Publications specializing in congregational improvement with a powerful emphasis on defining and reaching particular missions symbolize a major section of spiritual literature. A major instance is Rick Warren’s bestselling work, which popularized the idea and supplied a sensible framework for implementation. This method typically includes figuring out group wants and tailoring outreach applications accordingly, with an underlying perception that readability of objective enhances congregational engagement and development.
This concentrate on intentional ministry can result in elevated member involvement, clearer communication throughout the church physique, and a better influence on the encircling group. Traditionally, this emphasis arose in response to perceived declines in church attendance and a need to reconnect with a altering world. By aligning actions with an outlined set of targets, congregations goal to turn into simpler and related in up to date society. This mannequin additionally emphasizes the significance of equipping people for service and fostering a way of shared accountability throughout the religion group.
Understanding the rules and practices behind this method to ministry is essential for exploring its influence on congregational life, group outreach, and religious improvement. This text will additional study the important thing parts of this mannequin, analyze its strengths and weaknesses, and take into account its potential for future utility in various spiritual contexts.
1. Mission-centric Strategy
Literature on constructing purpose-driven congregations emphasizes a mission-centric method as foundational to its framework. A clearly outlined mission supplies path and informs each side of congregational life, from worship providers to group outreach. Understanding this central function is important for comprehending the broader rules of purpose-driven ministry.
-
Defining a Compelling Mission
A compelling mission assertion articulates the congregation’s core objective and its meant influence on the world. Efficient mission statements are concise, actionable, and resonate with the values of the congregation. For instance, a church may outline its mission as “serving the marginalized and sharing the love of religion with the group.” This readability of objective supplies a unifying focus for all actions.
-
Aligning Actions with the Mission
Each program, ministry, and exercise ought to instantly contribute to the overarching mission. This alignment ensures that sources are used successfully and that efforts are centered on reaching the meant outcomes. A mission to serve the marginalized may result in the event of meals banks, homeless shelters, or job coaching applications. This direct connection strengthens the influence and reinforces the mission’s significance.
-
Empowering Members by way of Mission
When people perceive and embrace the mission, they turn into extra engaged and invested within the lifetime of the congregation. A transparent mission supplies alternatives for significant participation and fosters a way of shared objective. By actively contributing to the mission, members expertise a deeper connection to their religion and to the group they serve.
-
Measuring Impression and Adapting the Mission
Recurrently assessing the influence of actions associated to the mission is essential for long-term effectiveness. This analysis course of permits congregations to establish areas for enchancment, adapt to altering group wants, and make sure the mission stays related and impactful. This ongoing evaluation contributes to a dynamic and responsive method to ministry.
These interconnected components of a mission-centric method type the cornerstone of literature on purpose-driven congregations. By specializing in a clearly outlined and compelling mission, congregations can successfully mobilize their sources, interact their members, and obtain a long-lasting influence on the communities they serve. This emphasis on objective supplies a framework for sustained development and relevance in a dynamic world.
2. Neighborhood Wants Evaluation
Neighborhood wants assessments play a significant function throughout the framework outlined by literature on purpose-driven congregations. These assessments present essential info that informs mission improvement, program implementation, and general congregational technique. Understanding the connection between group wants and congregational objective is important for efficient outreach and ministry.
Conducting an intensive wants evaluation includes gathering knowledge in regards to the demographics, socioeconomic situations, and present sources throughout the group. This knowledge may be collected by way of surveys, interviews, focus teams, and collaboration with native organizations. For instance, a congregation looking for to handle meals insecurity may companion with native meals banks to know the scope of the issue and establish gaps in present providers. Equally, a church aiming to assist households may collaborate with faculties and social service companies to evaluate the precise wants of kids and fogeys within the space. This collaborative method ensures that the evaluation precisely displays the group’s realities.
The findings from a group wants evaluation instantly inform the event of applications and ministries aligned with the congregation’s mission. By understanding the precise challenges and alternatives throughout the group, congregations can tailor their efforts to maximise influence. A congregation figuring out an absence of reasonably priced childcare choices may develop a program to handle this want. Alternatively, a group battling unemployment may profit from job coaching and placement providers provided by the church. This direct hyperlink between assessed wants and program improvement ensures relevance and effectiveness.
