Identifying Needs
By: Brian Hook, Vision360 City Catalyst in Dallas/Ft. Worth
Today I met with Denise Hurst. She is a neighbor. She is also friends with brainy, highly influential world changers like Bob Buford, Jim Collins, etc. Peter Drucker mentored her, and she now heads up the newly established Drucker Institute in Fort Worth. Here’s the short of it. She is really smart – specifically in the areas of identifying needs, setting goals, and developing systems. It was a great meeting, and three questions still keep resonating with me. I will throw them out to you to chew on. Your answer will be different than mine, but if you are a city leader, pastor or planter, you must answer them. These questions are crucial before you determine metrics of success for your ministry or church.
1. “What needs doing that meets the needs of your community?”
2. “What is it that could be done?”
3. “What are the economics of how we need to fund this?”
Planters, don’t miss this. I am talking more than dollars and cents. Economics include time, talents and resources of the community at large. The city church! Not just your church.
The Body of Christ has all the gifts needed to do what God has initiated for you in your community. This is what Paul means when he says in I Corinthians 12, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” I love question #2, “What is it that could be done.” Of course, God can do everything, but He blesses you and me with segments of His work that are just for us during this place and time. (Acts 17:26) The work God has for you is bigger than your church. But here is the good news. His Kingdom resources are more than adequate for the job. He will never call you to a work that He cannot resource through His Kingdom. Remember that you are “His workmanship, created n Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them.” Open your eyes to the city, Identify the needs, and watch Him work through His Body.
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Comments
Jul 9, 2008 at 02:07 PM
I was just quoting you yesterday to one of the guys in our community who God has given vision to spearhead some cool homeless outreach here in the city. He was concerned about money and resources. I told him that if he is doing what God has called him to do, and being obedient to that then God has all of the resources to provide for that venture. Good stuff.
Jul 9, 2008 at 10:04 PM
Aaron -- I hear great things about God's work through you in Vegas. Keep it up. God's economy always provides for His work.
Jul 10, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Thanks Brian. I hear very similar things about you as well! I look forward to meeting you in person someday. In the meantime we should schedule a time to chat via email or phone. I heard that you are doing some cool things throughout Dallas & Ft. Worth in terms of identifying needs, and networking org's to meet them. I am still very connected with our team in Ft. Worth, and would love to hear about what you're doing to see if the Lord might have something in store for either of our pursuits...i think a network we started called "unity in the community" might benefit from learning from you guys. Take care.
Jul 10, 2008 at 04:36 PM
I will check them out. Pray for us as we join what God is already doing in DFW as we establish new community's of faith that have the DNA you know well.
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