How To Run A Ministry

Step 2: Align the new ministry with your overall church strategy. – Our friend Shawn Lovejoy says pastors and leaders need to be mean about the vision. Being mean isn’t about a personality style, it’s about focus. And when you integrate new ministries, focus is the magic word.

If you’ve identified a true, unmet need and believe your church is called and equipped to meet it, the next step is aligning the ministry with the strategy of your overall church. You want the ministry to truly be a part of the church strategy because a ministry or program that’s tacked on will never have the desired effect.

I can’t stress this enough: you need more than passion for a good idea. Your ministry needs to fit. If you don’t align and integrate the ministry with your overall church strategy, there are some big time consequences.

1. You’ll create silos and turf wars. Tony Morgan says misaligned ministries can create ministry silos. When ministries don’t work together, the result is a silo mentality.
2. Ministries compete over dollars, volunteers and communication. If your new ministry is truly a part of your overall church strategy, it will receive proper funding and promotion. If not, the leader will feel like they are constantly fighting for attention. That spirit of competition isn’t a good thing.
3. Individual ministries will create individual systems. One ministry with one leader will function one way, and another ministry with a different leader will function another way. That usually means poor stewardship and wasted effort.

Misaligned ministries, no matter how passionate the leader may be, just won’t work. This is why we teach that every church needs a one page ministry plan. Think of it like a business plan for the church – a document that clarifies mission, vision, values and strategy.

What are the 7 steps of effective ministry?

Senior Pastor at Layton Hills Baptist Church – Published Oct 11, 2017 I am so tired of models and programs being presented like they meet the needs of my unique community and the ministry taking place here.7 Practices of Effective Ministry does not present a model or program, but articulates practical actions to boost the impact and helpfulness of my ministry in my unique community.7 Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, Lane Jones 2004 Multnomah Books (ISBN: 978-1-60142-216-3) https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Practices-Effective-Ministry-Resources-ebook @reggiejoiner @AndyStanley Summary of Content Using the events of a baseball game when a pastor skipped a church meeting to attend, this book presents practices not new programs for ministry.

Practice #1: Clarify the Win: Define what is important at every level of the organization Practice #2: Think Steps, Not Programs: Before you start anything, make sure it takes you where you need to go Practice #3: Narrow the Focus: Do fewer things in order to make a greater impact Practice #4: Teach Less for More: Say only what you need to say to the people who need to hear it Practice #5: Listen to Outsiders: Focus on who you’re trying to reach, not who you’re trying to keep Practice #6: Replace Yourself: Learn to hand off what you do Practice #7: Work On It: Take time to evaluate your work – and to celebrate your wins

If applied correctly, the practices should aid any church and leadership to protect the organization’s simplicity, move the people in one direction, focus environments of meetings and ministry, and effectively evaluate activities.

#1 Clarify the win asks, “How do we measure success?” The four steps to clarifying the win: sum up the win in a simple phrase, keep the win as specific as possible, restate the win frequently and creatively, meet to clarify the win at every level. #2 Think steps is summed up on page 89, “First, determine where you want people to be. Then figure out how you’re going to get them there. That’s doing ministry with the end in mind.” How to create an effective step? Make each step easy, obvious, and strategic. #3 Narrow the focus by simplifying, creating environments as distinctive brands, for increased relevance, better connection, higher quality, and stronger impact. #4 Teach less for more by teaching to their needs: people learn when they need to know something, Four steps to teach less for more: decide what you are going to say, decide to say one thing at a time, decide how you are going to say it, and say it over and over again. #5 Listen to outsiders is about listening to the lost to understand how to reach them. #6 Replace yourself by training up leaders, applaud those who applaud others, teach what you know, and hand it off. Three steps to handing it off: break it down, hand it off, let it go. #7 Work on it processes the practices by dedicating time to evaluation, learning people’s name, and evaluating the goals,

The book presents a perfect balance between engaging storytelling and teachable principles. The storytelling is relatable, enjoyable, and Americana. The principles are clear, focused, explained, and applicable. While the book would not make for a user-friendly small group study, it is definitely aimed at the pastors, elders, and church leaders.

• I love the distinct rules and the thoughtful questions at the end of the chapters on the practices.
• If I have any small declaration of weakness, it relies on sound business ideas and marketplace commonsense but does not rely upon Scripture or represent an Ecclesiology or a context of the Book of Acts.

However, it does sound and feel like the maxims of Proverbs. Conclusion 7 Practices of Effective Ministry presents practical actions for impact and helpfulness in church ministry and its target audience is church leaders and decision makers. I recommend reading and studying the book while contemplating the end-of-chapter questions.

What is the secret of successful ministry?

EVERY WORD OF GOD FOR DAILY LIVING BY : PASTOR PAUL RIKA, INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR Holiness Revival Movement Worldwid e (HOREMOW) FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2022 TEXT: JOSHUA 1:1-9 ​ (1) Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, (2) Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

1. 3) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
2. 4) From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

(5) There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (6) Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7) Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest. (8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

(9) Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. KEY VERSE: ROMANS 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Books have been written on ministerial success and people have organized seminars and conferences on success but then we want to hear what God has to say about success in ministry.

Success is based on the Book of God. It comes from commitment to the Book of God; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night. It comes from knowing what is in the Book of God, committing yourself to what is in the Book of God, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.

Success comes from careful obedience to the Book of God. This is the sure way of success; then thou shalt make thy ways prosperous and then thou shall have good success. Success of God is a good one unlike that of men. Success in ministry means doing the ministry work in total obedience, compliance to the specification of God.

• See that thou build the tabernacle according to the vision that I showed to you on the mount.’ That is success; working out a ministry in the way God instructed it, the way it is penned down in the Book of God.
• That is where the problem is with mankind.
• Many are not ready to run the ministry according to the Book of God and that is why they fail.

