iscer

nmen

t and

oth

er A

war

enes

s Pra

ctic

es

List

eve

ryth

ing

you

will

do:

(Our

Apo

stolic

act

ions

; fro

m “A

postl

e,” w

hich

m

eans

, “O

ne w

ho is

sent

”):

Wha

t act

ions

, str

ateg

ies o

r beh

avio

rs d

o yo

u ne

ed

to c

arry

out

to a

chie

ve G

od’s

desir

ed o

utco

me?

List

sp

ecifi

c way

s you

are

bei

ng se

nt. Th

e sp

ecifi

c way

s yo

u ar

e be

ing

calle

d ou

t int

o th

e w

orld

to fu

lfi ll

God

’s m

issio

n an

d pu

rpos

e.A

ctio

ns c

an b

e an

y of

the

follo

win

g:• A

ctio

ns to

acq

uire

miss

ing

asse

ts

• Act

ions

to a

chie

ve th

e ou

tcom

e• S

ub S

trat

egie

s you

nee

d to

crea

te in

ord

er to

ac

quire

miss

ing

asse

ts• N

ew li

fe h

abits

you

nee

d to

acq

uire

• D

iscer

nmen

t and

oth

er A

war

enes

s Pra

ctic

es

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n:A

stat

emen

t tha

t exp

ress

es G

od’s

deep

est y

earn

ing;

God

’s hi

ghes

t asp

iratio

ns fo

r us

as a

com

mun

ity. Th

at w

hich

we

are

aim

ing

for.

Th e

one

esse

ntia

l thi

ng (M

arth

a an

d M

ary)

. A

pro

noun

cem

ent o

f a fu

ture

stat

e th

at w

ill h

appe

n th

roug

h a

com

mun

ity’s

com

mitt

ed a

ctio

ns.

Out

com

e/M

issi

on: (

Wha

t God

wan

ts fr

om u

s; w

hat G

od is

up

to in

the

wor

ld)

Th in

k ab

out w

here

you

are

you

now

and

whe

re y

ou w

ant t

o be

in a

cert

ain

time

fram

e.

Wha

t is t

he o

utco

me

you

wou

ld li

ke to

ach

ieve

? Mak

e su

re th

e ou

tcom

e is

S.M

.A.R

.T.:

• Spe

cifi c

: You

nee

d a

clea

r and

spec

ifi c g

oal.

Som

ethi

ng y

ou c

an u

se a

s a m

issio

n st

atem

ent

• Mea

sura

ble:

How

will

you

kno

w y

ou’v

e re

ache

d yo

ur g

oal?

You

need

som

ethi

ng m

easu

rabl

e.• A

ttain

able

: Can

you

ach

ieve

this

outc

ome

with

in y

our t

ime

fram

e?• R

elev

ant:

Is th

is ou

tcom

e im

port

ant t

o yo

u; to

God

? • T

ime-

boun

d: N

eed

a sp

ecifi

c tim

e fr

ame

to re

ach

your

out

com

e.

Find

/dis

cove

r gift

s an

d/or

peo

ple

with

nec

essa

ry g

ifts:

Id

entif

y an

y gi

� s o

r str

engt

hs y

ou n

eed

in o

rder

to a

chie

ve th

e des

ired

outc

ome.

Th es

e w

ill b

ecom

e ou

tcom

es fo

r sub

-str

ateg

ies.

Pitf

alls

or U

ntes

ted

Ass

umpt

ions

: �

is is

the p

lace

to id

entif

y an

y ex

istin

g ha

bits

or b

elief

s tha

t are

pre

vent

ing

you

from

ach

ievi

ng th

e des

ired

outc

ome.

G I F T S

A C T I O N S

Y/N

?

Y/N

?

Mis

sion

al V

isio

nLi

st C

ore

Valu

es

or E

ssen

tial B

elie

fs

Wha

t we

stan

d fo

r. W

ithou

t W

hat w

e st

and

for.

With

out

whi

ch li

fe w

ould

not

be

wor

th

whi

ch li

fe w

ould

not

be

wor

th

livin

g. C

ore

valu

es w

ill a

lway

s liv

ing.

