Your Role in Your City…

Review your role in your city below and see what other roles in your city exist!

Master Networker

Your Role

 

OK here’s the deal, you know a lot of people. And not just the “Oh, I’ve heard of that person before,” but you’ve had coffee with them, know their kids’ names, and maybe have had them over for dinner.

You’ve likely been in your city or town for quite some time so not only do you know people, but people know you. The school principal, key business owners, local pastors, and the high school soccer coach all consider you someone they trust and enjoy. If you ask these leaders to show up somewhere, they don’t need to know the details; they’ll come because you’re there. That’s some serious trust.

The crazy thing about you Master Networkers is that being connected to so many people doesn’t drain you. In fact, you can’t imagine living another way–it feels natural.

What some might call networking, you likely just call ‘relationships.’ You understand relationships are everything so you spend much of your waking hours texting, emailing, and calling people. Sure you want their perspective on projects, but mainly to see how they’re doing and add value to their life. Your day is made when you see people you introduced in the past hanging out–without you.

Your unique role in the gospel movement in your city involves connecting the right leaders to one another. You know people’s areas of expertise and their current missions–and this is knowledge that your city desperately needs. By utilizing your awareness of who’s who and who’s doing what, you can make connections between potential collaborators whether they’re pastors, business people, executive directors, or so many others.

You carry great influence to unify leaders across sectors to think about a common mission. Your influence comes from the deep trust you’ve garnered over the years. You have the potential to connect the dots between leaders and missions so that redundancy decreases, effectiveness increase, and the relational web in your city is strengthened.

Your role is critical in gospel movements because without Master Networkers, leaders would run their organizations without thought of collaboration with others. Your behind-the-scenes relational matchmaking enables collaboration that wouldn’t be possible without you. Because of your ability to frequently connect the right leaders powerful partnerships are possible.

Reflect

 

  1. What in my life evidences I’ve earned the trust of many people in my city?
  2. How might God be inviting me to participate in my city’s gospel movement by connecting the dots between leaders across my city?

Get Started

 

Pastor of Pastors

Your Role

 

You have a heart for the pastors in your city. There’s a really good chance you were a pastor or currently are a pastor. Fundamentally, you know what it’s like. You get the demands of spiritual leadership on one’s soul and one’s family. You know what it’s like to receive a critical email and have to turn around 10 minutes later to counsel a couple in need.

You also have witnessed something beautiful…pastors becoming friends–like real friends–the type of friends who hang out with each other on vacations, eat together, and talk about things other than ministry. You believe in your heart of hearts that the citywide Church is strongest when pastors know and celebrate one another.

You likely don’t have a name for it, or a section of your job title allocated toward it, but you spend a fair bit of your time each week calling up pastors to check in and encourage them. You may even be the facilitator of your city’s pastor prayer groups, ministerial alliance or, annual pastors’ retreat.

At the end of the day, you’re a go-to, trusted friend for many pastors. They confide in you and know you have their best interest in mind. You’re main goal is to let them know they matter, they’re not alone, and that pastors are better together. Our churches are stronger because we recognize our unique role and contribution to the citywide body of Christ. And our city flourishes because, together, we can tackle stubborn issues a single congregation can’t tackle on their own. Competition subsides when celebration becomes the norm.

Your unique role in the gospel movement in your city involves continuing to befriend pastors and cast vision of the citywide Church. Are there other leaders in your city who are also bringing pastors together? Could you combine networks every once in a while so that pastors can experience being together on a larger scale?

One pattern we notice in pastors’ groups is the tendency for pastors to want to do more than ‘just meet’ together forever. Once a bedrock of prayer and friendship is established (this really is the foundation–start here!), pastors want to do things together.

This is where casting vision of the citywide Church fits in perfectly. Invite pastors into the  citywide Church vision by sharing stories of churches collaborating together around existing church programs or outreach initiatives in the city. Sometimes stories from other cities motivate leaders to dream: if such unity and transformation could be possible in one city, why can’t it happen here? For a ton of inspiring stories, go here).

To teach the biblical basis for church unity and collaboration, dogear John 17 and Ephesians 4 in your Bible; these are some of our go-to passages!

Celebrate the small wins! This is the ‘good gossip’ of the Kingdom. Most of all, don’t give up. Go with the goers. For the pastors who don’t quite get the vision of the citywide Church or who think they operate fine within the confines of their single congregation, bless them, continue inviting them, but don’t spend too much time trying to persuade them. The Holy Spirit is the one who causes light bulb moments and seasons that expands leaders vision of Church. You may be surprised to see how quickly once-hesitant pastors want to join in once they see how the citywide Church is rallying and gaining momentum.

Reflect

 

  1. What happened in my life that sparked a passion for the other pastors in my city? Who else in my city has a similar passion?
  2. What do I personally value most about regularly connecting with other pastors?
  3. Are pastors currently gathering regularly? If so, why?
  4. Are pastors collaborating together personally or through their churches? If so, what does this look like?
  5. What is one thing I could do to increase the collaborative activity among churches by 1% this year?

