Following a Vision to Go to the Other Side of the Hill – Part IV

Years ago, I was working with a client to launch a new website. The process seemed to drag on and on – my client just couldn’t seem to organize themselves to both launch, and more importantly, maintain and update the website. At the time, a friend commented to me: “I don’t see what the problem is. I could launch a website in twenty minutest.” In truth, I could too – but that would not have solved my client’s problem. Until they organized people to take advantage of processes, simply “launching” a website would do little to address their actual communications needs.

In a way, this series of articles was conceived by the events surrounding that client’s experiences. Before proceeding to the fourth and final principle, let’s recap the first three principles we’ve covered earlier.

1. The visionary leader needs to be able to see the big picture. He needs to be able to see "the other side of the hill."

2. The visionary leader must be able to explain to his followers the steps needed to get from this side of the hill to the other side of the hill.

3. The visionary leader needs to be able to help each person involved in the project see how what they do makes a difference in getting to the other side of the hill.

Having accomplished these three tasks, the fourth and final step in going to “the other side of the hill” is the following:

4. Create a vehicle that we can climb on to so we can go to "the other side of the hill."

Building A Bandwagon People Can Board to Go to the Other Side of the Hill

In John, Chapter 3, a man by the name of Nicodemus comes secretly to Christ during the night. He wants Christ to explain “the other side of the hill” which is Eternal Life. Christ explains what is needed to get to the “other side of the hill.” Somewhere along the way, Christ made an impact on Nicodemus, because he became a follower, accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, and was there at the end to help bury Jesus following the Crucifixion. While I’m no expert on the life of Nicodemus, I suspect that he went on to play an important role in helping to found the early church.

What was the vehicle Christ created to help Nicodemus “see” how to get to the “other side of the hill”? It was this concept of being “born again.”

For us, the vehicle that helps us get a web based ministry – or any other project – will not be nearly as profound as the mental image Christ created for Nicodemus, and for all Christians. It may be a ten page plan that has been laid out, describing what we need to do. It may be an article/series of articles printed in the church newsletter, or on the pastor’s BLOG site. But, whatever form it takes, it can’t simply remain in the visionary leader’s head. It needs to be committed to paper – and communicated to those who will help make it happen. It needs to be able to “breathe” to allow for feedback, and be adapted to constructive criticism along the way that makes it better. And finally, the communications vehicle needs to be disseminated to those in the congregation who will be impacted – either in small ways, or in large ways.

Proverbs 15:2 says, in part: “The Wise Man Makes Knowledge Acceptable.” Most likely, in such a case as a web communications platform, some sort of written planning document will need to be produced. Then, after following the four steps I’ve outlined in this article series, people will be able to climb on board. But whatever shape the vehicle takes, it must make the vision acceptable to those who will make it happen and to those who will be benefited by it.

Then, all that remains is to gas it up with that specific vision, and go make it happen.

P.S. Do you want to get started, but have some practical questions about things to think about regarding a church website that communicates to the people you wish to reach? Then take a moment and check out this article titled “70 + Tips For Effective Church Sites” from the fine folks at Internet Evangelism Day. I didn’t write the article – but I highly recommend it!