400x300_Andystanley_164218213

Several weeks ago I posted on my blog the books I wanted to read this year. One of them was Think Orange by Reggie Joiner. Don’t call me a hypocrite, it’s been on my stack of books to read. So, my friend Henry Zonio is leading a group blogging project around the book Think Orange, so I figured I’d join in. I actually didn’t get in early enough to participate, but I’ll be reading along and commenting (if I can keep up). BTW, Henry’s giving away a ticket to Orange, so if you really want to go to Orange, jump over to his blog and PARTICIPATE!

I opened this book and got no further than the first paragraph of the forward by Andy Stanley. Let me quote it for you:

When we started Norht Point Community Church in 1995, many of our staff and core volunteers leaders were parents with young children. The idea of partnering with the family seemed natural. We were church leaders and we were parents. In a way, what we were attempting to build was for our own families and the futures of our own kids. Reggie Joiner took on the responsibility of creating those environments for families.

There’s something here to learn and it doesn’t have anything to do with Reggie Joiner, Orange or family ministry. North Point built one of the strongest ministries to kids and families because that was what was very relevant to the leadership core at North Point. They had skin in the game and they were doing it for their own kids as much as they were doing it for others.

When it comes to the core leadership at your church, what are they most invested in? What ministry is most relevant to where they’re at? I’d be willing to bet that whatever that thing is, it’s got the most potential to flourish in your church. I’m sure there are exceptions to the rules, but that’s just the way it is. You’re not going to have to convince your senior leadership of something that’s already important to them.