work ON it
One thing I have to constantly guard against is spending all my time working IN it - meaning I get so involved in what it takes to do a job or accomplish a task, that I forget to evaluate whether I’m doing the right things.
As a church staff, we face the same challenges. One of the things I appreciate about Byron’s leadership is that he understands this principle - that we need to step outside the day to day and evaluate whether what we’re doing is actually working. We just finished up a few days of staff planning that allowed us to work ON the ministry of C3 Church, and it was invaluable. Hopefully you’ll see the results in the coming months.
However, I began to think about this principle in my personal life, specifically my family. I came to the conclusion that I spend very little time working ON my family. We can quickly become overwhelmed by the schedule, meals, baths, school programs, that we forget to evaluate if what we’re doing is effectively raising our children. Amanda and I have decided to set aside some time to work ON our family. Are you working IN it, or ON it?
For some more insight, check out North Point Ministries discussion on Working On It.
April 23, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Sounds like you’re dealing with the difference between jumping into Missions as opposed to first determining your Purpose, and Values, then clarifying your Vision before deciding the appropriate Missions that are in alignment with your Purpose Vision and Values.
Purpose - answers the question: Why do I (or this organization) exist?
It’s unique for every person/organization - just like DNA. (So, for example, as a Christian your purpose isn’t “I exist to Glorify God” but rather “To the Glory of God, I exist to serve by ______ing _____.” You just need to figure out what your unique “DNA” is in order to fill in the blanks.) There’s only one Purpose for each person/organization, and that Purpose never changes.
Values - answer the question: What’s really important (to me/the organization)? (Others talk of these as “I-Beam” things - things that you’d be willing to risk your life for, like being willing to cross an I-Beam that’s precariously stretched between two skyscrapers in order to save your child whose life is being threatened.)
Vision(s) - answers the question: Where am I going? (You can have more than one Vision, and Visions change - particularly when one is realized.)
Mission(s) - answers the question: How am I going to get to the realization of my Vision? (You can also have more than one Mission, and Missions also change.)
To clarify those concepts, I’d highly recommend two easy-reading books: The On-Purpose Person, and The On-Purpose Business. Both are by Kevin McCarthy. They’re written as parables, and help clarify what it means to be On-Purpose (living in alignment between one’s Purpose, Vision, Mission, and Values.)