We recommend a more targeted focus on strengthening local churches.
We will assist each district/region in every way possible, to achieve its vision and five-year goals for:
• The development of local church evangelism and disciple making strategies. This may require a paradigm shift in the thinking and ministry focus of both the pastoral leadership and congregation.
• Pastoral leadership development.
• Lay leadership development.
• District/Regional and local church planting strategies.
We will find customized ways to help each district/region address common problems such as:
a) recruiting and developing spiritually passionate pastor/leaders for our churches without pastors;
b) improved preaching;
c) local church conflict management and problem solving; and
d) district/regional and local church financial resources development.
We will do everything possible to clarify and strengthen lines of communication, understanding, encouragement, and assistance between all parts of the denomination – Local Churches, Districts, Regions, and the National Resource Center.* Our goal will be to help Regional Directors/District Superintendents give a minimum of 50% of their time to local church growth strategy, leadership training, and new church planting.
We will do a thorough and ruthless review of all denominational programs and initiatives (including a survey of their effectiveness) to determine which should be continued, improved, or abandoned, and take appropriate action.
We will initiate any new programs necessary to enhance the respective visions of the districts/regions and the denomination.
* Formerly called the national office
We will have achieved our denominational five-year goal when:
• Districts/Regions are achieving their five-year goals.
• Clear lines of communication, understanding, and encouragement, along with multiple lines of assistance, are flowing unrestrictedly in a two-way manner.
• Every Regional Director/District Superintendent is giving 50% of his time to growth strategy, leadership training, and new church planting.
• Each denominational program and initiative is producing results so effectively that they are viewed by the leadership majority as absolutely necessary.
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