Successfully using group wants assessments requires ongoing analysis and adaptation. Neighborhood wants evolve, and congregations should stay responsive to those adjustments. Recurrently reviewing and updating evaluation knowledge ensures that applications and ministries stay related and proceed to satisfy the group’s wants. This ongoing technique of evaluation, adaptation, and analysis is crucial for the long-term success of purpose-driven congregations. It permits them to stay related to the group and successfully fulfill their mission of service and outreach.
3. Strategic Planning
Strategic planning kinds an important hyperlink between the imaginative and prescient outlined in purpose-driven church literature and its sensible implementation inside a congregational context. It supplies a structured method to translating the overarching mission into actionable steps, allocating sources successfully, and making certain long-term sustainability. This planning course of typically includes analyzing inside strengths and weaknesses, assessing exterior alternatives and threats, and creating particular targets with measurable outcomes. A church aiming to increase its group outreach, for instance, may develop a strategic plan that features particular targets for volunteer recruitment, fundraising targets, and timelines for program implementation. This structured method ensures that efforts are centered and sources are utilized effectively.
The significance of strategic planning throughout the purpose-driven church mannequin stems from its skill to bridge the hole between aspiration and motion. With out a well-defined plan, even probably the most compelling imaginative and prescient can stay unrealized. Strategic planning supplies a roadmap for reaching particular targets, outlining key efficiency indicators, and establishing accountability mechanisms. A church looking for to reinforce its youngsters’s ministry, for example, may develop a strategic plan that features particular metrics for program participation, curriculum improvement, and trainer coaching. These measurable targets enable for ongoing analysis and changes to make sure the ministry’s effectiveness. Moreover, a well-defined strategic plan facilitates communication and collaboration throughout the church group, making certain that each one stakeholders are working in the direction of a typical objective.
Efficient strategic planning inside a purpose-driven context requires adaptability and responsiveness to altering circumstances. Common evaluation and revision of the plan are important to make sure its continued relevance and effectiveness. A church that experiences surprising development, for instance, may want to regulate its strategic plan to accommodate elevated demand for sources and amenities. Equally, a altering group panorama may necessitate a shift in outreach methods or program choices. This ongoing technique of analysis and adaptation ensures that the strategic plan stays a dynamic software for guiding the congregation in the direction of its mission. The last word goal is to realize a sustainable influence throughout the group whereas fostering a vibrant and engaged congregation.
4. Member Engagement
Literature on purpose-driven congregations emphasizes member engagement as a crucial element of a thriving and impactful church. Lively participation fosters a way of belonging, strengthens the group, and allows the congregation to successfully fulfill its mission. Understanding the assorted aspects of member engagement is essential for implementing the rules outlined in these publications.
-
Possession of the Mission
When people join with the overarching mission of the congregation, they’re extra prone to make investments their time and abilities. This sense of possession transforms passive attendees into energetic individuals. For instance, a church centered on serving the homeless may see elevated member involvement in volunteer efforts at an area shelter when the congregation clearly understands and embraces the mission. This energetic participation strengthens the church’s skill to realize its targets and fosters a deeper sense of group amongst members.
-
Alternatives for Significant Contribution
Offering various avenues for service permits people to contribute in response to their presents and passions. This may embody volunteering in youngsters’s ministry, taking part in group outreach applications, or main a small group. A church recognizing the musical abilities inside its congregation may create a choir or worship band, offering a possibility for members to make the most of their expertise whereas enriching the worship expertise for others. This method not solely strengthens the church group but additionally fosters particular person religious development.
-
Efficient Communication and Transparency
Open communication channels and clear management foster belief and encourage energetic participation. Common updates on church actions, monetary experiences, and clear explanations of decision-making processes create a way of inclusivity. For example, a church clearly speaking its price range allocation and the influence of donations on particular applications fosters belief amongst members and encourages continued monetary assist. This transparency strengthens the bond between the management and the congregation, selling a collaborative setting.
-
Fostering a Welcoming and Inclusive Setting
Creating a way of belonging is essential for partaking members and fostering a thriving group. A welcoming and inclusive ambiance encourages participation and permits people to really feel valued and accepted. A church deliberately creating alternatives for fellowship and social interplay, comparable to small teams or group occasions, fosters a stronger sense of connection amongst members. This welcoming setting may be particularly essential for newcomers, serving to them combine into the church group and discover their place throughout the bigger physique.
