Tag Archives: ministry

A Three-Year Plan

ministry

Jesus began his formal ministry when he was 30 years old and continued that ministry to its culmination three years later in his death and resurrection. “Why only three years?” we may wonder. And we may never truly know the answer until we are with Jesus in heaven.

Suffice it to say that Jesus knew when the time was right for the events of his ministry and God’s plan of salvation to take place. There were moments when Jesus said, “My time has not yet come” (John 7:6). He also knew when it was time to move forward, as when he instructed his disciples to prepare the Last Supper with the words, “My time is at hand” (Matthew 26:18).

The Gospels detail the many healings and miracles, teachings and travels that took place in Jesus’ ministry. But they also make mention of the time Jesus took to be away by himself and pray. We all remember the account of Jesus sleeping in the boat, even during a storm. It was not always go, go, go with Jesus. He made sure to take it slow sometimes and rest. We all need that in our own ministries as his disciples.

We cannot be everything to everybody and we are not Energizer Bunnies. We are human beings, just as Jesus was, who need balance between hard work and rest. Jesus himself did not visit every town and village on earth during his ministry and he certainly did not heal every sick person alive then. So we should not expect to do it all in our ministries either.

In business, employees are often asked, “What do you see as your 5-year plan?” For some, the answer is simple: Do more of the same. For others, it is to keep growing and learning. For us as Christians, it is a little of both. We continue in his Word as we have been doing AND we grow to know Christ more. And it doesn’t matter how long that takes: three years, five years, ten years, a lifetime. God will show us when the time is right to carry out the particular plan he has in place for us. So live in God’s ministry time and be blessed.

Ministry of Presence

presence

The church is often (and rightfully so) portrayed as a body at work, doing things and laboring in love for the Lord in hands-on activities. But recently I was reminded that there is just as much value in what has come to be called the ministry of presence, the practice of just being there with someone in need, someone sick in the hospital, someone at home alone or someone recovering from loss. The greatest gift we can give someone sometimes is simply our physical presence. We don’t need to say a word, but we are there to talk if needed. We don’t need to busy ourselves with tasks, but we are available if a job happens to present itself.

I thought about something my uncle said about my aunt that her kids said in later years: “She was just always there.” It is a comfort to know that someone will be with you when you come home, when you encounter a difficulty and when you are seeking advice about something.

I also remember a couple from my parents’ church who sat in the waiting room with us while my dad was going through a complex surgery. We were not sure what the future held at that moment, but this couple remained there with us until we heard from the doctor that my dad was out of surgery and recovering. When I see this couple in church, I remember those hours they sat with us silently and also how they listened and responded to our fears and concerns. Their presence made an impact that will last in my memory as a ministry that got us through.

How can you take part in the ministry of presence in your life this week? Maybe it is asking someone, “How is it going?” and then really listening to the answer. Maybe it is watching TV with your mom while she watches her favorite show to share in that experience with her. Maybe it is sitting on the porch with your neighbor to listen to the birds and look at the trees and shoot the breeze. Perhaps there is a friend who hasn’t been out the house for awhile, so you can come to be with them where they are.

There’s no need to prepare for the time with someone. Just let it happen. Your presence alone points to the constant presence of our Immanuel, God with us, who said, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He followed the ministry of presence perfectly.

Mantras of Ministry

mantra

Christianity Today recently published a mini-magazine called “9 Time-Tested Mantras for Ministry.” They included deep and wise quotes from such famous Church pillars as Augustine of Hippo, Bernard of Clairvaux, John Chrysostom and Hildegard of Bingen. Their stirring words dealt with being humble and contrite, paying attention to divine interruptions in life, finding fullness in God before pouring out our gifts, and speaking the will of God, not our own.

I found these nuggets of insight interesting, and wondered what our mantras of ministry should be for us today. I know a church whose mantra has been: Welcome. Grow. Serve. They made it their mantra so much so that they used it frequently in worship as a single verb, as in, “How do we welcome-grow-serve in our world today?”

My own church uses the mantra: Be still. Be one. Be faithful. We are reminded of that mantra every time new members are introduced to our congregation, reiterating for us what we are to be about as members ourselves.

My parents’ church uses their mantra interestingly. At the end of every service, pastor and people together say, “We go forth from this place where we are about equipping disciples to make disciples for Jesus.” I am always taken aback a little by the fact that everyone knows the words of their church’s mantra by heart and speaks it with such conviction every time.

What are the mantras that your church uses? And what are the mantras that you can utilize in your own spiritual life to keep you centered or grounded? There’s no better place than the Bible to go mining for a mantra.

I used John 16:32 for a while: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

I know many writer friends of mine use Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I know that many people put their mantra Bible verse at the ends of their emails, which I think can be a very effective practice. It gets the word out quickly and expresses well what you are about in a few words.

Consider today what your mantra will be for your spiritual life and how you will share it and live it. Godspeed to you.

Social Media Ministry

social mediaA session I attended at Best Practices for Ministry in Phoenix this past February was called “Ministry in the Digital Space—It’s Where the People Are.” Presenter Bruce Becker described how churches can use different digital platforms to reach certain people in your congregation.

For instance, statistics show that women use Facebook more often than men because of its relational nature. Men are more active on YouTube, and teens and young adults are more highly engaged on Instagram than other groups.

