The Benefit of Knowing Your City true  missional  solutions Prepared for: Richmond Hill Retreat Lead Pastor , Brian Hopper Bay Area Community Church Richmond Church Plant Lead Consultant: Alan Cole Phone: 571.271.9352 E-mail: [email_address] Date: November 2007

According to John Kotter there are 4 elements necessary for change: true  missional  solutions 1. A clear and compelling vision 2. A guiding coalition 3. A sense of urgency 4. Communication

There are 3 components to a unique vision. true  missional  solutions Mission = Make disciples Message = The Gospel Market = Culture

Assumptions about the church: true  missional  solutions 1. The Mission is non-negotiable 2. The Message is simple & clear 3. All 3 are necessary Gospel + Culture = Para-church Culture + Church = Liberalism Church + Gospel = Fundamentalism 4. The “market” changes

Understanding the changeable element yields a unique vision which…. true  missional  solutions … . facilitates effective ministry because it guides the development of mission essential functions. … . helps avoid fragmentation of effort. … . helps avoid duplication of effort. … . and how to reach it increases ministry fulfillment for believers. … . aids in corporate ministry planning. … . assists in ministry recruitment. … . enables us to adapt our methods as the culture changes. … . increases pastoral and leadership tenure.

The process of exegeting the culture is simple true  missional  solutions (1) Surface the assumptions people have that keep them from really seeing the culture around them. (2) Validate the assumptions through secondary research and practical exercises . (3) Gain an outsider’s perspective by unpacking the information