The Rev Deacon Jessica Bickford is Co-founder of the Phoenix Community Projects
When you were a child, what was your favourite imaginary adventure? Were you a superhero who saved the world from the evil villain? Were you a fairyland creature that rode on unicorns, flew on dragons and swam with mermaids? Or, maybe you possessed magical powers that made the impossible possible?
When I was a child I remember the days of leaving my house after breakfast and embarking on daylong adventures with my friends. These memories come swarming back today when I hear my daughter in her room creating a world all her own with her favourite toys as her sidekicks.
How many times have you thought “what if”, and then just as quickly dismissed the idea as flippant, crazy or even impossible? According to the Canadian Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, people have on average 6,200 thoughts a day. Some of these thoughts are as simple as what to eat or wear, but many of them are our own personal brainstorms. Ideas can be like fireworks; you can almost see a trail of sparks and then BAM a beautiful display of light and colour where there was once a blank canvas of night sky. Like fireworks, the spark of an idea can be hard to hold onto, so how do we make an idea become reality?
One method that has worked for me in my ministry came from my first rugby coach. At the beginning of our season he presented a strategy that not only applied to the team, but also as an ideology that we could apply to our lives. This process was called Thinking BIGG an acronym for Believe, Inspire, Goals and Get It Done.
The first step in Thinking BIGG is to Believe. For many seeing is believing. How many programs have churches implemented based on the success of other churches? Although this can provide positive results, sometimes the program does not quite fit with our own congregations. And when it does, we are often not sure what to do next and end up waiting for someone else’s next success story.
In Thinking BIGG we reverse this idea and believe in what is unseen; foreseeing where you want to be and believing you will get there. When we envision new possibilities, we must remember that we are seeing things others can’t or haven’t. This does not mean that the opportunity does not exist, it just means we will have to find the language to articulate the vision we see. It is amazing how many nay-sayers there are who will negate what you are trying to accomplish. This is discouraging and is why it is so essential to continue to believe in your vision – and, more importantly, in yourself.
The second component to Thinking BIGG is Inspire. Many times, when we have an idea or a dream, we can also negate ourselves. Thoughts like, “I cannot do this”, and “who am I to try this?” can erode our aspirations. Just remember that if others have been able to fulfill their visions then so can you – but you can’t do it alone. Almost everyone who have achieved their goals have had people to support them, encourage them and aid them. As John Maxwell said, “It takes teamwork to make the dream work.” For every nay-sayer, there are others who want to be a part of what you are trying to achieve. Focus your efforts on finding these people to collaborate with.
The third component to Thinking BIGG is Goals. This is where we take the steps to implement our ideas. To do this, dreamers need those who are more practical. Jodi Picoult said, “The difference between a dream and a goal is a plan.” I have found that the best way to implement a vision is to utilize individual strengths. What are we good at can be a catalyst to bring a possibility to fruition? If we find we have a weakness, this is when we invite somebody to help fill this void and make our team stronger. Also, like in any great adventure, there are bound to be a few hurdles and mis-directions. This happens because we are venturing into uncharted territory. It may feel like you have tripped but remember the game is not over. The journey is only truly over when we give up and quit, so be gentle with yourself.
Along with those who see the possibilities, we need people to hear them. For those to whom new ideas and innovations are being presented, how do you hear them? Do you look for proof before the initiative has begun? Do you whittle away at the details? Yes, we have to be practical – especially if we are investing limited resources – but instead of chipping away at someone’s idea, we can formulate our questions to encourage their dreams, to help bring clarity and to go deeper, to lay a stronger foundation. This helps to create a culture of collaboration versus competition and defensiveness.
Finally, our last component to Thinking BIGG is GET IT DONE. From life changing dreams to even seemingly simple ones, nothing is impossible. At the end of our weekly service we say, “Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.” To allow God’s work, we must give space for creativity and imagination for that is where the Holy Spirit resides. We say we are people of faith but how eager are we to step out of the boat, to take a chance to use that faith? It is easy to stay in the vagueness of conditional verbs: the church should, the world could. The true adventure begins when we step out of the world of imagination and take the steps to make it a reality. Do you have the audacity to Think BIGG ?
www.phoenixprogram.ca
