Leading With the End in Mind
To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.
Stephen R. Covey
Stephen R. Covey
Begin With the End in Mind
Where are we heading? This is the first question we need to ask when we're driving in a car, and this is the first question we need to ask when we're working with students.
So what is our end goal? What are the attitudes, habits, and activities of a discipled student? What do we want them to know by the time they graduate from our Student Ministry? The answers to these questions establish a sort of profile of a discipled student. The answers to these questions determine our path forward.
Our stated purpose at First Students LS is "to partner with families to build resilient disciples of the next generation." If we are going to fulfill that purpose, then from the moment a 7th grader walks through the door, we are intentionally seeking to move them closer to this profile by everything that happens during our events and programs. And when they graduate from our student ministry, they will at least be much closer to our profile, though there are many factors that come to bear on our progress. But that's a discussion for another post.
So what is our profile of a discipled student? What is our end goal? I think we can think of it in terms of Head, Heart, and Hands.
Head: We want students to know essential doctrines of our faith, and be able to interact confidently and intelligently with someone who doesn't believe. We want students to be able to study the Scriptures for themselves and communicate them to others. We want students to understand their giftedness and how they fit within the larger body of the Church.
Heart: We want students to believe that it's only through belief in the person and work of Jesus that they receive Eternal Life. We want students to believe that Jesus loves them, and to love Him back. We want students to engage in spirit-filled worship and to discover a compelling love for their neighbor. We want students to long for their unbelieving friends to come to faith.
Hands: We want students to develop habits of the disciplines of Prayer, Bible Study, Fellowship, and Meditation. We want students to have a lifestyle of Missional living, but also to have joined the church in domestic and foreign missions. We want students to find their area of service and leadership within the local body of the church.
As we move forward with these things in mind, we continually evaluate how we're doing in these areas, and adjust course if we get focused on ancillary things, or start heading in the wrong direction.
But we must begin with the end in mind.
And tell our students the truth.
So what is our end goal? What are the attitudes, habits, and activities of a discipled student? What do we want them to know by the time they graduate from our Student Ministry? The answers to these questions establish a sort of profile of a discipled student. The answers to these questions determine our path forward.
Our stated purpose at First Students LS is "to partner with families to build resilient disciples of the next generation." If we are going to fulfill that purpose, then from the moment a 7th grader walks through the door, we are intentionally seeking to move them closer to this profile by everything that happens during our events and programs. And when they graduate from our student ministry, they will at least be much closer to our profile, though there are many factors that come to bear on our progress. But that's a discussion for another post.
So what is our profile of a discipled student? What is our end goal? I think we can think of it in terms of Head, Heart, and Hands.
Head: We want students to know essential doctrines of our faith, and be able to interact confidently and intelligently with someone who doesn't believe. We want students to be able to study the Scriptures for themselves and communicate them to others. We want students to understand their giftedness and how they fit within the larger body of the Church.
Heart: We want students to believe that it's only through belief in the person and work of Jesus that they receive Eternal Life. We want students to believe that Jesus loves them, and to love Him back. We want students to engage in spirit-filled worship and to discover a compelling love for their neighbor. We want students to long for their unbelieving friends to come to faith.
Hands: We want students to develop habits of the disciplines of Prayer, Bible Study, Fellowship, and Meditation. We want students to have a lifestyle of Missional living, but also to have joined the church in domestic and foreign missions. We want students to find their area of service and leadership within the local body of the church.
As we move forward with these things in mind, we continually evaluate how we're doing in these areas, and adjust course if we get focused on ancillary things, or start heading in the wrong direction.
But we must begin with the end in mind.
And tell our students the truth.
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2 Comments
I want to see students longing to be with Jesus! Praying for them as a whole person that they would engage their head their heart and their hands in deeper discipleship and growth toward loving and leading others. Help me as I do my part, Lord! Equip me, make me ready every day.
The head, heart, and hands section is dead-on with understanding their faith, having a loving, engaged RELATIONSHIP with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit, and having habits and missional living to live out their belief and love for Christ. I also liked the part which says, "We want students to long for their unbelieving friends to come to faith". A mind and heart after Christ's will share His desire, imitate His actions, and follow His commands to love God and love others in this way. Love it.