Monday, December 10, 2007
This is church...
I went to a funeral last Friday. That in itself is not unusual. I will help conduct ten or fifteen each year. Most of them will be Southern Hills related, or family, or from where I have preached in the past. Preachers on staff at large congregations can easily double that number.
But I didn't participate in this funeral. In fact, there were no preachers conducting it. It was for a young man killed in a hit and run. His parents are active at Southern Hills and they asked five men to conduct the service. Three of them were from their Shepherding group, one was in an accountability group with the Dad, the other was one of our elders. None of them were professional preachers.
I liked it. It was real community. It was their "family" helping out in crisis. It wasn't professional or polished. It was, however, what the family of Jesus looks like. I believe our world hungers for authentic community. We preach "every member a minister". That funeral modeled it. I wonder how much difference we could make in this world if the preaching staff spent time training and equipping members for ministry. We tend to hire staff to do ministry. And it sure hasn't led to our taking the world for Jesus.
I enjoy my ministry at Herald of Truth. But I have to be honest, some of my best ministry was done when wasn't in "full-time" ministry. So what if we had a staff of trainers instead of ministers? What if we all became missionaries instead of supporting professional missionaries? Probably too radical... but what we are doing just doesn't seem too be working.
Maybe it's time for a different model.
What do you think?
But I didn't participate in this funeral. In fact, there were no preachers conducting it. It was for a young man killed in a hit and run. His parents are active at Southern Hills and they asked five men to conduct the service. Three of them were from their Shepherding group, one was in an accountability group with the Dad, the other was one of our elders. None of them were professional preachers.
I liked it. It was real community. It was their "family" helping out in crisis. It wasn't professional or polished. It was, however, what the family of Jesus looks like. I believe our world hungers for authentic community. We preach "every member a minister". That funeral modeled it. I wonder how much difference we could make in this world if the preaching staff spent time training and equipping members for ministry. We tend to hire staff to do ministry. And it sure hasn't led to our taking the world for Jesus.
I enjoy my ministry at Herald of Truth. But I have to be honest, some of my best ministry was done when wasn't in "full-time" ministry. So what if we had a staff of trainers instead of ministers? What if we all became missionaries instead of supporting professional missionaries? Probably too radical... but what we are doing just doesn't seem too be working.
Maybe it's time for a different model.
What do you think?
Comments:
<< Home
I don't know that our current model is all wrong, but I do think many of us have the wrong mindset ABOUT the model. Paid ministerial staff have done amazing things to deepen faith in my family, but I don't expect them to CREATE faith -- in me OR my children. I think too many of us just go about "doing church" without really fully surrendering our lives and hearts to Jesus. If you live every day with a heart surrendered to Jesus "living a life worthy of your calling" (Ephesians 4:1 -- my current favorite verse) you will minister, and preach, and be a missionary. And have your heart trampled, and feel like you are doing it "all wrong". And God will bring the increase.
"It wasn't professional or polished."
I actually cringed when I read these words. I certainly hope that when it comes to a funeral or helping someone in a dire situation, that neither party expects it to be conducted in a professional or polished manner. That is just a little to "institutional" for me. I want character, sympathy, honesty, earnestness, compassion, understanding and a large dose of humanity. I don't want polished and professionalism.
When we had my Mom's funeral several years ago, the family participated in conducting it. It felt natural. Only family members can really relate to the life of your close kin. Or be able to truly convey what that life meant to others on this earth.
I actually cringed when I read these words. I certainly hope that when it comes to a funeral or helping someone in a dire situation, that neither party expects it to be conducted in a professional or polished manner. That is just a little to "institutional" for me. I want character, sympathy, honesty, earnestness, compassion, understanding and a large dose of humanity. I don't want polished and professionalism.
When we had my Mom's funeral several years ago, the family participated in conducting it. It felt natural. Only family members can really relate to the life of your close kin. Or be able to truly convey what that life meant to others on this earth.
The current model does not work for me. It is not biblical. It is not personal. The church is divided up into age groups. No wonder there are so many problems.
Think about this, having elders serve as class and or small group leaders. And they have to get along with the class or small group. And they should be closely involved in discipleship. And they should be paid.
Think about having ministers actually be involved in evangelism and the public perception of the church.
Think about having the deacons actually control the money.
Nah! Those concepts couldn't possibly work!
Post a Comment
Think about this, having elders serve as class and or small group leaders. And they have to get along with the class or small group. And they should be closely involved in discipleship. And they should be paid.
Think about having ministers actually be involved in evangelism and the public perception of the church.
Think about having the deacons actually control the money.
Nah! Those concepts couldn't possibly work!
<< Home
