GOALS, Pt.3 [guest blogger: Rob Willis]

We are in a series of blog posts called GOALS. I have invited some of my friends, mentors, and flat out some of the MOST AMAZING LEADERS in the country to help me blog on this subject.

Our next Guest Blogger is Rob Willis (www.newpastorsjourney.blogspot.com) from The Journey Church in Rochester, NH (www.thejourneynh.com). I have simply been blown away by all that Jesus has been doing in and through this faith community. About 6 years ago I had the privilege of helping to plant this church along with Pastor Anthony Milas and the GraniteUnited.com team. We had grown the church to about a dozen before God brought Rob and Krista Willis into the church planting picture. They have now grown this amazing church to just under 300 people, and they had an amazing 430 souls on Easter 09. This is a faith community that we definitely want to learn from. Pastor Rob is a close friend of mine, like a brother really. Thanks Rob for pouring your heart into me and TheDC.tv; we are forever grateful and thanks for investing your leadership insight into this blog.

Here are Rob’s thoughts on GOALS IN MINISTRY:

WHY SHOULD WE SET GOALS IN MINISTRY?

Goals – I know the old adage…”It’s better to aim at something and miss, than to aim at nothing and hit it.” We set goals as church leaders – bottom line – because we are trying to lead people in a certain direction – a PURPOSEFUL direction. You see, leaders can’t help but look at people and organizations and think, “How can this get better?” It’s part of our DNA to move things forward, so goals become a way for us to purposefully and prayerfully move people towards what we believe is God-ordained.

But when it comes to goal setting in ministry, I personally view goal setting from a slightly different perspective. Yes, I believe we should “aim” purposely, but for me, goal-setting goes deeper – it ignites me and keeps me from lethargy. You see, as a leader, I am prone to sit in “status quo” mode – once the comfortable is found, the ideal level is set, I like to put on the cruise control and take it easy. And that’s not good, because if the law of the lid is true (the effectiveness of the church I lead is directly proportional to my leadership), then lethargic leadership is catastrophe waiting to happen.

To NOT set goals is to ultimately go backwards.

BUT when I as a leader put myself out there in front of everyone and speak of the goals we want to accomplish, I am lighting a fire under me that keeps me from apathy and laziness. It gets me focused – on the biggest level towards praying to God about what HE wants the church I lead to accomplish, and then leading this church to new levels of effectiveness and impact. Purposeful planning and goal-setting keeps me going strong, taking the pulse of my congregation, and keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus to lead the way He wants me to as the pastor.

To be continued...