INTEGRATE STRATEGY: Two combined influences create synergy
Align leaders and parents to lead with the same end in mind

Have you ever thought about those orange traffic cones? You know, the things used in your parking lot to help direct traffic and show people where to go. It’s really amazing how a few pounds of orange thermoplastic and rubber can control the direction of a two-ton car. Hundreds of automobiles are guided every day by the strategic placement of those orange cones.

It’s kind of like your leadership. If you’re a church leader, you have been put in a position to lead families in a specific direction, and it’s probably a good idea to spend some time figuring out where you want to lead them. Whether you like it or not, a few misplaced parking cones can confuse a lot of people and lead to some nasty wrecks. You need to make sure that everyone who leads with you is leading in the same direction.

Nothing can cause havoc like multiple parking cones scattered across the pavement by independent leaders pointing people in different directions. Frequent communication between all those in charge is essential to avoid potential collisions. If we are going to be effective at creating synergy, we have to sometimes think like the guys who wear orange and know how to handle those orange traffic cones. They have embraced a couple of basic principles:

- Traffic cones exist primarily to show people where they should go.
– Traffic cones were designed to work together to have greater influence.

It’s the idea of integrated strategy.

What does that look and feel like at Horizon Community Church?  It means that the Children Ministry and Student Ministry meet together at least every other week.  It means that we have a scope and sequence that doesn't just think of one ministry but encompasses preschool through high school.  It looks like multiple ministries working off of the same calendar to make sure we don't over extend the families of our church.  It means that we think about a kid's journey if they track with us from birth but also look at students who might not come into our ministries until high school.  We try our best to work together.  Basically we think about each other and about the family as a whole. 

I'm amazed that not all churches do this but they don't.  It makes things easier.  It makes things easier to communicate.  It makes it easier for families.  

Does your staff do this?  Do you have a strategy? 

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