Get Started

 

Altruist

Your Role

 

Let’s just say first things first…we need way more people like you in the world. Like your name ‘Altruist’ communicates, you care about the good of those around you. Hospitality runs in your blood and volunteering appears to be your favorite hobby. You don’t need a job title or award or place on the podium to do good–in fact, you feel kind of allergic to those things.

You do good because you have experienced God’s love and that bubbles up motivating you to go out of your way for others. You may not be someone who draws the attention of a room, but your life speaks loudly.

You may be the first one to sign up when a volunteer opportunity is presented to tutor 3rd grade students. You don’t hesitate drive your elderly neighbor to the doctor and–on the way home–you may drop off flowers to celebrate the school principal’s work anniversary.

OK, someday it can be exhausting. I mean you’re pouring yourself out for the sake of others. But you can’t imagine living life another way. You recognize the small and big needs in those around you and take the practical and–most often–behind the scenes steps to meet the need.

You take personal concern in the needs of those around you because you recognize we all need support and don’t all start at the same starting place in life. You understand your life is a thread in a much bigger story. You contribute with joy.

Your unique role in the gospel movement in your city involves setting the example of what it looks like to not only hear about opportunities to serve, but respond with action. This role is critical because we can’t change the city alone. We are better together and everyone has an indispensable role–not just the pastors, mainstage speakers and extroverts.

Keep showing up and being the answer to people’s prayers. There are thousands of Altruists in your city who need to be told their role matters. Tons of people on your right and left need to be told they can make a big difference through serving in simple, practical, and consistent ways.

Your story matters. What seems like community service muscle memory to you is a trait from which others need to learn. Consider inviting a group of friends or family to serve alongside you when a volunteer opportunity is presented. And don’t be discouraged if others don’t ‘get’ the idea of serving right away. Often they need to show up just once to experience the powerful reality that when they give, they actually receive.

Reflect

 

  1. What in my life evidences I want to be a part of something bigger than myself?
  2. Who is someone whose service-oriented lifestyle shaped my lifestyle of service?
  3. What is an opportunity in my city that I could invite others in my life to join in with me?

Get Started

 

Community Champion

Your Role

 

You don’t work at a church and likely never have. But, you sense a unique spiritual responsibility over your domain. Whether you’re in business, government, education, the arts, or any number of various spaces, you are committed to seeing the reality of the gospel transform that sphere.

You have a deep love and empathy for your colleagues/peers. You get their struggles and understand their dreams. How’s this possible? Because you’re in it, right alongside them. Yet, you approach life’s purpose and questions from a unique angle–through the lens of Jesus Christ–and people know your life is different.

People who don’t go to church may even confide in you about spiritual questions. Some may even call you their pastor. You’ve probably found yourself offering to pray for people in or outside of work hours. You also find and activate other Christ followers who may not have recognized their work as you have–a latent opportunity for gospel personification. You invite fellow Christ followers to pray with you for your sphere and witness to colleagues/peers.

You also have an uncanny ability to rally people from your sphere. People trust you (and have fun with you!), and they’ll show up if you send the invite–even if it’s an event outside of work hours, people! This is a distinct capability even your pastor doesn’t possess.

It’s obvious you care for the people in your sphere, but you also can see what could be. You tell people there’s a greater purpose than designing shoes, grading papers, or answering emails. You invite them to explore the person and teachings of Jesus (in both nuanced and bold, creative and simple ways). And…over time, they begin to trust you. You cast this compelling vision of life through 1:1 conversation, in small groups, at events, and yes, even in emails.

Your unique role in the gospel movement in your city involves recognizing your unique call to be a gospel presence in your sphere. You are purposefully placed in this sphere with special expertise and authority to share God’s love with your co-workers, managers, clients, and vendors than any pastor could ever be.

Are there groups of Jesus followers who are already connected and meeting in your sphere? Have you checked them out? It’s critical to find other like-minded Christ followers in your sphere to stay encouraged, create collaborative potential, and support existing efforts to be a collective witness in your sphere. Don’t carry the weight for your sphere alone.

…and if there aren’t any crumbs leading to a like-minded gospel change agent, that’s your invitation to do something! You can only create more connectivity from here, right?! We’ve heard leaders say that when they found just one other gospel change agent in their context and started praying together, things started moving–you just have to keep your eyes open.

Another great idea is to ask your pastor if he/she knows of other people at your church in a similar place as you. There might be other leaders in your church community who want to see the gospel  impact life outside the church walls. You may be surprised of the like-minded people who work in a different sphere but share the aim to be gospel change agents. The true power comes when a strong network in one sphere (like business) links up with another network (like pastors’ groups) to impact an issue together (like foster care).

Reflect

 

  1. Do I view myself as a change agent for the gospel in my sphere even though I’m not a pastor or ministry leader? Why or why not?
  2. Is there one other Jesus follower in my sphere that I know and could link up with?
  3. Who do I influence that my pastor or church doesn’t? How do I want to leverage that influence for good?
  4. What is one pain that people in my sphere feel that I want to see changed? What is one thing I could do this month that could move toward this aim?

