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The Intuitive Leader—4
Most leaders drift toward center. Intuitive leaders are willing to follow a hunch that leads them to the bleeding edges. They often sense opportunities before they become obvious.
Instead of asking:
- “What are others doing?” they ask, “What have others not thought of yet?”
- “What might work today?” they ask, “What might work tomorrow?”
- “Do you think this will work? they ask, “Is God leading us to try this?”
To reach people no one is reaching, you’ll have to do things no one is doing. If you sense a great spiritual opportunity, take a bold step of faith and see what God does!
I’d love to hear what you believe God is showing you about the future of your ministry.
Visit 
I find myself thinking “what are we NOT doing?” I think in the next year, I’d like to see us as a church dive head on into issues that we are not familiar nor comfortable dealing with. The “Elephant” in the room type of issues like sex, pornography, homosexuality…things the typical Christian just doesn’t have answers for right away….stuff we’d rather ignore and avoid.
I’d also like to dive into the issue of hope….the more I think about it, we are absolutely NOTHING without hope. If you let your mind think about it….without hope there is nothing at all! We should give hope to a dying world where there appears to be none.
Just things that have been stirring in MY mind.
We are in a season where we considering adding another worship experience on a different night….it is uncharted territory for us, and there will be risks and challenges….I feel a conformation in that last paragraph you wrote….”be bold and see what God will do” It almost feels wrong not to move forward.
I’m glad this post made impact on my desk this morning - I pray it hits the leaders of my community too!
For a few months I’ve wanted to angrily acquaint our local leaders with the truth that their short-sighted and poorly worded billboard blight is only effective in turning people from Jesus.
Fortunately for all of us, an alternative idea came to mind - I suggested they consider proclaiming the same message attempted by the billboards, but with a permanent,large-scale landmark that ties one of our city’s most prominent and shaping features to the eternal truth of Jesus.
I’ve felt that the establishment was not likely to listen to the musings of a carpet bagger, Yankee boy. However, my idea may have just cleared its first hurdle with the support of one alpha leader. Anyway, if the proposal is successful, it came from God. A crash and burn would clear the way for the next in string of a billion ideas.
Transparency. (It doesn’t sound as profound as it feels in my corner of the world) As a rock band front girl, I am compelled to be real about life’s struggles and extend a hand of hope toward the [unsuspecting] audience. I feel called to begin praying over the crowd at the end of shows. Not a churchified prayer, but a plain-speech prayer of blessing and hope. It’s a bold move. It might be offensive. But it might be a breakthrough.
We are making a transition in our worship team concept that is unpopular and has some saying “they are leaving the church if they can’t sing up front.” I am struggling, not with people leaving, but with whether we strongly and prayerfully considered all angles. I allowed the worship pastor to move on this without adequate “yellow light” discussion. Not very intuitive unfortunately. So…in light of this Craig…does a good leader go back to the other leaders and say, “Guys, we need to reevaluate and rethink and pray some more about this?” HEEELLLPPP! :)
[...] Jump to Comments I’m loving the current blog stream that Craig Groeschel is on (Swerve), and the questions he asks are Often what consume me: ie. what is no one doing that God would [...]
I just led a small group of friends through a study of Daniel. One of the things God showed me about it though was that sometimes, even when the vision is from God and truly is the future for your people, it can come out of your mouth sounding just as threatening as a procession of horned beasts.
That sums up my problem. I don’t typically struggle with seeing God’s picture for the future of the ministry I’m in, I just can’t communicate it very well without freaking people out. BHAGGGs (Big Hairy Audacious God-Given Goals) aren’t so inspiring sometimes. Like Daniel, sometimes I just want to go lie down. :)
Craig,
I can say this that intuitiveness is not always fortunate for small ministries with even smaller budgets…We have found that we have to take something (idea, suggestion or our struggles) and allow God to manifest a foundation of connection. We step in faith but must use wisdom to spiritually seek opportunities for our ministry.
Our future went from having a building with a small number of members in person and transformed into an internet fellowship (ifellowship) because our readership and listener are five times more in cyberspace vs in a physical space. We believe God is showing us our future in ministry is going to reach the world but not as a physical stationary building…more of a M.A.S.H Unit (yes like the tv show) Ministry Assigned to Spirit Health…….which means we’ll always be on the move patching up those who have fallen and sending them back to their or a church body.