Cor

e va

lues

will

alw

ays

have

a u

nive

rsal

ben

efi t.

have

a u

nive

rsal

ben

efi t.

Ask

: “D

o w

e hav

e and

reco

gniz

e al

l of t

he g

i� s a

nd re

sour

ces

we n

eed

to a

ccom

plish

the

outc

ome?

” If “

yes,”

go

on to

A

ctio

ns; “

no,”

iden

tify

wha

t’s

miss

ing

and

build

sub-

stra

tegi

es

for e

ach

asse

t you

wan

t to

acqu

ire. W

hen

the a

nsw

er is

“y

es,”

proc

eed

to A

ctio

ns.

Due

Dat

e: _

___/

____

_/__

__

90-d

ay M

icro

-Str

ateg

y Te

mpl

ate

wit

h In

stru

ctio

ns

copy

right

©20

12 C

ultu

reSy

nc a

nd R

obbi

n W

hitti

ngto

n

yes

no

copy

right

©20

12 C

ultu

reSy

nc a

nd R

obbi

n W

hitti

ngto

n

Due

Dat

e: _

___/

____

_/__

__

90-d

ay M

icro

-Str

ateg

y Te

mpl

ate

List

eve

ry g

ift a

nd s

tren

gth

you

have

:

List

eve

ryth

ing

you

will

do:

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n:

Out

com

e/M

issi

on

Find

/dis

cove

r gift

s an

d/or

peo

ple

with

nec

essa

ry g

ifts:

Pi

tfal

ls o

r Unt

este

d A

ssum

ptio

ns:

G I F T S

A C T I O N S

Mis

sion

al V

isio

n

Y/N

?

Y/N

?

List

Cor

e Va

lues

or

Ess

entia

l Bel

iefs

Facilitators Guide for Ministry & Mission Conference • May 5, 2012

Content contributed by Dwight Zscheile, Dave Logan, Robbin Whittington, and others 17

Quotes: from People of the Way

“There are countless Episcopalians who have enormous gifts to offer the church as it participates in God’s mission. Too often, those gifts remain undiscovered and under-utilized. Helping people to hear God’s call, discern how God has shaped them for ministry, and share in the church’s life and leadership is critical.”

“Opening up space to innovate and adapt, to call forth the gifts among all of God’s people, creates the possibility of a more vibrant and faithful future.”

“Rather than assuming we have everything figured out and under control (the establishment attitude), we must embrace the identity of learners, even when learning entails failure.”

“Rather than trusting in our political, economic, or cultural power to secure our best ideas about the neighbor’s future, we are invited to join up with God’s ongoing movement in the neighborhood, trusting that the Spirit is at

work in the life of our neighbors, that we meet God there, and that by going with empty hands as learners we will experience God’s peace. We must go as Christ came to us—as guests, in a posture of humility and dependence.”

“We live in the between-times, and we will always fall short. Yet that doesn’t disqualify us from the Spirit doing powerful work in and through us. Recall that it is the impetuous Peter, who betrayed Christ three times, who is named “the rock” upon which Christ builds his church.”

“The Spirit creates a “force field” of love that reconciles people into new forms of community. Differences that had previously been the cause of enmity now become the basis of a rich diversity.”

“In a society of many false promises and insecure futures, we affirm God’s promised future—the restoration of all that God has made.”

• God’s Mission Has a Church• God is a missionary God

• Our identity lies in our participation in God’s missional life

• “It is not the church of God that has a mission in the world, but the God of mission that has a church in the world.”

—Tim Dearborn

A missional church has a clear sense that God has a preferred future for that local church. And that that local church has a different place and calling (missional vocation) within the life of that community and within God’s mission in that community than any other local church in that community. God is that particular and that concrete about God’s missional vocation and God’s preferred future for that congregation. When a congregation has that sense that there is a preferred future, and it’s peculiar to them, they really have a very different relationship to themselves, they have a very different sense of themselves, and of course they have a very different relationship with their local community. —Patrick Keifert

Missional church: A church whose identity lies in participating in the triune God’s reconciling mission in the world. —Dwight Zscheile