Get Started

 

Activist

Your Role

 

Let’s just say first things first…we need way more people like you in the world. Like your name ‘Altruist’ communicates, you care about the good of those around you. Hospitality runs in your blood and volunteering appears to be your favorite hobby. You don’t need a job title or award or place on the podium to do good–in fact, you feel kind of allergic to those things.

You do good because you have experienced God’s love and that bubbles up motivating you to go out of your way for others. You may not be someone who draws the attention of a room, but your life speaks loudly.

You may be the first one to sign up when a volunteer opportunity is presented to tutor 3rd grade students. You don’t hesitate drive your elderly neighbor to the doctor and–on the way home–you may drop off flowers to celebrate the school principal’s work anniversary.

OK, someday it can be exhausting. I mean you’re pouring yourself out for the sake of others. But you can’t imagine living life another way. You recognize the small and big needs in those around you and take the practical and–most often–behind the scenes steps to meet the need.

You take personal concern in the needs of those around you because you recognize we all need support and don’t all start at the same starting place in life. You understand your life is a thread in a much bigger story. You contribute with joy.

Your unique role in the gospel movement in your city involves setting the example of what it looks like to not only hear about opportunities to serve, but respond with action. This role is critical because we can’t change the city alone. We are better together and everyone has an indispensable role–not just the pastors, mainstage speakers and extroverts.

Keep showing up and being the answer to people’s prayers. There are thousands of Altruists in your city who need to be told their role matters. Tons of people on your right and left need to be told they can make a big difference through serving in simple, practical, and consistent ways.

Your story matters. What seems like community service muscle memory to you is a trait from which others need to learn. Consider inviting a group of friends or family to serve alongside you when a volunteer opportunity is presented. And don’t be discouraged if others don’t ‘get’ the idea of serving right away. Often they need to show up just once to experience the powerful reality that when they give, they actually receive.

Reflect

 

  1. What in my life evidences I want to be a part of something bigger than myself?
  2. Who is someone whose service-oriented lifestyle shaped my lifestyle of service?
  3. What is an opportunity in my city that I could invite others in my life to join in with me?

Get Started

 

Prayer Trailblazer

Your Role

 

For you, prayer is a way of life, not the precursor to your first bite of dinner. You allow prayer to direct your course instead of merely bookending your human plans.

When it comes to your city, you understand that without divine perspective, you will not see your city as God sees it. You know that without prayer you will be limited in your perspective, stunted in your faith for what is possible, and dependent on your human strength to make things happen rather expectant on God to show up and do what only He can do. Let’s just say in light of these realities, you make time to pray.

When you’re invited to a prayer meeting your first reaction is, “Yes, I’ll be there. This is needed” not, “Sounds boring” or “But what about actually doing the work?” Prayer isn’t boring to you because you believe God speaks–prayer is not a monotone monologue. You believe prayer changes seen and unseen realities–prayer works. Prayer shapes hearts to act. Prayer is communion which sustains faithful work. Prayer is the powerhouse that uproots injustice and calls heavenly realities to earth.

You have faithfully prayed for your city for years–and if you’re new to your city, you likely moved there because you sensed an undeniable, unshakeable pull there. You probably know the history of your city and see threads of God’s story throughout its history.

Whether it’s at a meeting of leaders from your city or just a simple family gathering, when you pray, people sense something different. There is a peace about you because you trust God has already been moving. You carry an authority that is hard to nail down with words. You may have text threads going with the Chief of Police, the Superintendent, or a Lead Pastor because you regularly pray for them and they seek you for spiritual counsel on issues in their sphere of influence. Leaders trust your perspective and lean on you for wisdom because they know you are not speaking solely from your authority.

Your unique role in the gospel movement in your city involves reminding leaders that getting churches to work together involves seen and unseen realities. Things don’t have to get weird. But leaders–who are usually doers–need constant reminders from people like you that it is not the work of humans to change a city; it is the work of humans to believe God and partner with Him in the transformation work He is doing.

Your role involves listening to God for His thoughts on the state of your city and the Church within it. Then take time to share the ideas and images from these times of prayer with trusted leaders in the city. It’s best to pray about these ideas in community and seek God together for more revelation and for a united heart to move forward as a team.

The history you build with God in prayer over years has woven an incredible story. As you intercede for your city, God will continue to deepen your love for your city and allow you to transfer this love to the leaders and individuals you encounter. As leaders understand the spiritual history of their city, they’ll see–sometimes for the first time–significant but often overlooked strongholds and potential in their city. You role is to help leaders value the Spirit’s interpretation of what God is doing in your city, rather than leaning on their own understanding to determine their definition of and roadmap towards city transformation.

Reflect

 

  1. What is my knee jerk reaction to a new problem? To draw up a list of to-dos or pause to ask God what He wants me to see?
  2. Who are two people I think of when I think of people who really know how to pray? What have these two individuals taught me?
  3. Who are the people of influence who reach out to me–or I reach out to them–to support them in prayer? What has cultivated this trust over time?
  4. What is a Holy Spirit-inspired idea or image about my city or community that God has shown me through prayer? Have I shared this with anyone? What could it look like to share this with another leader?

Get Started