What is the Goal?

I've recently been going through some new resources & training material on church leadership, online/media ministry & tools for engaging both church and culture through social media. God continually describes His Church in the new testament as a body of believers - and I love that description; it's one I can really get - a diverse, divinely purposed, group of independent parts completely dependent upon one another in order to function - our primary function being to fulfill the great commission while we're here on earth with the time that's been gifted to us.

Here are some good questions being asked out there for church leaders to also assess for the overall health, unity & potential scope/influence of the Church:

1. What is the goal? What are we moving toward? If we are honest, is it to put on a "nice" service once or twice a week, with no hiccups? To appease a certain crowd/age demographic? Perhaps to not rock the boat? What about folks who aren't yet a part of our church - do our hearts earnestly beat and break for lost people?

2. If we are unconcerned at least (or hardened at worst) toward lost people (a huge red flag), what needs to change?

3. Are we asking millennials and the upcoming generations to "wait their turn" as to how we "do" church, or are we eagerly looking to them for ideas and collaboration? Is our church culture healthy when it comes to how we view, treat and minister to the generations, or are we too participating in culture wars within the church? 

4. Are we willing to be refreshed in the direction and leading of the Holy Spirit, or to potentially be replaced as God's leaders (Francis Chan, Letters to the Church)? (This last idea is not new but has stuck with me for over a year.) Refreshment or replacement requires braving outside of the comfort zone or "this is how we've always done things/this is proven to work" kind of mentalities and biases, and it also requires crazy humility.

5. Last, do we view and optimize technology as a means for reaching the lost, improving our services and our potential reach/influence, or are we hesitant, perhaps even resistant to this change? To change in general? It's okay - but if so, I wonder why? Which really brings it full-circle to question 1 - what is the goal?

If our primary goal is to reach lost people - and I believe it ought to be - we will use whatever means necessary in order to do so, knowing the methods will vary (and that it's even good the methods vary).

And of course, without compromising the Gospel.

I'd love to know what *you think, though; how has God called and equipped YOU to fulfill the great commission, in this time, in your place, and in this culture? If you are a church leader, what are some practical ways you are promoting unity within the generations in your church, and keeping a laser-like focus on the lost?