Their ministries are never based on the Book of God. How can they succeed? Those things they call success are not success. They do not last and are not valuable because they are not based on the book of God. Success in this sense is a spiritual word and man may not measure it aright.

• The success that is measurable by man is often a bad one because you may not be able to measure that which God has said since the Word of God is eternal.
• That which you are doing has eternal bearing which your finite mind may not comprehend but if you can do according to specification you shall succeed.

Yes, that which we may think is not success is actually success in the sight of God. For instance, you need not condemn yourself over things of which you are actually successful. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY : Good success comes from obedience to the Word of God.

What are the 5 works of ministry?

II. SOCIAL AND CULTURE TEXTURE ANALYSIS – Socio-rhetorical interpretation is not a new method of Biblical interpretation, but rather a model for analysis that encourages full use of exegetical skills.22 According to Robbins, social and cultural texture uses anthropological and social theory to explore the social and cultural nature of the voices in the text.23 The goal of this analysis is to determine the social and cultural significance of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers in the writings of the New Testament and the apostolic fathers.

• Socio-rhetorical criticism uses the term ‘cultural’ to refer to the status of a phenomenon that appears in a wide range of literature that spans many centuries.” 24 This study begins by examining the socio-cultural texture of the five ministry gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11.
• Robbins lists three dimensions of social and cultural texture: (1) the specific topics, (2) common topics, and (3) the final topics.

Specific social topics are the arena of the social and cultural texture of a text.25 Specific social topics, the first dimension, are thoughts, ideas, and subjects that are central to a particular kind of social discourse. These topics distinguish one kind of social discourse from another.

The specific social topics in socio-rhetorical interpretation of religious texts concern conversionist, revolutionist, introversionist, gnostic-manipulation, thaumaturgical, reformist, and utopian discourse. The conversionist response to society considers the outside world to be corrupted and salvation is available only through a profound and supernatural transformation of the person.

The revolutionist response to society declares that only the destruction of this world will be sufficient to save people. The introversionist response to society sees the world as irredeemably evil and encourages retreat from the world and enjoyment of the security granted by personal holiness.

The gnostic-manipulation response to society does not reject the world and its goals, but says thatsalvation is possible in the world and that evil can be overcome if people learn the right means to deal with their problems. The thaumaturgical response to society seeks immediate relief from their present circumstances through an act of divine intervention and seeks compensation for personal losses rather than the specific quest for cultural goals.

The reformist response to society believes that the world is corrupt because its social structures are corrupt, but if the structures can be changed (and sanctioned by the believers) then salvation will be present in the world. The utopian response to society asserts that people should establish a new social system free from evil and corruption to run the world.

• Robbins states that it would be rare for discourse in a text as long as a gospel or an epistle to contain only one kind of social response to the world; 26 rather, two or more responses interact, creating a particular social texture for the discourse.
• Ephesians 4:17-18 states, “This I say,
• No longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart.” This verse (directly following the text regarding the ministry gifts) is a conversionist response to society.

The conversionist response is characterized by the view that the world is corrupt and the people need to change in order to change their society. Paul states that one of the purposes of the ministry gifts is to “mature manhood.” 27 This conversion process is ongoing as indicated by the phrase “until we all attain” and the ministry gifts are meant to facilitate this conversion and maturing.

The second dimension of social–cultural texture is common social and cultural topics. Common topics concern the social and cultural systems and institutions that the text presupposes and evokes.28 Individuals living in an area know common social and cultural topics either consciously or instinctively.

Individuals raised in these common areas learn these common social and cultural values, patterns, or codes. Common topics listed by Robbins include honor, shame, legal contracts, challenge–response, economic exchange, and purity codes. Each of the five ministry gifts (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher) are common social/cultural topics.

The first ministry gift listed, apostle, has significant meaning for the first-century church. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews refers to Jesus as the apostle ( tón Apóstolon ) and the High Priest of our confession.29 The Jewish high priest was a specific “office” in the Old and New Testaments.

The Old Testament did not have an office of a “sent one” or “apostle,” but the imagery of the sending of individuals to another with authority was not unknown. Moses was sent unto Pharaoh 30 and Gideon sent out messengers throughout Manasseh.31 In classical Greek, usage of the Greek verb apostéllō generally referred to the sending of a fleet or embassy, but it was also used by Epictitus to describe Zeus’ sending a teacher of philosophy as his messenger.32 In Jesus’ day, the word apostle was used often, mostly in reference to the twelve disciples.

1. Luke 6:13 says that Jesus called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also called apostles.
2. Paul regarded himself as an apostle and was accepted by the early church as an apostle.
3. Most of the approximately eighty times the word apostle appears in the New Testament refers to Paul or the twelve.

Along with Paul’s listing of the ministry gifts in Ephesians 4:11, he seems to refer to the office of an apostle in 1 Corinthians 12:28.33 Two chapters from Clement’s First Epistle to the Corinthians address leadership appointment and succession of the apostles.

1. Chapter 42 states: The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus, the Christ, was sent from God.
2. Thus, Christ is from God and the apostles from Christ.
3. In both instances the orderly procedure depends on God’s will.
4. And so the apostles, after receiving their orders and being fully convinced by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and assured by God’s word, went out in the confidence of the Holy Spirit to preach the good news that God’s Kingdom was about to come.

They preached in country and city, and appointed their first converts, after testing them by the Spirit, to be the bishops and deacons of future believers. Nor was this any novelty, for Scripture had mentioned bishops and deacons long before. For this is what Scripture says somewhere: “I will appoint their bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith.” And chapter 44 states, “Our apostles also knew, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and there would be strife on account of the office of the episcopate.