We have faith that no matter how unfortunate or unplanned things looks, the doors that open and close during the journey will bring a profound spiritual opportunity to someone…normally starting with the pastor!
Living Life Large
In getting ready to launch as a Network Church. I have found myself at times fully focused and vision driven. However, lately, God has checked me by revealing how far removed I’ve become from Him because my focus had shifted from His purpose to ministry, ministry, MINISTRY!
One thing I’ve been doing in preparation, being 19 yrs old, young and far from experienced, is visiting the surrounding college ministries, and churches, to network, and see how they are doings, to learn ultimately. But, one thing I can’t I have been doing is considering what they aren’t doing!
Great insight! I love it when God checks me!
I’m a part of a lifegroup that has the soul purpose of going to folks somewhere, or there’s no point. We are folks who have a love for music and play and sing, but have no where to do those things in a “church” context. Unless you’re a part of a wroship team selected by the church what do you do? We banded together and said, let’s take worship to folks who aren’t coming to “church”. We have found ourselves and are yet to find ourselves in places that only a few want to go. We are mixing it up with the homeless, the addicted, the hopeless, the prisoners, the elderly, the basically forgotten ones of our society. It has taken me totally out of any comfort zone I have and has also opened up the idea that the church can reach many more, if we get out of what we normally call “ministry”; the structured stuff and encourage people to ask the questions Craig proposed. What can we, the untrained, uneducated ones in the church do to reach the lost? I have no idea where this will all lead, but I know I like it and I know it’s right. Thanks for reminding us to keep going where no man has gone before!
Now this stuff really gets me excited! I love this kind of thinking! I think Father does as well!
God has enlightened my heart with a passion for evangelism. He has also done so for close fellowship and community (because I never really had this and it was extremely hard).
I am currently a student in the dorms at OU. God’s put it on my heart to have a small group (Lifegroup) available every night of the week at every hour of the night. This way there are multiple chances for people to engage in fellowship and community. Of course I can’t lead each one of them so I’ve been praying for God to raise up leaders in the current group I am leading. I really try to get everyone in my group to realize that they are catalysts to the fulfilling of this vision God has given us.
Haha one thing I’ve been thinking about lately is marketing. I see all these booths set up in busy areas for students to advertise their various groups. I had been thinking about setting one up too, but then realized that I don’t even pay attention to them! So I thought of a genius plan: I’m gonna get a cop to act like he’s arresting me in the middle of the food court. I’m gonna act like I’m resisting and get attention and then after about 30 seconds say to all the people in the food court watching, “Now that I have your attention…” and invite them to the group. I’m nervous about it, but I’m gonna do it!
Please pray for the group and the lost at OU! For a revival at OU and that above all God is glorified! Also that next time my post is shorter haha!
Taking that leap of faith requires so much risk, but when you are forced to only and fully rely on God it is entirely worth it.
Thanks for these posts on being an Intuitive leader! I did not expect something to take place within our ministry, well actually I did expect something to happen but non-the-less reading the posts help me and my wife take the right perspective with handling a situation with a person who we felt was not handling leadership and integrity the right way.
Craig, again, really appreciating these posts. Praying for the discipline to develop intuition instead of just assuming God gives or not.
I find myself asking “what can I do differently?” when I enter a ministry. However, I need to remind myself that it is not always about doing something differently, if what’s being done is currently working. We, at time, get wrapped up in trying to stand-out with the ministry for our self-worth rather than God’s worth.
I don’t believe in re-inventing the wheel if I can apply what others have done successfully to the ministry. If, all I try doesn’t work, then it is time to be innovative.
What craig said “To reach people no one is reaching, you’ll have to do things no one is doing.” is something that I think about quite often as well.
awesome post.
Something we feel a move to is introducing a Biblical worldview to “everyday” people - to take the “academic” side and help make these concepts clear for those who might not want to read a thick “textbook” on the subject.
We are considering not EVER gathering on Sunday morning. The first time I thought about it, I thought it was insane, but where we are there are cultural implications that Sunday night is the best night to engage the unchurched in our context. Sunday mornings for them have become cultural strong holds for time out in the park (which is 160 acres at the center of the neighborhood), local restaurants, and community events. We are considering using those times for missional engagement through small groups, social justice issues and service.