What can the church learn from this? Customization is key. If you wan to get the word out about a women’s Bible study or retreat, post the information on your church’s Facebook page. If you want to start a men’s group, put up a video inviting men of your church to join on your YouTube channel. And if you want to highlight a youth event coming up, place a picture with a message about the event on Instagram with a hashtag to spread the word.

In addition, Becker noted, social media is called SOCIAL media for a reason. That means interaction between the church and parishioners on whatever platform you are using. Using social media simply as a billboard is not effective, and just putting the same content on all platforms is not beneficial.

That is why more and more churches are employing social media ministers, if you will, to develop and differentiate the content a church launches onto its various platforms and then to respond in good time (hours, not days) to questions, comments and other feedback from parishioners. It is good practice for the last comment in a thread to be from the church so no parishioner comment is “left hanging.”

It is important for churches to prioritize which platform is getting the most traction, Becker said, and then developing strategies that put more effort from staff in those areas and putting fewer resources toward those platforms that are not performing as well.

In the end, each church is unique and no one social media plan fits all. Each church needs to decide what is right for them. But one thing is clear: social media ministry is here to stay and needs to be a part of church’s overall ministry plan.

 

Online Church

online churchAt the Best Practices in Ministry conference in Phoenix I attended this past February, I went to a breakout session led by TJ Winters of Concordia Lutheran in San Antonio,TX, on How to Do Online Church. It was a fascinating session that helped me to see the value of having your church service streaming online for those who are homebound or home with a sick child or just had a baby or those who live in a different area of the country but like the services at your church.

Winters started the session by putting 1 John 5:13 on the screen:

 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

John was writing this letter from a distance, and Winters said this verse declares that we are called to be online church to those at a distance, Winters said, to let them know that they have eternal life in Christ.

There are many ways to do online church, but one way is through Facebook Live. Other avenues for streaming your worship can be found at churchonlineplatform.com, where watchers can chat and make comments in real-time and where the church can customize how they stream their services and put up sermon notes and schedules. People usually find out  about a church’s online services through the church’s regular website, through hashtags, through Facebook pages or through word of mouth.

There are a lot of technical components like lighting and cameras and sound systems that can make a difference in the quality of the streaming. Each church must decide for itself how in-depth it wants to go in this area of ministry and how much to invest in its outreach. For instance some churches only live stream the sermons while others stream the entire service, which can be more complex technically speaking.

For me, the impact of online cam down to two stories. One session participant said that her pastor said that if the only home watching the online service was a family whose child had cancer and could not attend because of the child’s fragile immune system, then it was doing its job. The other story came from Winters himself who said one Sunday a highly tattooed woman visited his church and said, “I’m from Virginia, but I have enjoyed your traditional services so much, I had to see for myself.” God is truly touching the lives of many through online church in unique, interesting and surprising ways.

 

New Models of Ministry

new modelsAs the church develops and changes in these modern times, the traditional model of a congregation has not led to new growth as it once did and many congregations in certain areas are shrinking. So new models of ministry have arisen in these once-thriving, now dwindling parishes, according to the article “Led by the Spirit” in the February 2019 Living Lutheran magazine.

One model is the anchor model. Smaller congregations have partnered with other larger congregations to work together to build ministries that accommodate members from the various locales. Some congregations in this partnership have strength in some areas that other congregations do not, and vice versa. Shared facilities and staff and Bible studies spread the work to more people so one person or space or class does not seem overloaded or underattended. This model also shows how different aspects of the Body of Christ can work together.

Another model is the adoption model. In this scenario, one church “adopts” another and they become one more fully functioning church. This model allows for members to work together in a more personal, more integrated, singular body of believers. Coming together as one builds bonds that would not exist otherwise perhaps if congregations were meeting separately. This model has has a biblical basis in that St. Paul says that we all have been adopted into the family of God (Ephesians 1:5). So this model clearly represents this concept of being forever bonded as brothers and sisters in the faith.

Yet another model getting more traction in traditional churches that are getting smaller is the redevelopment model. Churches using this model work to change the way they “do church” by reconnecting to the community around them in different ways, not relying solely on membership, but on event-based outreach to meet the specific needs of the people who are currently on their doorsteps and in the pews. This model highlights service and draws strength from the accomplishments that are made to bring hope and help and healing in small and more hands-on ways to people who are members or not.

Making the most of what God has given you in ministry is key in all these models and shows that the Church is never static, but always moving and adjusting and touching the lives of people in miraculous ways through the love and care of Jesus present in his people.

Pillows

pillowIn the middle of the growing contentious issue regarding refugees in America, I came across a moment of brightness in the conversation. I found it in the story of Pastor Paul Stumme-Diers, of Bethany Lutheran Church in Bainbridge Island, Washington, who had an idea:

“I recognized pillows as a symbol of hospitality. Who invites a guest without offering a pillow? And I found a great deal on pillows at a local retailer. What a fitting way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and the ministry of Jesus, who associated with the outsiders, Samaritans and lepers, and who himself was a refugee as an infant” (Pritchett, Rachel, “Providing Comfort,” Living Lutheran magazine, November 2017, p. 39).

The church blessed 500 pillows in their sanctuary by tossing them into the air before delivering them to Lutheran Community Services (LCS) Northwest, which provides services to refugees.

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