For this reason, therefore, inasmuch as they had obtained a perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed those already mentioned, and afterwards gave themselves instructions, that when these should fall asleep, other approved men should succeed them in ministry.” These two chapters refer to the leadership succession of the apostles, but the office or function of an apostle is not referenced.

However, the offices of bishop and deacon are specifically mentioned. The writings of the Apostolic Fathers (Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp) have no mention of an apostle referring to offices or functions other than the twelve apostles or Paul. The Didache, however, makes reference to apostles and prophets: “Now about the apostles and prophets : Act in line with the gospel precept.

Welcome every apostle arriving, as if he were the Lord. But he must not stay beyond one day. In case of necessity, however, the next day too. If he stays three days, he is a false prophet, On departing, an apostle must not accept anything save sufficient food to carry him till his next lodging. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet,” 34 Some have argued that this reference to apostle indicates the possiblesuccession of the office of apostle.

However, the reference to apostle in the Didache likely refers to the itinerate minister. The New Testament even used apostle in a more general sense (Rom 16: 7; 1 Thes 2:6). There is no evidence that an office of apostle existed outside of the designation of the twelve and Paul.

However, the function of apostle (Biblical and extra-Biblical) existed before and after Paul’s epistle and was likely to continue. The second ministry gift listed in Ephesians 4:11 is the prophet. Prophecy has an ancient history. Prophesy and soothsaying were known throughout the ancient near east including Egypt and Babylon.35 During the intertestamental times, the Jews recognized that prophecy had ceased, but they did look forward to a revival of prophecy during the messianic age.36 In Jesus’ day, the Jews and Jesus considered John the Baptist to be a prophet (Mt 11:9-14, 14:5, 21:26; Mk 11:32; Lk 20:6), and many recognize that Jesus Himself was a prophet (Mt 21:11; Jn 4:19).

Paul recognized the gift of prophecy (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 14:1) and seems to recognize the office (or vocation) of prophets (1 Cor 12:28; Eph 2:20, 4:11). NT warnings against false prophets (Mt 7:15; 2 Pt 2:1; 1 Jn 4:1) presupposes the existence of authentic prophets.

• The Didache acknowledges prophets and prescribes a test for false prophets.
• As with the apostle, the Didache acknowledges the role of prophet.
• The office of prophet is well documented in the Old Testament and New Testament and there is evidence that prophesy and the office of prophet continued through the first century and beyond.

The third ministry gift listed in Ephesians 4:11 is the evangelist. The role of evangelist seems to begin in the New Testament. Evangelist literally means “one who proclaims good news.” There are three references to an evangelist. Philip is designated as an evangelist in Acts 21:8.

This is the only instance in the first-century Christian literature that an individual is given the title of evangelist. The second mention of evangelist is Ephesians 4:11 where Paul lists it among four other ministry gifts, and the third mention of evangelist is Paul’s admonition to Timothy to do the work of an evangelist.

There is no corroborating evidence that the “office” of evangelist existed. However, Paul’s instruction to Timothy indicates that the function of evangelist exists and is important. There are no references to an evangelist in the writings of the apostolic fathers.

The fourth ministry gift listed in Ephesians 4:11 is the pastor or shepherd. The term pastor is an anglicized form of the Latin/French word for shepherd, but it has not appreciable metaphorical significance.37 Shepherd evokes a mental image from the Old Testament, especially Psalms 23. Jesus also used this imagery in John 10 where he indicates that disciples are sheep and that He is the good shepherd.

Pastor/shepherd seems to indicate the basic functioning of ministry: love, compassion, care, protection, provision, etc. As used by the New Testament, pastor designates both an endowment for ministry and the one who fills that ministry, but implies no fixed office.38 There is no further mention of the term pastor as a function or office in the first-century Christian fathers.

1. The fifth and final ministry gift listed in Ephesians 4:11 is teachers.
2. Teaching and schools were known throughout the ancient near east and included the Greek philosophers.
3. Teaching is common throughout the Old Testament using words and phrases such as train, learn, instruct, tell, show, make to know, cause to know, and expound.

While the Old Testament contains no specific references to academic instruction, several allusions to public instruction or to teaching at court or sanctuary appear.39 Examples include Moses’ instruction of the Israelites (Dt 31:12f), Eli’s instruction to Samuel (1 Sm 2-3), Nathan’s counsel to King David (1 Kgs 1:11-40), Jehoshaphat’s programs of instruction in the law (2 Chr 17:7-9), and Isaiah’s relationship to a group of disciples (Is 8:16).

The basic assumption regarding teaching in the Old Testament appears also in the New Testament.40 Paul established teaching as a gift (and perhaps an office) in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Ephesians 4:11. The ministry of teaching (and likely the office of the teacher) continues in the first century. The Didache states, “You must then, elect for yourselves bishops and deacons who are credit to the Lord, men who are gentle, generous, faithful, and well tried.

For their ministry to you is identical with that of the prophets and teachers. You must not, therefore, despise them for along with the prophets and teachers they enjoy a place of honor among you.” 41 The third dimension of social–cultural texture is the final cultural category.

• The cultural location of a reader, writer, or the text is categorized through the final cultural categories of social–cultural texture.42 It is concerned with the manner in which people present their propositions, reasons, and arguments both to themselves and to other people (i.e., rhetoric).
• Uncovering the cultural location (in contrast to the social location) of a reader or writer reveals their dispositions, prepositions, and values which influence the writing and reading of a text.

Robbins states that these topics separate people into one of five final cultural categories: dominant culture, subculture, counterculture, contraculture, and luminal culture.43 Dominant culture rhetoric represents a system of attitudes, values, dispositions, and norms that the speaker either presupposes or asserts are supported by social structures vested with power to impose its goal in a significantly broad territorial region.