These interconnected aspects of member engagement contribute considerably to the general well being and effectiveness of a purpose-driven congregation. By fostering a way of possession, offering alternatives for significant contribution, sustaining open communication, and making a welcoming setting, church buildings can domesticate a vibrant and engaged group able to reaching its mission and impacting the world round it. This holistic method to member engagement strengthens the muse of the purpose-driven church and empowers it to meet its objective successfully.
5. Outreach Applications
Outreach applications symbolize a tangible expression of the rules outlined in literature centered on purpose-driven congregations. They function a bridge between the church’s mission and the wants of the encircling group, translating religion into motion and demonstrating a dedication to service. These applications range broadly relying on the precise context and the recognized wants however share a typical thread of extending the church’s affect past its partitions.
-
Assembly Sensible Wants
Many outreach applications concentrate on addressing sensible wants throughout the group, comparable to meals insecurity, homelessness, or lack of entry to healthcare. A church may set up a meals pantry, companion with native shelters to supply meals, or manage well being screenings. These initiatives show a dedication to serving the marginalized and addressing tangible wants, reflecting the core values typically espoused in purpose-driven church literature. Such applications not solely present important assist to these in want but additionally provide alternatives for church members to actively reside out their religion.
-
Constructing Bridges with the Neighborhood
Outreach applications can function a strong software for constructing bridges between the church and the broader group. By partnering with native organizations and fascinating with various populations, church buildings can break down boundaries and foster understanding. A church may collaborate with an area college to supply after-school tutoring, manage group clean-up occasions, or host interfaith dialogues. These initiatives create alternatives for interplay and collaboration, fostering a way of shared accountability for the well-being of the group and reflecting the emphasis on exterior focus present in purpose-driven church literature.
-
Sharing Religion Via Service
Whereas not all the time explicitly evangelistic, outreach applications typically present alternatives for sharing religion by way of acts of service and compassion. By demonstrating love and take care of others, church buildings can create a optimistic impression and open doorways for dialogue about religion. A church offering catastrophe reduction after a pure catastrophe, for example, may provide religious assist alongside sensible help. This method permits the church to show its values in motion, probably resulting in deeper conversations about religion and spirituality, reflecting the broader mission typically articulated in purpose-driven church literature. It is essential, nevertheless, to prioritize assembly wants over proselytizing, making certain that service stays the first focus.
-
Empowering and Equipping People
Efficient outreach applications not solely deal with rapid wants but additionally empower people to create lasting change. This may contain offering job coaching, providing academic alternatives, or supporting group improvement initiatives. A church partnering with an area group to supply monetary literacy workshops, for instance, empowers people to take management of their funds and construct a safer future. This emphasis on empowerment aligns with the concentrate on particular person development and improvement typically emphasised in purpose-driven church literature. By equipping people with the instruments and sources they should thrive, church buildings contribute to the long-term well-being of the group.
These aspects of outreach applications spotlight the sensible utility of the rules typically advocated in purpose-driven church literature. By strategically addressing group wants, constructing bridges with various populations, sharing religion by way of service, and empowering people, church buildings can successfully fulfill their mission and create a long-lasting optimistic influence on the world round them. These applications function a tangible manifestation of the church’s dedication to dwelling out its religion in related and significant methods, reinforcing the core tenets of a purpose-driven method.
6. Non secular Development
Literature emphasizing a purpose-driven method to congregational improvement incessantly highlights the essential function of particular person religious development. This emphasis stems from the understanding {that a} congregation’s collective objective is inextricably linked to the religious maturity of its members. Non secular development, on this context, isn’t merely a person pursuit however a significant element of the general well being and effectiveness of the purpose-driven church. A congregation dedicated to serving the homeless, for instance, will possible discover its efforts strengthened by members who’re actively cultivating compassion, empathy, and a deep sense of social justice inside their very own religious lives. This interconnectedness underscores the significance of nurturing religious development as a core factor of the purpose-driven mannequin. It acts as each a trigger and an impact, contributing to the general vitality and influence of the congregation.
