What is the one thing your local church is uniquely called and equipped to do in your context? You may expect a variety of answers to this question, but they all boil down to four visions or unique callings:

    1) A church may be called to care for its members and buildings

    2) A church may be called to share Christ with the next generation

Bill Kemp is available to do a Reality Check 101 workshop in your church.  Reality Check is designed to help churches discover their mission and thrive through transition. If your congregation is experiencing decline and desires a turnaround, try Reality Check. If you are going through transition or finding that your sense of mission is fuzzy, try Reality Check. Bill Kemp's Reality Check is a toolbox of laity oriented material. You can tailor it to your church. And yes, it is appropriate for churches that are going through a change in pastors.

In each of the following, the validity of the rule is proved by its exceptions:

1) The group is always smarter than the lone leader or expert.

This week my new Reality Check 101 book became available. The back cover reads:

As a tightrope walker alone on her path, so each church must discern a way forward. Reality Check 101 provides a process for congregational dialogue and a dozen exercises for implementing change. Five years in the making, this workbook follows Bill Kemp’s Ezekiel’s Bones and The Church Transition Workbook as a practical guide for lay and clergy leaders.

Reality Check 101 talks about how important it is that each congregation discovers its vocation or calling from God. Discerning congregational vocation is a lot like figuring out how to play a hand of cards.  Some congregations will discern that they are called to play the hand that God has dealt them in Hearts, that is by focusing on their heart for mission.