Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Church Growth and Ministers...
In churches of Christ we have adopted a church model built around professional ministers. I have been thinking quite a bit about whether churches, and especially Southern Hills, can really grow under this model. If so, how do we make it work better? If not, is there a better model? And if so, is it even possible to change it?
I think we need to think about what it means to be a church built around professional ministry. Ministers minister to the body of believers. We have long advocated that every member of the body of Christ is a minister, but we spend an extraordinary amount of our contribution/budget on professional ministers to serve the body of believers. We have ministers of the Word to preach to us (very important if we are going to center our congregation around the worship assembly), Connecting ministers to be sure that Christians get connected and involved (critical as Christians join from other congregations), Youth and Children ministers to provide growth opportunities for our kids (after all, we want our children to grow up faithful). Some places even have Senior ministers (mustn't forget that older saints need attention also).
If we work this model well, we will grow as a congregation. If we do this better than other churches in town, almost every Christian that moves to Abilene will place membership with us. Those frustrated at other congregations will come to be with us. But to do this model effectively, here are some things we must do.
Always keep looking for better ministers. If the youth or children ministers do not serve our kids like we want... then fire them and hire someone with better programs. If the preacher doesn't connect with everyone, get someone more exciting (or more laid back), more tech savvy (or less gimmicky), someone taller (or shorter), etc. You get the idea.
Hire more ministers to serve us. Get a worship minister so our assembly experience will be richer and meet more of our needs. How about a Young Professionals minister to reach the Christians is that demographic? Find the areas where Christians need to be ministered to and hire a pro to do it right.
Give the ministers more responsibility and authority. They are the professionals. If anyone knows how to do church this way, it should be them. Get out of their way and let them help us be better. Be sure they are on top of the latest trends.
I am convinced if we will stick with this model, and really work it right, that Southern Hills could be 3000 members in another 10 years we are just under 2000 now). Get those move-ins, be better, different, stronger, more pleasing than our neighboring congreations.
And don't forget, at our present rate of evangelism, probably 250 of these new members would actually be new Christians (well, not counting our own that we baptize). But the real growth would be meeting the needs of Christians.
Is this really how we want to grow? I don't even think most ministers like this model. Neither do most elders. Or really even most members. It doesn't look like what Jesus did. Doesn't seem much like the church we see in Acts. It seems to be about pleasing disciples, not making disciples.
I think there is a better way and I'll write about it next time. In the meantime, am I way off base? Too harsh? Too out of touch? Let me know.
I think we need to think about what it means to be a church built around professional ministry. Ministers minister to the body of believers. We have long advocated that every member of the body of Christ is a minister, but we spend an extraordinary amount of our contribution/budget on professional ministers to serve the body of believers. We have ministers of the Word to preach to us (very important if we are going to center our congregation around the worship assembly), Connecting ministers to be sure that Christians get connected and involved (critical as Christians join from other congregations), Youth and Children ministers to provide growth opportunities for our kids (after all, we want our children to grow up faithful). Some places even have Senior ministers (mustn't forget that older saints need attention also).
If we work this model well, we will grow as a congregation. If we do this better than other churches in town, almost every Christian that moves to Abilene will place membership with us. Those frustrated at other congregations will come to be with us. But to do this model effectively, here are some things we must do.
Always keep looking for better ministers. If the youth or children ministers do not serve our kids like we want... then fire them and hire someone with better programs. If the preacher doesn't connect with everyone, get someone more exciting (or more laid back), more tech savvy (or less gimmicky), someone taller (or shorter), etc. You get the idea.
Hire more ministers to serve us. Get a worship minister so our assembly experience will be richer and meet more of our needs. How about a Young Professionals minister to reach the Christians is that demographic? Find the areas where Christians need to be ministered to and hire a pro to do it right.
Give the ministers more responsibility and authority. They are the professionals. If anyone knows how to do church this way, it should be them. Get out of their way and let them help us be better. Be sure they are on top of the latest trends.
I am convinced if we will stick with this model, and really work it right, that Southern Hills could be 3000 members in another 10 years we are just under 2000 now). Get those move-ins, be better, different, stronger, more pleasing than our neighboring congreations.
And don't forget, at our present rate of evangelism, probably 250 of these new members would actually be new Christians (well, not counting our own that we baptize). But the real growth would be meeting the needs of Christians.
Is this really how we want to grow? I don't even think most ministers like this model. Neither do most elders. Or really even most members. It doesn't look like what Jesus did. Doesn't seem much like the church we see in Acts. It seems to be about pleasing disciples, not making disciples.
I think there is a better way and I'll write about it next time. In the meantime, am I way off base? Too harsh? Too out of touch? Let me know.
Comments:
<< Home
Steve,
Amazing words...I am encouraged by your thoughts. A wise friend (Nic Mount, actually) was talking on this same subject with me last summer. I paraphase him here: When we look for more and more professional ministers to come in and "do it right," all we are telling the multitudes is that they "don't have the ability to do it right." The more pressure we put on our professional ministers to perform at a certain level, the more ill-equipped the general members feel they are to share the Word. I can't answer your question, but there has got to be an answer somewhere.
Matt Harris
Amazing words...I am encouraged by your thoughts. A wise friend (Nic Mount, actually) was talking on this same subject with me last summer. I paraphase him here: When we look for more and more professional ministers to come in and "do it right," all we are telling the multitudes is that they "don't have the ability to do it right." The more pressure we put on our professional ministers to perform at a certain level, the more ill-equipped the general members feel they are to share the Word. I can't answer your question, but there has got to be an answer somewhere.
Matt Harris
Is the church focused on pleasing God, or pleasing the world to attract them? We've heard all our lives and have taught, a person who knows nothing about Christianity can read the Bible and understand what is revealed, what we need to do, and the nature of God. Is that really the case? Or, through our "educated" staff complicate the simple word of God and make it more confusing to the membership and impossible for the non-Christian. Or, who is the entertainer and the entertained at our corporate worship assemblies? Which one is God and which one is man? Jeff Nelson said to me recently after an ACU Moody Coliseum singing "it sure was good to hear strong congregational acapella singing. At Oak Hills, we're probably 80% non-church of Christ membership." What is that telling you? Questions from a simple mind. Greg Palmer
Matt, you are right about the implied message to our people when we have the "pros" do the work.
Greg, great observation. Have we made the gospel message so complicated that the typical Christian thinks they are not "smart" enough to understand, much less share, good news.
Greg, great observation. Have we made the gospel message so complicated that the typical Christian thinks they are not "smart" enough to understand, much less share, good news.
Steve,
I've been thinking the same things, but like some other choices in life there may be no middle ground. We are talking a complete plowing up of 1700 years of post-Constintinian Christianity. Have you read Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways? I was going great guns on it till the heart attack, but it is very interesting and inspiring.
Randy Hall
I've been thinking the same things, but like some other choices in life there may be no middle ground. We are talking a complete plowing up of 1700 years of post-Constintinian Christianity. Have you read Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways? I was going great guns on it till the heart attack, but it is very interesting and inspiring.
Randy Hall
Randy, you have identified exactly what I am wrestling with -- how can we get from where we are to where we might want to be. Thanks for the book recommendation. Glad you are still doing well.
Post a Comment
<< Home
