A Three-Step Plan for a Summer Reset – Part 3

Beyond deep rest and prayer, the third key to reset this summer is to reimagine. (If you haven’t read the previous posts, see step one Rest here, and step two Prayer here)

In light of the current distress and all the chaos, complexity and change of the last two years, we can’t go back to “normal.”

Though normal might be familiar and even comfortable, it’s not our friend going forward.

For starters, normal wasn’t rocking it. Take the Church in North America as an example. Despite some encouraging outliers, when things were normal, the Church in North America was in overall and steady decline. Do we really want to go back to more of that? How will more “normal” like that play out over the next decade? Not well.

Statistics abound on why more of what was isn’t trending in a good direction. For example, a recent study found that a majority of Canadians believe evangelical faith is more damaging to society than beneficial. Ouch! The sentiment behind that statistic isn’t helping to point people to Jesus. Doing more of what we’ve been doing will only make that statistic worsen.

The opportunity of the moment isn’t to return to the past. The pressing opportunity is to reimagine our way forward while maintaining integrity with Scripture.

Reimagination isn’t about finger pointing, blaming, defending or despairing. It starts with affirming that things need to change. The innovative history of the Church illustrates our long and illustrious heritage of reimagination.

Reimagination is also based on the character of our incredibly creative God. He calls for new wineskins. He responds to the problems of the Israelites with a new way forward. He says,

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18, 19).

Despite being in prison, Paul reimagined his ministry and saw the gospel powerfully advance. He wrote that,

“it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (Philippians 1:12-14).

To reimagine, we need to:

• hold firm to orthodoxy but reject idols;
• embrace a learner mindset;
• respond in repentance where needed;
• listen carefully to where Jesus is telling to cast our nets;
• see current constraints as possibilities;
• shift our thinking from “We can’t because…” complaining to “What if…” dreaming;
• be open to trying, failing, learning and trying again;
• embrace humility and generosity by collaborating like never before; and
• do whatever it takes to point a world in crisis to Jesus.

Is your plan for fall basically the same as every fall? We can’t do the same things and expect different outcomes.

Let me encourage you. Get rested. Get praying. Get reimagining.

May God’s grace sustain you. His creativity inspire you. His love compel you.

Cheering you on as you Lead Different by reimagining!

Dr. Steve A. Brown
President, Arrow Leadership