Ripe for Harvest

S ESSION 5: B RINGING I T A LL T OGETHER • 445

3. Your innovation is demanded : you must adapt or lose (or die!), Gal. 5.1.

I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. ~ Elie Wiesel

Your question: How does our church plant team identify and make provision for the opposition you will face ahead?

II. The Certainty of Change : Nothing in Your Ministry Theater Will Remain Stable or Constant.

No matter how much we pray and prepare, we will never be able to know all the changes, obstacles, and challenges ahead. Therefore, we ought to always take our next steps boldly, and yet be ready for the contingencies we’ll face in the future.

A. Defuse drama by anticipating and accepting it.

1. Don’t fall apart in the midst of difficulty, innovate!, Eph. 3.20-21.

2. Welcome trial as an opportunity to re-calibrate your situation: nothing is too hard for the Lord, Jer. 32.17.

3. Don’t marvel when you face trials; remember, all your fellow workers are facing the same difficulties and challenges, too, 1 Pet. 5.9.

Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things. ~ Steve Jobs

Context Values/Vision

Prepare Launch Assemble Nurture Transition Schedule/Charter