A subculture rhetoric imitates the dominate culture and claims to enact them better than the members of dominant status. Subcultures differ from one another according to the prominence of one of three characteristics: (1) a network of communication and loyalty, (2) a conceptual system, and (3) ethnic heritage and identity.

Counterculture rhetoric rejects the explicit and mutable characteristics of the dominant or subculture rhetoric to which it responds. Counterculture rhetoric evokes the creation of a “better society” not by force or legislation, but by offering alternatives and hopes that the society will “see the light” and adopt a more humanistic way of life.

1. Contraculture rhetoric is a short-lived, counterculture deviance, primarily a reaction–formation response to a dominant culture, subculture, or counterculture.
2. They inherently have more negative than positive ideas.
3. Finally, liminal culture rhetoric lasts only momentarily.
4. Liminal culture appears and disappears as people move from one cultural identity to another, or consists of people or groups that have never been able to establish a clear social and cultural identity in their setting.

The final cultural dimension determines a text’s cultural location. Cultural location concerns the manner in which people present their propositions, reasons, and arguments to themselves and others. Of the five final cultural dimensions presented by Robbins, Ephesians 4 reflects conceptual subculture rhetoric.

Subcultures differ from one another according to the prominence of a network of communication and loyalty, a conceptual system, and ethnic heritage and identity. The most prominent feature of a conceptual subculture is their basic assumptions of life, the world, and nature. Paul is not preaching to reform the world or the Mediterranean culture, but is preaching a diversion from the Gentile world (“you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,” Eph 4:17b).

Being different from the world is the goal. It is through the ministry gifts the church will be able to change the world.

What are the 5 ways of ministry?

Understanding 5-Fold Ministry — Sandbox Church In the letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul describes the kind of leaders God has provided for His church for it to attain maturity and Christ-likeness, becoming the spotless Bride of Jesus. In this passage, Paul lists five offices that are referred to as the five-fold ministry: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers.

Click here to take the Simple 5-Fold Test: Many Christian leaders have taken this verse out of context and elevated these five roles above their rightful place. They emphasize the importance of these offices in a local church – which is certainly true – but often serve their own interests and need for power and recognition while denying others – the “laity” – any kind of involvement in church government.

Others discard the verse altogether, claiming that Paul is speaking in the apostolic age which has long passed, so that his words are not relevant to us at all any more. It is therefore of utmost importance to get a biblical understanding of the five-fold ministry, so that our churches will be healthy and functioning according to the will and plan of God.

While we will focus on these five, we must not forget that Paul is not giving us an exhaustive list. In 1 Corinthians 12:28, he says, in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

Only three of the five in Ephesians are repeated here again, while Paul adds other kind of people and functions. Surely we would not equate an apostle with an administrator, yet both are in the same list, and there is no reason to assume a hierarchy, or that one function has more value than another.

On the contrary, those who speak the Word of God, who preach and teach (which is all part of the five-fold ministry) are held to higher accountability. Their goal is not to serve themselves, but the flock of God, so that they would attain all the fullness in Christ (Eph 4:12-13). With transparency comes greater responsibility, and with responsibility, higher accountability.

God has set His leaders in place for His church to function, and those truly called into these places will have been tested and proven, having gone through the fire of preparation, displaying true humility and Christ-likeness, not desiring a position, but wanting to serve their King anyway He wants them to.

What are the four pillars of ministry?

After looking at the authority for the church in the Christian’s life, it is important to consider the elements that make up the church. There are four basic essentials that sort of create the structure for this institution. They are the reasons why the church was called out of the world and why they assemble together.

• We often call these elements the four pillars of the church: Teaching, Fellowship, Worship, and Evangelism.
• And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers,
• And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. The first pillar is teaching. The church is supposed to be a place for training and developing the faith of believers. The epistles are consistent with the importance of teaching. Paul is very instructive to the churches. We see that the Bereans were commended for their earnest studying.

1. Paul challenges Timothy, a pastor, to be faithful in preaching and teaching the Word.
2. The apostles were teaching on the authority of the word of God, so that is why all four pillars are founded on biblical authority.
3. The second pillar is fellowship.
4. Churches are more than just a consortium of people gathered together like a country club.

They are the Body of Christ when they are together. Fellowship is an essential means of the church in discipleship. Yes, discipleship is an aspect of teaching, but being in someone’s presence and rubbing shoulders with them is one of the most powerful tools in one’s development. You can see this more fully in my truth paradigm, The third pillar is worship which is broken up in two sections: communion and prayer. It is true that worship can and should be practiced everywhere, but it is one of the reasons why the church is gathered together. Communion is the act of worshiping on the sacrifice of the cross.

Prayer is an essential tool for the body as they gather to pray for discernment, wisdom, eyes to be opened, and the gospel to go forth. Too often prayer meetings resort to prayers about so-and-so’s niece’s father-in-law’s unspoken request. While personal request should be bathed in prayer as well, corporate prayer time should be focused on and given to the needs, ministries, and objectives of the church.

Several times throughout the epistles, Paul addresses the importance and reverence of the communion table. He even warns those who would partake without examining their hearts. Paul certainly stresses prayers as well and models it for them. The book of acts is filled with the testimony and power of prayer.

1. The fourth pillar is evangelism.
2. The great commission was given to the church to spread the good news of Christ’s redemption.
3. It is essential that the Church be a catalyst for leading the charge in reaching their communities, their areas, and the world with the gospel.
4. This was the failure of the Pharisees.

They kept their religion to themselves and were not a testament to the other nations. Christ calls us to be both salt and light to this world – piercing the darkness and preserving those we touch. It seems rather odd then that after the dawn of social networks and mini-blogging that the gospel hasn’t spread more rapidly out of mere convenience. Often times, evangelism is not included in the teaching of the four pillars because it is assumed that it happened naturally in the text of Acts 2.

