Guest Blog: Jerry Hurley
Ready… Fire… Aim?!
That doesn’t make any sense. You won’t hit anything, and you’ll probably shoot your eye out! Everyone knows that if you want to hit the target, you steady yourself, take careful aim, breathe out slowly, and pull the trigger. As leaders, we often think that we should use the same approach in decision-making: complete a comprehensive plan, get as much information as you can, try to uncover every potential risk that’s lurking in the shadows, double-check everything, breathe out slowly, and make the decision.
In today’s fast-paced, information-driven environment, highly effective leaders don’t have that luxury, and many understand that quick action is the key to success. Technology, the speed and availability of information to anyone with a computer, and vast communication networks all work together to give information a shorter and shorter shelf life.
In today’s environment, information should be treated as a perishable, not a commodity. At LifeChurch.tv we believe a good idea implemented today is more effective than waiting for a better idea in a week. We course correct and adjust as we go, and most of the time we end up way ahead. Yes, we fail from time to time, but that’s part of anything that is truly worthwhile.
Try it today: Ready, Fire, Aim.
What have you been waiting on that you just need to execute?
Visit 
really?
I will paraphrase:
Go make it happen!
but wait, what if…? what about…? aren’t we going to pray about this…?
what role does faith play in all of this? do you think that as leaders we put God in a box and don’t allow him to do those HUGE things He wants to do, because we are still taking aim…?
Shoot before you aim….you scare me Jerry
pray it up, play it out.
my thought process before any move.
James 2:22
As a LC.tv broadcast team member I’ll attest to this principles truth!
I certainly can appreciate that perspective, but i guess i just get concerned when so many of our decisions involve people and their well being. I just hate to make a major decision using that method if the stakes are high.
On a more personal and career level of ready, fire, and aim, how did some of you make the swtich to go from corporate to ministry? How did the decision to work at church affect your families? Was it a ready, fire, and aim decision?
So, “What have you been waiting on that you just need to execute?” I guess this decision is one of those.
In prayer at a crossroad right now - Thanks!
We have been tossing around the idea amongst our staff for over a year now about selling our small property and moving, either to another property or a temporary location so that we can grow. We have multiple services already but can only fit a certain number of seats and we are at 70% full in each. The property is not big enough to build and we don’t have to people necessary to finance that. But we feel that God has given us this property as an asset for ministry and if it is not working in its current form we must use it in another form. That is what we are going to do. We have begun the process of selling and with that money we hope to more effectively do ministry in a location that will allow more people to be reached. We don’t have everything figured out, but we know that God is telling us to do this and that He has it figured out and will reveal it to us as we go. Pretty crazy but tons of fun.
Could debate this approach with scripture…but I can’t debate the success of LCtv using this approach
As a Lifer myself—this approach does is not as reckless as it sounds. During the “ready” part, God is sought after and followed. I think it is after that when most go back and begin to question the decision or the implementation or the leading through the decision. This is not about man making a decision and then asking God to bless it—it is about man acting on a direction that God has given and us not using the spiritual excuse of seeking more detail just to delay action.
I echo Larry’s comment. I have seen this played out in my time at LCtv.
Actually I shot both my eyes out…thank God for dogs…except for I think he is missing his as well
man I need to learn that aiming philosophy
On Larry, “This is not about man making a decision and then asking God to bless it—it is about man acting on a direction that God has given and us not using the spiritual excuse of seeking more detail just to delay action” - that’s really challenging. Thanks for that.
Hey All,
This is Jerry,
I have appreciated reading all of your comments, and I certainly understand some of the skepticism. Maybe this will help. When you fire, don’t think of a bullet from a gun, think guided missile. Prayer, leadership, wisdom, and new information work as a sort of a guidance system along the way. I am not advocating recklessness, I am advocating action in the face of uncertainty.
Jerry - With all the misguided counseling, one could get mixed signals about major life decisions. I turned to this blog to gain some new insight. I have the uttermost respect for Lifechurch and their ministries. With your topic sparking a personal conflict, I thought I’d ask. Thanks for being objective and offering new perspectives.
Jerry,
I like the guided missile illustration works much better–it truly fits your concept! I think the visual of gun/bullet was hard to swallow for some who posted!
“I am advocating action in the face of uncertainty.” -Jerry
Ecclesiastes 11:4
Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant.
If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
i agree, the ready part is very important. if you’re ready, and maybe that simply means God says ‘go’, then you can handle the curves along the way.
i believe this concept is very, very scriptual - it’s called ‘faith’. be strong (ready) in your faith and this allows you to let God control the exact location of the guided missile - He’s guiding it anyway - or at least should be
great insight Matt - i loved that
[...] This can be the web camera on your laptop or even a multi-camera system at a big church. Don’t worry about having the camera setup perfect the first time, just do it and work out the bugs later. [...]
[...] This can be the web camera on your laptop or even a multi-camera system at a big church. Don’t worry about having the camera setup perfect the first time, just do it and work out the bugs later. [...]