I’m gleaning, absorbing, and learning a ton right now. I absolutely love seasons like this, because it’s in times like these where I feel like God is recharging the batteries to get the creative juices flowing again. It has come from avenues such as sitting with other ministry leaders for purposeful preparation for a upcoming camp, reading, a webinar filled with wisdom from experienced individuals, reading some more, spending quiet time with Jesus, and reading some more.
Last year, we rediscovered our vision statement and refound our identity. Infuzion® aims to connect people to life in Christ rough creative events, experiences, and expressions. It’s a lovely statement filled with what we are already doing and what we going to keep doing, but just like most vision statements, it is filled with a little ambiguity. It talks about what we are going to do, but it doesn’t talk about how we are going to do it.
Frameworks are good (this is something that I am currently learning) and provide the how factor of accomplishing the vision and the identity of an organization. Frameworking works, because it provides the structure to describe what is happening within a team or an organization. Here’s our brief framework, here’s how Infuzion does it:
1. Creating Unique, Special, or Sacred Space
In breaking away from the normal rhythms of life, we can easily reach a place of being vulnerable and broken in areas that we need to grow in. By focusing on retreats and working with people in a different setting, I think that it has allowed us to be successful at getting to the core and the root of different issues. Walls crumble, stories unfold, brokenness ensues. The relationship side of Infuzion is a core value of ours to provide connection with one another and with God Almighty!
2. Inspiring People With a Specific Theme
In planning a specific theme with a partnering camp or church, we are able to stay laser focused on the task of connecting to the needs of the group. We develop themes by connecting with the respective group leaders and praying about how the weekend should look in its programming. It’s essential to stay focused and be prepared in excellence. Inspiration comes through personal conviction, passion, and preparedness. Going into an event, it’s not uncommon internally to ask the questions, “Are you prayed up? Are your prepped up? Are you powered up?”
3. Sending All Home to be People of Influence
It’s our dream to repurpose and challenge each individual with a given theme in a way that will forever change their world. The theme and the topic doesn’t end with the individual, but extends into their circle of influence. We are deliberate in our delivery of themed messages to challenge all to go back into the normal patterns and rhythms of life to be a blessing or people of influence. Holding on to the theme selfishly only promotes missed opportunity and potential later regret.
This is our framework at Infuzion and this is how our frame works! I also know that this blog entry isn’t probably the most relevant to you, but I think it is important to explain the how of what we do to accompany the what factor of our vision. Maybe a couple important questions to ask yourself are these: How is the work of God being accomplished in your life? If you don’t know what you are doing, why are you doing it?
My challenge to you is simple this: find out what you are doing and why you are doing it. Once you have this nailed down and an identity hammered out, figure out how it’s going to get done. Does this change? Absolutely! It evolves and morphs into what is relevant in our world today. The important thing is to strive to do your best and whatever it is that is inside of you to have it flow out in what you do! Pursue those dreams, go for it, because you – perhaps – were made for it and no one else is going to do it but you!
Much Love, Jay