1. But people were not miraculously showing up at the homes of believers and inviting themselves into the fellowship of the church.
2. There was a definite proclamation of the gospel which is evidenced all throughout the book of Acts.
3. Years back I surveyed a church and asked them where their church measured up on these four pillars.

There was definitely consensus that the church was lopsided. Too much teaching and not enough evangelism is a mark of an unhealthy church. All worship and no teaching is a mark of an obese church. I think you get the picture. In order to sustain a vibrant and healthy church, a balance and bolstering of each pillar is needed.

Having all four pillars in harmony is difficult, and in many cases it will require stepping out of your comfort zone or entrusting the responsibility to someone else’s care. But when the spiritual health of a congregation is at stake, we should be dedicated to whatever it takes to provide a solid structure.

——————————————————————– *Note: When it comes to teaching about the four pillars of the church, there will be variances among different scholars. Some will see three, others will see five. For the most part we are all agreeing on the essentials of what structures the church needs and why the body gathers together.

Some substitutions you will find on the four pillars are: preaching, prayer, communion, etc. I simply think that the four pillars I stated above are sufficient and concise. While not mentioning preaching, it is a facet of teaching and evangelism. I combine prayer and communion under the pillar or worship.

I would not discredit anyone who had a different take on the pillars of the church as long as these four were acknowledged in some way in the structure of the church. **2nd Note: This is not to be confused with the four pillars of the Catholic church – The Apostles’ Creed, the Seven Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer.

What are the three Ps of ministry?

I was asked to help plan a retreat for this fall and was trying to figure out what would be helpful for someone in ministry to contemplate on a retreat amid all we are experiencing right now. One of the first things that stood out in my mind was how much we need to be a compassionate presence to each other as we face the struggles of all the disruption happening due to the pandemic. The word presence led me to wonder what else would be helpful and I came up with focusing on the three P’s.

• The three P’s are pause, presence and prayer,
• I think if we take some time out to look deeper at the power of recommitting ourselves to stop to pause to be present and be a compassionate presence to others and to deepen our habit of prayer we will be strengthened.
• Terry Hershey is a popular speaker each year at Religious Education congress.

He wrote a book titled The Power of Pause in which he challenges us to slow down, sit still and let our souls catch up with our bodies. He suggests we practice “sabbath moments” and find a place where we feel comfortable being still, praying, listening to God.

1. It might be in the woods, on the beach, in our backyard garden or simply in our car.
2. Whatever place we choose it should be a place where we can step away from all the noise and busyness and just PAUSE.
3. I recently discovered a new sabbath space for me in my Saturday morning walks.
4. One of the components of comprehensive youth ministry is pastoral care.

In the USCCB document Renewing the Vision the Bishops describe pastoral care as a compassionate presence in imitation of Jesus’ care of people, especially those who were hurting and in need. Now more than ever before we are all in need of receiving as well as being a compassionate presence.

Pope Francis suggests ‘Try to learn to weep for all those young people less fortunate than yourselves. Weeping is also an expression of mercy and compassion. If tears do not come, ask the Lord to give you the grace to weep for the sufferings of others. Once you can weep, then you will be able to help others from the heart.’ – Christus Vivit 76,

It is easier to show compassion to those we love and who love us. I challenge us to also be a compassionate presence to those who challenge us, to people we work with and to ourselves. The third P is prayer. Martin Luther said, ‘To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.’ I love the image of our prayer life being our very breath.

Pope Francis has beautiful inspiration for us on prayer ‘With a friend, we can speak and share our deepest secrets. With Jesus too, we can always have a conversation. Prayer is both a challenge and an adventure. And what an adventure it is! Gradually Jesus makes us appreciate his grandeur and draw nearer to him.

Prayer enables us to share with him every aspect of our lives and to rest confidently in his embrace. At the same time, it gives us a share in his own life and love. When we pray, “we open everything we do” to him, and we give him room “so that he can act, enter and claim victory”.

Make them a habit- “Our lives change when our habits change” –Matthew Kelly Turn negatives into positives Treasure moments- no matter how big or small Enjoy carefree timelessness Start feeling grateful now

What would you add to this list?

What makes a good ministry leader?

What is Church Leadership – Church leadership is about serving others in accordance with Christ’s interests so that they can see and accomplish God’s purpose for them in the world. A church leader needs qualities that influence and morally support the congregation, the volunteers, and others within the community.

• Such qualities include moral trustworthiness, social aptitude, empathy, pastoral care, and more.
• The Apostle Paul wrote several letters to Timothy defining his role as the leader of the church.
• In his teachings, Paul focused on the importance of following the word of God and being above reproach,
• He expected Timothy to stay faithful to the teachings of God regardless of the opposition that was destined to come.

Paul’s teachings remain vital for the health of the church.

What are the duties of ministry?

Offices of the church | Reformed Church in America The primary responsibilities of the minister are preaching and teaching. Ministers—men and women—are called by God to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, administer the sacraments, and care for the members of the congregation.

1. They are to build up and equip the church for its ministry in the world.
2. Ministers proclaim the good news of God’s promised salvation in Jesus Christ.
3. This goes beyond preaching to include all that announces God’s saving action, such as inviting men, women, and children to citizenship into the kingdom of God through faith and repentance.

By the function of this office, working with the other offices, the baptized people of God are drawn into a community that discloses the faith, love, forgiveness, reconciliation, justice, and joy of the kingdom. That is, they are formed into a preview of the new creation.

Through the office of minister of Word and sacrament, Jesus spiritually communicates himself through the preaching of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments, and the leading of the congregation in its liturgical worship. The minister should draw congregants into the service of worship and then send the people of God into the world as ambassadors.