This concentrate on religious development typically manifests in sensible functions throughout the purpose-driven church. Small group ministries, Bible research, discipleship applications, and alternatives for service all contribute to particular person religious formation. These actions present avenues for members to deepen their understanding of religion, discover their religious presents, and join with others on an analogous journey. A church providing a wide range of small teams centered on completely different religious disciplines, for instance, supplies alternatives for members to discover practices like prayer, meditation, or fasting, fostering particular person development and contributing to the general religious vitality of the congregation. Moreover, integrating religious formation into all points of church life, from worship providers to outreach applications, reinforces its significance and creates a tradition of steady religious improvement. This holistic method acknowledges that religious development isn’t confined to particular applications however an integral a part of the complete congregational expertise.
Cultivating particular person religious development inside a purpose-driven framework presents distinctive challenges. Balancing the concentrate on outward mission with the inward journey of religious formation requires intentionality and a dedication to holistic improvement. Congregations should create area for each particular person reflection and communal engagement, recognizing the symbiotic relationship between the 2. Addressing this problem requires ongoing evaluation, adaptation, and a willingness to discover modern approaches to religious formation. Efficiently navigating this delicate steadiness empowers people to deepen their religion whereas contributing to the collective objective of the congregation, finally maximizing its influence and fulfilling its mission. This integration of particular person religious development and collective objective kinds the cornerstone of a thriving and impactful purpose-driven church.
7. Management Improvement
Literature specializing in purpose-driven congregations constantly emphasizes the crucial function of management improvement. Efficient management is important for translating imaginative and prescient into actuality, empowering members, and navigating the complexities of implementing a purpose-driven mannequin. This connection stems from the understanding {that a} clear imaginative and prescient with out succesful management typically stays unrealized. A church aiming to launch a brand new group outreach program, for instance, requires leaders outfitted to arrange volunteers, handle sources, and navigate potential challenges. Moreover, robust management fosters a tradition of possession and empowers people to contribute their abilities, important components for a thriving purpose-driven congregation. This symbiotic relationship between management improvement and the profitable implementation of a purpose-driven mannequin underscores its significance inside this physique of literature. Investing in management improvement turns into not merely a useful observe however a crucial element for reaching the specified outcomes of a purpose-driven method.
The sensible significance of this understanding manifests in varied methods throughout the purpose-driven church. Mentorship applications, management coaching workshops, and alternatives for ability improvement turn into integral parts of congregational life. A church investing in coaching applications that equip leaders with expertise in battle decision, communication, and group constructing, for example, strengthens its capability to navigate inside challenges and successfully implement its mission. Furthermore, fostering a tradition of management improvement creates a pipeline of future leaders, making certain the long-term sustainability of the purpose-driven mannequin. This proactive method to management improvement creates a ripple impact, strengthening the complete congregation and empowering it to realize its targets. By equipping people with the mandatory expertise and offering alternatives for development, purpose-driven church buildings make investments not solely of their leaders but additionally in the way forward for the congregation and its skill to meet its mission.
Efficiently integrating management improvement inside a purpose-driven framework requires ongoing analysis and adaptation. Management wants evolve alongside the altering panorama of the church and the group it serves. Recurrently assessing management strengths and weaknesses, offering focused coaching, and creating alternatives for mentorship be sure that leaders stay outfitted to successfully information the congregation. Moreover, fostering a tradition of steady studying and development throughout the management group creates an setting of adaptability and innovation, important qualities for navigating the complexities of a purpose-driven method. This dedication to ongoing management improvement strengthens the muse of the purpose-driven church and empowers it to navigate challenges, seize alternatives, and finally fulfill its mission throughout the group and past.
8. Congregational Well being
Literature on purpose-driven congregations typically positions congregational well being as each an end result and a contributing issue to the effectiveness of a purpose-driven method. A wholesome congregation possesses the vitality and resilience to pursue its mission successfully, whereas the pursuit of a shared objective can, in flip, contribute to the general well being and well-being of the congregation. This interconnectedness underscores the significance of understanding congregational well being throughout the context of purpose-driven church literature. It represents a key indicator of the profitable implementation of those rules and a significant element of long-term sustainability.
-
Readability of Imaginative and prescient and Values
A shared understanding of the church’s mission, values, and targets supplies a unifying basis for congregational well being. When members are aligned of their understanding of the church’s objective, it fosters a way of collective identification and strengthens their dedication to the shared imaginative and prescient. For instance, a congregation with a clearly articulated mission to serve the native homeless inhabitants is extra prone to expertise unity and focus in its efforts. This readability of imaginative and prescient permits for efficient useful resource allocation, coordinated motion, and a shared sense of accomplishment, all contributing to a more healthy congregational setting.
