GHAG

It's a new year and I've thought through my "Ginormous Hairy Audacious Goals" for 2009 (borrowed and adapted from Jim Collin's phrase "Big Hairy Audacious Goals").

Some things you'll notice:

*  I gotta set goals: The old saying is true: "If you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time."  I don't know if I'm an effective leader if I don't know where I'm headed.

* I set way too many goals: I'd rather have too many goals than to have only 3, achieve them and be bored the rest of the year.  Lots of goals always gives me something to shoot for. 

* Goals always meet reality: When I set goals, it also means that I have to give up something.  I have limited time, and my life is full of tasks and things to do.  When I set up new goals, I also need to give up doing something in order to make room emotionally, spiritually and logistically in order to to accomplish them.  You'll see that list next week.

Here are mine for 2009 (hey, that rhymes!)

-baptize 15 people

-launch 6 new small groups

-mentor each small group leader by meeting with them one-on-one at least once this year

-lead our church in a community-wide "serve Columbia" campaign

-use videos during worship services

-project all of our worship services

-new church website

-podcast sermons

-develop sermon groups where people help me write and be creative about sermon topics

-develop questions based on the sermon for people to take home with them and talk about during the week

-invite my church to literally "open up their Bibles" during every message

-connect with parents at our preschool/childcare ministry by opening the front door 2x a month

-bring 8 new members to church

-develop a venue for our Junior and Senior High Youth to connect once a month using a youth-led band

-read the Bible from timelines all the way through to the maps