Question: How do you get your lay leaders to support the vision and direction of the church? They seem to be supportive but often they make negative comments or seem disinterested in moving forward.

Answer: Getting everyone on the same page with vision and direction, and keeping them there, are really two separate and distinct issues. I'm assuming by the question that everyone has agreed about the direction and now it is an issue of keeping them motivated and supportive.

Here's an idea that brings a great deal of success in the area of church vision. Begin a regular leadership training time with your lay leaders. Monthly training offers several benefits:

• Monthly training gathers your leaders all together in one place on a regular basis.

• Monthly training gives you an opportunity to offer training on a pertinent issue leaders have to deal with.

• Monthly training provides an opportunity for you to interject vision and to apply that direction in your teaching/training time.

• Monthly training offers a chance to respond to questions and even objections in an environment outside a formal committee.

• Monthly training allows the lay leaders and their pastor/leader to interact with dialogue and ideas.

• Monthly training motivates the lay leaders with revived passion for the direction in which you've chosen to go.

There are several resources available that you can use to bring relevant training to your leadership core. Rick Warren offers monthly S.A.L.T. training for his leaders and those resources may be purchased at www.pastors.com. Follow the link to leadership training.

Another great resource is The Leadership Bible that John Maxwell influenced. This NIV Bible has 52 leadership lessons. They are quite in-depth and cover three major themes: character, skills, and relationships.

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