-
Wholesome Relationships and Communication
Sturdy relationships and open communication channels are important for fostering a wholesome congregational setting. Belief, mutual respect, and efficient communication allow members to navigate disagreements, collaborate successfully, and assist each other in pursuing the shared mission. A church fostering a tradition of open dialogue and offering alternatives for battle decision, for instance, equips members to handle disagreements constructively and keep wholesome relationships. This, in flip, strengthens the general well being of the congregation and its skill to perform successfully as a unified physique.
-
Efficient Management and Governance
Sturdy management and sound governance constructions present important assist for congregational well being. Efficient leaders forged imaginative and prescient, empower members, and guarantee accountability, whereas clear governance processes present a framework for decision-making and useful resource administration. A church with clear monetary practices and a transparent management construction, for example, fosters belief and accountability amongst its members. This contributes to a secure and wholesome setting, enabling the congregation to focus its vitality on fulfilling its mission.
-
Adaptability and Resilience
The flexibility to adapt to altering circumstances and navigate challenges is essential for sustaining congregational well being. A resilient congregation can climate inside conflicts, exterior pressures, and shifts within the surrounding group with out dropping sight of its core objective. A church demonstrating flexibility in its programming to satisfy evolving group wants, for instance, displays resilience and a dedication to its mission. This adaptability strengthens the congregation’s long-term well being and ensures its continued relevance inside a dynamic setting.
These interconnected aspects of congregational well being underscore the dynamic relationship between the well-being of the church physique and the efficient implementation of a purpose-driven method. By fostering readability of imaginative and prescient, nurturing wholesome relationships, establishing robust management and governance, and cultivating adaptability, congregations can create an setting conducive to fulfilling their mission and maximizing their influence on the world round them. This holistic understanding of congregational well being, as introduced in purpose-driven church literature, supplies a framework for constructing thriving and resilient religion communities able to reaching their shared objective and making a long-lasting distinction.
Incessantly Requested Questions
The next addresses frequent inquiries concerning the sensible utility and theological implications of the ideas introduced in literature on purpose-driven congregations.
Query 1: Does a purpose-driven mannequin prioritize pragmatism over religious depth?
This mannequin emphasizes aligning actions with an outlined mission, however religious depth stays essential. A clearly outlined objective supplies a framework for religious practices and group engagement to flourish, not substitute them. The concentrate on objective enhances, reasonably than diminishes, the significance of religious formation.
Query 2: How does a purpose-driven method deal with theological variety inside a congregation?
Whereas theological nuances exist inside any congregation, the purpose-driven mannequin focuses on a shared mission. This shared objective can unite people with various theological views, permitting them to collaborate on frequent targets whereas respecting particular person beliefs. Open dialogue and mutual understanding are essential for navigating theological variety inside this framework.
Query 3: Can a concentrate on group wants result in a neglect of conventional church features?
Addressing group wants and fulfilling conventional church features are usually not mutually unique. Conventional practices, comparable to worship and discipleship, can assist and improve group engagement. A balanced method integrates each points, making certain that the concentrate on exterior wants strengthens, reasonably than detracts from, the core religious practices of the congregation.
Query 4: Does the purpose-driven mannequin threat turning into consumer-driven, catering to the wishes of members reasonably than serving a better calling?
The aim-driven method, when correctly applied, focuses on serving the group and fulfilling a divinely impressed mission, not catering to particular person preferences. The emphasis rests on aligning particular person presents and passions with the overarching objective of the church, making a symbiotic relationship between particular person contribution and collective service.
Query 5: How can smaller congregations with restricted sources successfully implement a purpose-driven mannequin?
A clearly outlined objective can maximize restricted sources by focusing efforts and prioritizing actions. Smaller congregations can leverage present strengths, collaborate with different organizations, and empower volunteers to realize important influence inside their communities regardless of restricted sources. Creativity and strategic partnerships are key for efficient implementation in resource-constrained environments.
Query 6: How does the purpose-driven mannequin deal with the problem of sustaining long-term engagement and avoiding mission drift?
Common evaluation, adaptation, and open communication are important for sustaining long-term engagement and stopping mission drift. Constantly evaluating the effectiveness of applications, soliciting suggestions from members and the group, and reaffirming the core mission assist keep focus and make sure the congregation stays aligned with its meant objective over time.