Like elders and deacons, the minster holds an office of servanthood and service to the congregation. And, with the elders, the minister exercises Christian love and discipline to the congregation. Ministers are ordained “in accordance with the Word of God and the order established or recognized by the Reformed Church in America,” states the BCO.

What is the 7 fold ministry?

The sevenfold ministry of the Spirit – In one interpretation, the “Seven Spirits” represent the sevenfold ministry of the Spirit as depicted in the, As it is written: “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD, and He will delight in the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:2–3 (NASB).

Including the Spirit of the Lord, and the Spirits of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, here are represented the seven Spirits, which are before the throne of God. The reference to in relates it to the Seven Spirits which first appear in and are associated with Jesus who holds them along with seven stars.

An alternative view is that the seven graces(“charisma”) of reflect the seven spirits of God. The Holy Spirit manifests in humankind through these graces, reflecting the seven spirits of God. The seven graces are: 1. insight (prophecy); 2. helpfulness (service or ministry); 3.

What are some examples of ministry?

Dec.16, 2020 By Jake Thurston Everyone is called to ministry. But only some are called to the ministry. Every Christian, no matter who they are or what they do, are called to minister to others and make disciples. You could be a nurse, a business owner, a dog groomer, an athlete, or some crazy combination of the four, and you would still have the call by God to serve those around you and tell others about Jesus.

That’s the purest definition of ministry. But if that’s the call to ministry, then what is a call to the ministry? Someone who is called to ” the ministry” senses that God wishes for him or her to devote their life to serving in the local church or ministry fulltime. They often become pastors, missionaries, nonprofit organization directors, and parachurch leaders.

While these people can still work other part-time jobs, they sense a calling to devote their daily life to being on the frontlines of ministry and equipping others to do Kingdom work. This is who the Called Collective is for: High schoolers who might be sensing God calling them to vocational ministry.

What are the styles of ministry?

Do you trust people or fear people? Maybe you demonstrate a mixture of the two, or perhaps you lean heavily toward one or the other. According to my friend and mentor Bob Dale, the extent to which a pastor fears or trusts those in his/her congregation will have a significant impact on the pastor’s leadership style.

• According to Bob, “Style is our characteristic manner of expressing our values and of executing our work.
• Style refers to our distinctive approach to others and our ministry.” While there are plenty of style options available for pastors, Bob recognizes four clear ones.
• In my work as a coach and consultant to pastors, I can attest that Bob is spot on (as is his habit).

Here are the four styles: Catalyst, Commander, Hermit, and Encourager. And here is a visual map for how they relate to one another Catalyst Leaders are effective because they are able to balance their leadership energy toward both member needs and congregational mission. This style is not easy, but it is effective. It takes a lot of skill and work to be a catalyst. These leaders actively initiate relationships and are positive with people.

1. Meanwhile, they also keep a clear sight on the congregation’s mission and are constantly helping move things in that direction.
2. Commander Leaders are efficient because they don’t let relationships get in the way of tasks.
3. Their demands are clearly defined and their agenda is narrow.
4. They press for immediate action and believe quick, simple answers can be found for every problem.

While this style has its advantages, the short-term efficiencies of this style burn people out and create lots of stress and strain on the congregational system. Encourager Leaders are very person-centered. They listen well and make people feel valued and cared for.

In many ways they are the mirror opposites of the Commander in that they value people while undervaluing tasks and production. They are non-directive and sometimes non-directional. Leaders with this style fit well in congregations who are experiencing stress and conflict. Hermit Leaders are uncomfortable with both people and goals, preferring to withdraw from people and abandon organizational initiatives.

In many ways, these leaders follow their followers. Long-term hermit behavior will yield an inert congregation, but sometimes this style fits the short-term needs of a congregation. For instance, this style can buy time when things get overheated and can allow for rest when a congregation has exerted a lot of energy.

How positive is my attitude toward the real people in our congregation? What’s my balance between goals and relationships? What season is our congregation coming out of? headed toward? What is my natural style and when has it not served well?

Can a woman be an apostle?

Epistolary evidence – By the time Paul began his missionary movement, women were important agents within the different cities. Letters generally accepted as Paul’s are Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians and Philemon. His casual greetings to acquaintances offer solid information about many Jewish and Gentile women who were prominent in the movement.

