From Vision to Reality
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)
Is your church ready to discover where God is already at work? The Leighton Ford Ministries’ Transforming Church: A Visioning Roadmap is built on relationships, not a one-size-fits-all consultation. We are friends on a multi-year journey based on listening, research, and coaching.
Together, we will develop a custom roadmap to guide your church into the next phase of vibrant ministry.
Maybe it was a bad decision in the past. Maybe your context has changed. Maybe your church is brand new or has never taken a serious look at your identity, focus, and direction. LFM’s goal is to guide your church through a process of transformation that results in a vision – that is enthusiastically embraced by your congregation. It starts by clarifying your True North.
True North consists of clear and distinctive core values … who you are and what matters most. True North is built on a laser sharp mission, a compelling vision, and a clear strategy.
Take a look at the results of churches who have gone through Transforming Church: A Visioning Roadmap:
“We are creating opportunities for people to serve outside of the congregation – in the community.”
“We launched 30 small groups (300 people) and that has greatly enhanced the sense of community.”
“We’ve just completed phase 2 of a $6.2 million capital campaign, based on the Visioning process.”
Take a look at the results of churches who have gone through Transforming Church: A Visioning Roadmap:
A comprehensive evaluation of your church’s context, potential, and possibilities.
Learn More“We don’t need discovery. We want to get to the solutions.”
Discovery might sound boring, but it’s actually mission-critical. Bad assumptions lead to bad solutions. Yesterday’s solutions often become today’s problems.
As part of LFM’s Transforming Church discovery process, we don’t take the information presented at face value. After all, if everyone understood the nature and causes of their challenges, they wouldn’t need outside help!
Leighton Ford Ministries looks for the real issue – what we call “the thing in the bushes.” Once we’ve discovered what’s really blocking your ministry and mission, this becomes a strategic inflection point allowing the entire ministry to move forward in one direction
• Transforming Church Insight (congregational survey)
• Onsite focus groups, interviews, and ministry observation
• Demographic study of your local community
• Review of supporting structures, budgets, org charts, governance, and programming
• Assessment of key leadership, based on the Clifton StrengthsFinder.
• Congregational Debrief (optional)
• Discovery Report
A trusted advisor for your ministry leader as they grow and flourish.
Organizational change can be difficult. Organizational change can be impossible if ministry leaders are unable to lead change.
Strategic thinking, conflict management, and leadership savvy are all key ingredients in change management and developing a thriving ministry. Yet they are also the very skills that pastors, by their own admission, often lack.
At Leighton Ford Ministries, we provide a Leadership Coach for your ministry leader with a disciplined approach to identifying and understanding an individual’s core talents and how those innate competencies affect daily decisions, career choices, learning preferences, and personal and professional relationships.
Leadership coaching typically includes monthly check-ins throughout the multi-year visioning process.
Leadership coaching is also available on an ad-hoc basis for senior pastors, ministry leaders, and missional business leaders seeking to better lead change or reach the next level.
A series of retreats where your church’s leaders begin discovering where God is already at work
Learn MoreMaybe it was a bad decision in the past. Maybe your context has changed. Maybe your church is brand new or has never taken a serious look at your identity, focus, and direction. LFM’s goal is to guide your church through a process of transformation that results in a vision – one that is enthusiastically embraced by your congregation.
It starts by clarifying your True North.
True North consists of clear and distinctive core values – who you are and what matters most. True North is built on a laser sharp mission, a compelling vision, and a clear strategy.
Support Structures Staffing, technology, buildings, facilities, and committees
Internal Culture The actions, behaviors, and practices that make your ministry thrive
Public Identity Logos and taglines, website, printed materials, and brand. Everything should clearly say “THIS IS US!
Transforming Church: A Visioning Roadmap is built on a series of customized, highly-interactive retreats for church staff and lay leadership. These weekend retreats are educational, inspiring, and fun! In fact, the process itself is part of creating alignment. Simply setting aside time to have these important conversations is a game-changing strategy.
Typically, we will conduct three retreats in the first year, helping ministries gain greater clarity about their values, mission, local context, and contextual changes. This is usually followed by an implementation phase (including annual retreats) focused on supporting ministries as they refine and implement their roadmaps.
Are you ready to explore how you can practice mentoring within your church or circle of
influence? Learn from Leighton Ford as he shares insights and practices on the spiritual
mentoring of leaders.
Watauga County, NC – Hurricane Helene Response
