A few days have passed since I landed here 11 days ago.  Here’s the big point of the day: If you have a place you want to get to, getting everyone talking about it is not enough.  Everyone talking is not a step in the right direction until they’re using a language that means the same thing to everyone in the room and on the journey.  It’s an endless process. 

Want to end up in the preferred future?  Got to have the same place in mind.  Want to end up in a very particular "there?"  Everyone has to understand the actual destination and embrace the path that leads to that "there."  This is very similar to the recognition that all paths do not lead to heaven.  They don’t.  Same way that all paths don’t lead to "there."  They don’t.  Getting to there involves vigilant, diligent and tactful but firm course correction.

• Vigilant: Watch out for subtle compromise on the destination.  You’ll probably know it when you hear it.  Waiting to talk later or down the road is never a good idea.
• Diligent: This is a moment-by-moment commitment.  You cannot take your eye off of this ball, even for a moment.
• Tactful: There’s no reason to play down the truth, but you can be insistent and still kind and gentle.
• Firm: Clarifying the subtle difference requires a firm and steady hand.  The temptation will be to first look away and then downplay it even when hearing deviation.  That is never the solution.  Clarify.  Restate.  Insist on the destination.  You don’t have to be mean.  You can be gentle and still firm.

Day #2 is in the bag.  A good day…hammered out the fall timeline.  There are some really big keys to a launch.  You’ve got to understand that every slight deviation from the plan doesn’t change the trajectory incrementally.  No…you’ve got to see that every slight deviation changes the trajectory geometrically. 

Here’s what I mean.  Let’s say you’ve planned the launch to begin on a certain date, giving you time to recruit Hosts, get them to an orientation, help them fill their group, and then challenge everyone to join a group.  I know there’s a lot in that sentence, but follow me.  If you move the launch date a week earlier, you need to understand what that will mean about a lot of related pieces.  It may be no problem.  On the other hand, you cannot afford to minimize the difference it will make.  Be honest about it.

Now let’s say on top of moving the launch date one week earlier you’re also going to need to shorten the recruiting series by a week to accommodate Labor Day.  You must understand that two slight deviations can move you dramatically off the trajectory.  It’s not like moving the steering wheel one degree and then one more degree.  It’s more like moving it one and then 6 additional degrees, because of the "geometric" compounding of factors.

Key takeaway?  Don’t minimize the impact of additional deviations from the plan.  Doesn’t mean you won’t run into times when it deviation is inescapable.  Just means all the parties need to acknowledge that each instance of deviation moves the trajectory geometrically.   

I began a new phase in my ministry run yesterday.  I’ll still be consulting and coaching churches around the country, but I’ve joined the team at Adventure Christian Church to help take their small group ministry to a new level.  At this point they have weekend attendance of around 3500 and only about 30 groups. 

Had my first day in the office on Tuesday.  Here’s what I did to begin:

• Met with the IT Director and Communications Director to lay the groundwork for the small group finder and data that I’ll need in September.
• Made an appointment to meet with two longer term staffers who will be able to help me identify the hundred-fold team that I’ll need to sustain the groups we launch in September.
• Met with the Executive Pastor to talk about the summer and fall calendar.

Today it’s back at it again.  There’s a lot to do when you’re beginning.  Most of it is about laying foundation.  Some of it is about planning the first steps in light of what the next leg in the journey will be.  Much like an Indy driver, you’ve got to come out of the first curve set up to maximize the next turn.  The biggest mistake most churches make?  They only plan for the first turn.