• Priscilla and her husband Aquila. She and her husband are mentioned six times in the Bible, as missionary partners with the Apostle Paul. They were also partners in the craft of tentmaking. The author of Acts states that they were refugees who came first to Corinth when the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome. Paul mentions that at some point they had risked their necks for him. When Paul refers to Priscilla and Aquila, Priscilla is listed first two out of three times. Some scholars have suggested that she was the head of the family unit.
• Mary and “the beloved Persis” are commended for their hard work.
• He greets Julia, and Nereus ‘s sister, who worked and traveled as missionaries in pairs with their husbands or brothers. He also sends greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, who “labour for the Lord’s work”, and to Rufus ‘ mother. Barbara Leonhard notes that “the fact that Paul singles them out indicates his respect for their ministry.”
• He commends to their hospitality, Phoebe, a leader from the church at Cenchreae, a port city near Corinth, Paul attaches to her three titles: diakonos meaning a deacon (lit. “servant”), sister, and prostatis meaning “a woman in a supportive role, patron, benefactor”. There is no difference when the title of deacon is used for Phoebe and Timothy. Diakonos (Gk.) is grammatically a masculine word, the same word that Paul uses in regards to his own ministry. Phoebe is the only woman to be named “deacon”.1 Timothy discusses the criteria for deacons in the early Church which is explicitly directed to both males and females. Phoebe was especially influential in the early Church, seen in Jerusalem from the 4th century inscription: “Here lies the slave and bride of Christ, Sophia, deacon, the second Phoebe, who fell asleep in Christ.” Women flourished in the diaconate between the 2nd and 6th centuries. The position required pastoral care to women, instructing female candidates and anoint them at baptism. They were also required to be present whenever a female would address a bishop. In Romans, Phoebe is seen as acting as Paul’s envoy. Phoebe is named as a Patron of Paul, meaning that she would have been financially contributing to Paul’s mission.
• Junia is also mentioned. According to Bart Ehrman, Paul praises Junia as a prominent apostle who had been imprisoned for her labour. Junia is “the only female apostle named in the New Testament”. Ian Elmer states that Junia and Andronicus are the only “apostles” associated with Rome that were greeted by Paul in his letter to the Romans. Steven Finlan says Paul greets this couple as “kinspersons and fellow prisoners” and says that “they are outstanding amongst the apostles”. According to Ian Elmer, the fact that Andronicus and Junia are named as apostles suggests a priori that they were evangelists and church-planters like Paul. Some translators have rendered the name as the masculine “Junias”, but Chrysostom seems clear: “Indeed, how great the wisdom of this woman must have been that she was even deemed worthy of the title apostle.”. Scholars dispute whether the grammar indicates that Junia was an apostle herself, or simply well known to the apostles (not being one herself).
• Chloe was a prominent woman of Corinth, It was from “Chloe’s people” that Paul, then at Ephesus learned of the divisions in the congregation of Corinth.
• In Philippians he expresses appreciation for Euodia and Syntyche his fellow-workers in the gospel.

According to Karen King, these biblical reports seem to provide credible evidence of women apostles active in the earliest work of spreading the Christian gospel. In Galatians 3:28, Paul wrote “nor is there male and female,” hearkening back to Genesis 1, for all are one in Christ.

What is the 5 fold ministry in Ephesians 4?

What is the five-fold ministry? This is a question that many people have heard of, but don’t know what it means. The five-fold ministry is found in Ephesians 4:11, and it refers to the five roles that God has called Christians to fill. These roles are (1) apostles, (2) prophets, (3) evangelists, (4) pastors, and (5) teachers.

What makes a good ministry leader?

What is Church Leadership – Church leadership is about serving others in accordance with Christ’s interests so that they can see and accomplish God’s purpose for them in the world. A church leader needs qualities that influence and morally support the congregation, the volunteers, and others within the community.

Such qualities include moral trustworthiness, social aptitude, empathy, pastoral care, and more. The Apostle Paul wrote several letters to Timothy defining his role as the leader of the church. In his teachings, Paul focused on the importance of following the word of God and being above reproach, He expected Timothy to stay faithful to the teachings of God regardless of the opposition that was destined to come.

Paul’s teachings remain vital for the health of the church.

What skills are helpful in ministry?

Do You Have These 10 Traits and Skills Needed for Ministry Jobs? When you are targeting specific jobs with ministries (such as pastor, teacher, counselor, missionary, evangelist, church administrator, nonprofit director and others), it is important to identify the key skills and traits that ministries are seeking.

• Ministries differ in terms of their size, theology, denomination and location, yet there are consistent traits and skills that ministries seek.
• Although not comprehensive, here are ten traits/skills that ministries are seeking in their Christian candidates.1.
• Spiritual Gifts All Christians have spiritual gifts.

Ministries want applicants who know what their top spiritual gifts are and how they relate to the ministry jobs that are of interest to the applicant. Spiritual gifts related to leadership positions might include: Shepherd/Pastor – Ability to nurture and direct the spiritual growth of a group of believers (Ephesians 4:11).

Teaching – Ability to comprehend and communicate biblical truths, enabling listeners to learn and apply God’s word. Leadership – Ability to set goals for the future, and to influence and direct others to accomplish God’s work (Romans 12:6,8). Completing a spiritual gifts assessment, which are found online or in our book Live Your Calling, will help you in targeting the right ministry jobs and in answering interview questions related to your strengths.2.

A Vibrant Faith Ministries seek to hire faithful followers of Jesus. They are not looking for perfection, but instead, they are seeking applicants who have an authentic faith that has been developed through the highs and lows of life. Ministries seek Christians who have experienced spiritual doubt, fear and failure and yet trust God throughout their life.

An authentic faith is a faith that can empathize with others and makes a person’s life an example for others to follow.3. Personal Skills Personal skills, also known as “soft skills,” are skills that are more inborn rather than developed. The personal skills that ministries seek often include skills such as being warm, friendly, empathetic, a good listener, a problem solver, enthusiastic, gentle, persistent, flexible, ethical and trustworthy.

Most of these personal skills relate to working with people individually and in groups. Ministries need candidates who already have the personal skills needed for the job. For example, when hiring a copywriter, ministries don’t want to try to teach the person they hire how to be “creative, flexible, detail-oriented and reliable” if those skills are needed for the job.

Instead, they want a copywriter who already has the needed personal skills. If you are seeking ministry positions, look for personal skills in the job descriptions. You can then include any of them that are true of you in your resume and cover. During interviews, employers may ask you to describe how you have successfully used your personal skills.

Be sure to have several examples you can share that comment on the results you have produced in the past using those personal skills. Demonstrating key personal skills also helps you make a great first impression during an interview. Since first impressions are formed in the first 30 seconds to 2 minutes of having met you at an interview, your personals skills (such as being warm, friendly and energetic) can help you to make a great first impression.4.

Transferable Skills Transferable skills are skills that are developed in work, school and life. They are skills that can transfer from one job to another. Examples of transferable skills include organizing, writing, launching, analyzing, persuading, teaching, planning, managing, counseling, leading, and others.

