Rethink, Stretch & DREAM…

How can I promote our CR so that more people will know and hear about this amazing ministry? 

As Assimilation Coaches this is the big question isn’t it? While there are many ways to do this, I want to challenge you as an A coach to examine your ability to rethink, dream, stretch as a team. How often does your team dream? When is the last time you and your team just got away and dreamed big about the future of your CR? Maybe you have gotten stuck in your existing way of thinking, promoting and communicating this great ministry. Maybe it is time to rethink how you get the word out.

Take a look at this great scripture:

“God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.”  Ephesians 3:20

 Here are a few things we can do to help get us out of the rut we may be in as leaders and/or a ministry:

1. Get your team to  “Think outside the box”.

Why are you doing things the way you always have in promoting your ministry? One of the greatest challenges we can face as leaders is to fall into the general lingo of “that’s the way we have always done it.”Sometimes it is good to change things up.  It may be taking existing literature and giving it a fresh look.  Maybe a different colored sheet the info is on.

We had one of our leaders give a great idea of sharing literature with dentist offices.

“What?! We have never done that before! That isn’t a recovery house or a treatment center.”

Maybe a grocery store bulletin board. What if we got some on air time at a local radio station “non Christian” “What?! You can’t do that.” 

Again, “why”? Don’t let the “that is the way we have always done it before.” mentality get in the way of living out God’s dreams for you in your life. Maybe you start thinking about how you can take literature to places you never dreamed of sharing info with. Think outside the box and watch your team blossom.  

     2. Try having a brainstorming planning meeting with you and your whole team away from the church. Some of the greatest ideas have come out of those relaxed times over lunch at a cabin or park together with your team. The point is, get them brain storming. Remember, nothing is off limits.  Make sure your brainstorming time is set up with safe results. Meaning, nothing is a bad idea.  Even if it sounds crazy, get it out on paper cause it may either be a long term goal or may spur other great ideas. 

Many great ideas have come from several ideas that didn’t work? Many more than those that did work.

       3. Take a look at each ministry/team: Does your T.E.A.M. have an environment with the freedom to fail? If everyone is stifled with a fear of failure, no good ideas will come from your TEAM. Is it a group effort on everything going on or are there only a handful of people making all the decisions? Make sure all your teammates know they have a voice and that you desire to hear the good and the bad that is seen. Important to note howver that each team member must have a solution as a possibilkity when making an observation of a flaw inthe ministry.

    4. Be flexible and change: As TEAM members it is so important that we do several things:

             a.  Identify the strengths as a TEAM. Waht are we doing right as a minsitry? What are our    strengths? Let's celebrate those and give God teh glory for choosing to use us in that.

             b.   What is an area we need to improve in? What are our weaknesses? Don't look at this as a negative. This is a part of our growth in any ministry whether you ahve jsut started or have been going for 10 years. Pointing out weaknesses has great wisdom and helps us as a ministry not become complacent. We do this as aa team here at least once a year at aretreat. It helps us see where we need to go from here.           

            c. From the weaknesses we identified together as a TEAM, what will the challengesand opportunities, or goals will be moving forward. There is nothing wrong with having weaknesses, it is wrong however to recognize weaknesses and yet bury our head in the sand not correcting those weaknesses. It is important to be specific and even set names to who will do what tasks. Remember, not every idea will work but we don't know unless we try it.

Happy rethinking, dreaming and stretching.

Rodney Holmstrom, CR National Assimilation Coach