Below are some final practical suggestions for upgrading our systems to stay aligned with the truth:

5. How do you conduct church meetings, small groups, and everything else done in the name of ministry? What is critical to your mission? Remember that the model is not your mission. All programs should be geared to accomplish your mission. And sometimes programs need upgrading to better facilitate it. Consider different ways of teaching, getting the same points across. Brainstorm ways to create greater participation. Allow everyone to weigh in on this from time to time. Have a suggestion box and use surveys to get input from your people of all ages and stages. Look at what others are doing. And remember that your context is also different than others; what might work in the city may not work in the country and vice versa.

6. Finally, an overarching set of principles to remember:

• Debate your hows based on your agreements on the whys.
• Create stop-doing lists so you can focus on doing what is best.
• Embrace simplicity rather than complexity.

Upgrade your systems to stay true to the truth. When you change something radically, those on the inside will start to believe that you really care about those on the outside. Our mission is not about us…it's about them. What we do with the unchanging Gospel is critical to our image and therefore our mission. Most of all, it's critical to our faith.