Transferable skill names are action words and typically begin sentences in ministry job descriptions such as these two job duties for a Director of Development with a non-profit ministry: Planning, organizing, and promoting all special events. Maintaining accurate itemized financial reports of events and fundraising.

1. In these two examples, the transferable skills are planning, organizing, promoting, and maintaining.5.
2. Content Skills Content skills are knowledge that helps people to do particular jobs like being a Christian Education Director.
3. Content skills for this type of position might include knowledge of Christian education, the Bible, spiritual gifts, child development, evangelism, and spiritual growth.

Content skills can be learned through formal education in college, as well as on the job and through internships. You can also gain content skills through conferences, online classes and reading books. Content skills identify where ideally a person would like to use their personal skills and transferable skills.

1. For example, a Christian Education Director might ideally want to use their personal skills of being organized and hardworking; transferable skills of planning and teaching; and content skills of knowledge of Christian education and child development within a church setting.
2. Of course, those skills could also be used in other ministry setting such as mission organizations.

If you want help defining your personal skills, transferable and content skills, the CareerFitTest.com includes assessments for the three skill groups. The CareerFitTest.com will also enable you to use your results to explore jobs, make career decisions, write a winning resume, answer interview questions successfully, use the best strategies to cut your job search in half and ace the interview/salary negotiation process.6.

An Understanding of Weaknesses Those hiring for ministry openings seek candidates who are mature enough to know what their weaknesses are. For example, a manager who has worked in secular organizations may have all the needed transferable skills and personal skills, but lack knowledge related to working in a non-profit organization.

The job seeker would be then wise to communicate their plan for learning the needed knowledge in the first 30 days of being hired.7. An Understanding of Primary and Secondary Callings While all of mankind has a primary calling to salvation through Jesus Christ and discipleship (following Jesus), we also all have secondary callings.

1. Secondary callings are life roles such as being a husband, wife, son, daughter, sister, brother, father, mother, neighbor and worker.
2. The worker role, also a secondary calling is what we describe as one’s “vocational calling.” A candidate wanting to work for a ministry needs to have a vocational calling to be successful being a pastor or an administrative assistant or a bookkeeper.

Describing this calling during an interview will help a ministry to see your passion for the organization’s mission. Ministries will want to see that a candidate strives to keep their primary calling primary through intentional personal spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, worship and fellowship.

They want candidates who “seek first the kingdom of God” to keep their primary calling primary. If the “vocational calling” is to be a pastor, this role should be confirmed by references that a candidate provides and by the answers to interview questions. Those seeking pastor openings should be able to clearly describe a mission statement for following Christ (primary calling) and for being a pastor (secondary calling).

They should also be able to describe their other secondary callings (husband, father, neighbor, etc.) and how they intentionally live out these callings. God doesn’t call any of us to be workaholics but instead calls us to a variety of secondary callings.

1. Ministries want candidates who can clearly describe the needs that they feel called to meet.
2. For example, if you are applying for pastor openings, you can more effectively communicate your primary and secondary callings by writing mission statements that include the top skills (transferable, personal and content skills) needed for the work and the needs that you feel called to meet as a pastor.8.

A Passion to Share the Gospel While ministries are ultimately focused on sharing the good news of Jesus, they want staff members who are intentional about sharing the Gospel. They want employees who don’t see the Great Commission as an abstract concept or something that others are supposed to do.9.

• A Servant Leader Everyone on staff at a ministry is a leader.
• Scripture teaches us that the word “servant” should be added when we discuss leadership.
• Jesus modeled “servant leadership” as he humbled himself to serve mankind even to the extent of dying on the cross for our sins.
• Some ministry positions emphasize leading by example or expertise.

An example of this type of position is an executive pastor who is often behind the scenes helping the church to be a wise steward of its financial resources. Other church positions, such as a senior pastor, lead more by directly overseeing other staff members and helping to create a vision based on the church’s mission.

1. A servant leader pastor ensures that the vision of the church is translated into clear goals as a part of a strategic plan for achieving those goals and visions.
2. The pastor needs to equip, empower and encourage each member to take actions at an individual level and as part of the body of Christ for the church to achieve its mission and purpose.10.

Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills Whether the ministry job is an administrative assistant, pastor, accountant or engineer, there is a need for having excellent verbal and written communication skills. With the need in almost any position to communicate with others by email, text and Zoom, everyone needs to communicate effectively.

For example, a volunteer coordinator position would require the right person to communicate well in order to motivate small and large volunteer groups for fundraising, charity work, and a variety of community outreach efforts. Where to Find Jobs with Ministries Eighty percent of job openings are in the “hidden” job market.

They are hidden because the positions are not advertised on job boards or through other advertised means. These jobs are filled by people that the employer already knows or people that are referred to them or people who just happen to contact them. You can find these jobs for yourself through networking and contacting employers directly.

The other twenty percent of jobs are advertised on ministry job boards such as ChurchJobsOnline.com, PastorJobs.net, ChristianCareerCenter.com, and ChristianJobFair.com, These sites along with others online make it easy to find openings in churches, ministries and mission organizations. You can even set up alerts to have jobs of interest sent to you by email.

Just remember that the majority of jobs are in the “hidden” job market. You can learn more about finding ministry opening in the article – Where Do You Find Your Dream Job? Summary These are some of the key traits that ministries seek in the right candidates.

As you search for ministry jobs be sure to note the traits individual organizations are seeking for their openings. If you have these traits be sure to describe them in your resume, cover letter and any other candidate materials that are requested. And when you are asked to interview, remind yourself of the personal, transferable and content skills that you want to communicate and the stories to tell that prove you have those skills.

This will help those hiring to see who you are and how your skills and experiences make you the right person to hire. If you feel called to work at a ministry but you don’t know what type of jobs would fit you best, you can get help from a National Certified Career Counselor.