Understanding these frequent questions and issues supplies a deeper comprehension of the rules behind the purpose-driven mannequin and its potential for optimistic influence inside varied congregational contexts. Addressing these questions proactively can result in a extra knowledgeable and efficient implementation of the rules present in related literature.
Additional exploration of those ideas will delve into particular case research, sensible implementation methods, and potential challenges related to the purpose-driven church mannequin.
Sensible Functions for Congregations
Implementing the rules present in literature on purpose-driven congregations requires a strategic and considerate method. The next sensible suggestions provide steerage for congregations looking for to embrace a purpose-driven mannequin.
Tip 1: Outline a Clear and Compelling Mission Assertion:
A concise, actionable mission assertion serves as a guiding star for all congregational actions. It ought to articulate the core objective and meant influence, resonating with the values of the group it serves. A mission assertion centered on “empowering people to reside lives of service” supplies a transparent path for program improvement and group engagement.
Tip 2: Conduct a Thorough Neighborhood Wants Evaluation:
Understanding the precise wants of the encircling group is essential for creating related and impactful applications. Information gathered by way of surveys, interviews, and collaboration with native organizations informs strategic planning and useful resource allocation. This ensures that efforts align with precise group wants, maximizing influence and relevance.
Tip 3: Develop a Complete Strategic Plan:
A well-defined strategic plan interprets the mission assertion into actionable steps, outlining particular targets, timelines, and measurable outcomes. This plan serves as a roadmap for reaching the meant influence, making certain accountability and efficient useful resource utilization. Common evaluation and adaptation of the strategic plan are important for sustaining relevance and responsiveness to evolving circumstances.
Tip 4: Foster a Tradition of Member Engagement and Possession:
Lively member participation is essential for a thriving purpose-driven congregation. Offering various alternatives for service, fostering open communication, and making a welcoming setting empower people to contribute their abilities and spend money on the shared mission. This strengthens the group and maximizes the congregation’s capability for influence.
Tip 5: Develop Outreach Applications Aligned with the Mission:
Outreach applications function a tangible expression of the church’s objective, addressing group wants and demonstrating a dedication to service. These applications ought to instantly align with the mission assertion, making certain that efforts are centered and impactful. Common analysis and adaptation of outreach applications keep their relevance and effectiveness.
Tip 6: Prioritize Non secular Development and Formation:
Particular person religious development is important for sustaining a purpose-driven congregation. Offering alternatives for religious formation, comparable to small teams, Bible research, and discipleship applications, equips members to reside out the mission authentically and strengthens the general well being of the congregation. Integrating religious practices into all points of church life reinforces their significance and fosters a tradition of steady religious improvement.
Tip 7: Put money into Management Improvement and Empowerment:
Efficient management is essential for guiding the congregation in the direction of its mission. Offering coaching, mentorship, and alternatives for ability improvement equips leaders to successfully handle sources, empower members, and navigate challenges. Investing in management ensures the long-term well being and sustainability of the purpose-driven mannequin.
By implementing these sensible suggestions, congregations can create a thriving setting the place objective informs motion, members really feel empowered, and the group experiences a tangible influence. These steps symbolize a pathway in the direction of realizing the complete potential of a purpose-driven method to congregational life.
The next conclusion synthesizes key takeaways and affords last reflections on the importance of the purpose-driven church mannequin.
Conclusion
Literature addressing the event of purpose-driven congregations affords a complete framework for aligning congregational actions with a clearly outlined mission. This exploration has highlighted the significance of understanding group wants, creating strategic plans, fostering member engagement, implementing efficient outreach applications, prioritizing religious development, and investing in management improvement. These interconnected components contribute to the general well being and effectiveness of congregations looking for to make a long-lasting influence.
The aim-driven mannequin presents a major paradigm shift in congregational life, difficult conventional approaches and emphasizing a proactive engagement with the encircling world. Its long-term success hinges on the flexibility of congregations to adapt to evolving group wants, keep a transparent concentrate on their core mission, and empower people to contribute their distinctive presents and abilities. The way forward for the purpose-driven church rests on its capability to successfully combine religious formation with sensible motion, creating communities of religion which are each deeply rooted and outwardly centered. This ongoing journey of purpose-driven transformation affords a compelling imaginative and prescient for the function of the church within the twenty first century and past.
