The evangelical way

On a yahoo list yesterday someone said that the characteristic evangelical protestant model of getting things done is (and I paraphrase): 1) form a group
2) pass out assignments
3) act
4) get stuff done
5) clean up the mess afterwards.

I found this troublesome! And it is not characteristic of evangelical groups I have been involved with---at least not of the one I have chosen to remain involved with. The evangelical model from my experience goes more like this:
1) pray
2) gather as a group to discuss and pray together
3) discuss possible consequences and pray about them
4) consult with those who have wisdom and experience and ask them to pray
5) consult with those who might be affected or whose help might be needed and pray with them
6) assign tasks--including assigning some to pray for the tasks & the workers
7) act
8) get stuff done
9) praise God for His work
10) take responsibility for any mess that might result and do all you can to clean it up and humbly apologize to those affected and pray for reconciliation if needed.

Okay, now I realize what was wrong with the first model--that one little thing that is glaringly missing---ya gotta pray.
Of course if there is no prayer there is gonna be a lot of mess to clean up. With prayer there may still be a mess...we are only human after all... but there is a much better chance that people will not be hurt and resentments will give way to forgiveness, that is a much morethanfine model in my book.