Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 | Jay McSwain
Back in 1990 Greg Ogden (www.gregogden.com) wrote The New Reformation – Returning the Ministry to the People of God and in 2003 followed up with Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Both books championed the empowerment of the laity (non-paid staff) doing ministry that for years was done by clergy (paid staff). My own understanding of what God desires for all of His people to DO as ministers of the gospel was greatly enhanced by Greg’s two books.
The Observation
Have you ever wanted to believe something was true, but you just weren’t sure the evidence would truly back-up your belief? Over the past 13 years I wanted to believe we were seeing trends that laity (nonpaid staff) were being empowered to do the ministry. But I wasn’t convinced that what was taking place was more information and knowledge being dumped on God’s people with little empowerment truly being given to them.
Returning Ministry to the People
I have realized that ministry is being returned to the people of God by looking at a trend within our ministry. Let me explain. Almost ten years ago I remember how excited I was to work with a group of lay members (all unpaid) of a large church that were empowered to research for resources that would connect their people to meaningful ministry. After several months of conference calls and emails I was invited to spend the weekend training their lay leadership along with the paid staff. My first interaction with paid staff was the weekend I spent at the church. Prior to that weekend every interaction I had was with non-paid staff. I was elated to work with this group. This up front interaction with non-paid staff in this manner was a rarity until the last couple of years.
The Positive Trend
PLACE Ministries receives thousands of orders for resources and inquiries for information about our ministry each year. Until the last couple of years we guessed that 95% or more of those orders and inquiries would come from paid staff. Over the last couple of years we have seen the trend rising with our guess being that 25-30% of our orders and inquiries are being made by non-paid staff on behalf on their churches.
So many trends in church today are not positive. This positive trend of empowering non-paid staff to connect God’s people to meaningful ministry is one we can and should all celebrate and embrace.
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 | Jay McSwain
This past week after talking with two ministers in different states I further committed to stressing an insight along with two keys to connecting people that I knew, but often don’t continually stress. The insight is:
Churches who believe in helping people discover HOW they are uniquely created to serve must also be committed to helping direct people WHERE to serve.
I have watched many churches teach their people on HOW to serve based on helping them discover elements like their spiritual without any thought about how to help them know WHERE to serve.
Back to my two ministers I talked with this past week. One was using our mobilyzr ministry guidehttp://mobilyzr.com/onlineguide/overview.html and pumped about how it was connecting their members to meaningful ministry. The other was excited about the personal discovery going on through the PLACE assessments, but struggling on what to do beyond the personal discovery. His church was even providing one-on-one coaching after the personal discovery, but still struggling with connecting people to ministry.
I am thrilled with churches that truly desire to help every individual in a personal and individual way discover who they are in Christ by providing insight to members and attendees into their personality, abilities, discovering their spiritual gifts and passions and connecting their life experiences to these insights and discoveries. This is why I wrote the five PLACE assessments so God’s people can discover their personality, spiritual gifts, abilities, passion and life experiences as it relates to fulfilling God’s purpose for their lives. But, I hope you will like me commit whether you are beginning your connection process or strategy or have already implemented it you will ensure to incorporate two key steps in your process and strategy. First, create a ministry guide so your people will know WHERE they can pursue their purpose. Secondly, provide one-on-one coaching to help your people know better HOW and then WHERE to serve. The results will be worth the effort. A commitment to this simple two-step process will avoid, “I’m gift but WHERE do I serve”.
Thursday, June 17th, 2010 | Lisa Baker
In additions to church-wide surveys, PLACE Connection Sessions are an ideal environment to ask for church feedback. At Brentwood Baptist Church, PLACE is a requirement for membership. During the session, designed to assist individuals in better understanding who God created the to be and where they would be effective serving, we ask, “What drew you to BBC”? It’s exciting to hear all of the positive responses and then to be able to encourage our staff and lay leadership.
As a follow up to the positive, we ask, “Do you see any gaps”? The New Members (NM) coming in are generally apologetic when they make any negative remarks; after all they are excited about their new church home. At the same time that they are apologetic, they seem to grasp that we are giving them a chance to participate in making decisions that will better the church, so they let us know what is lacking. The perceived gaps may reveal an area of service for the NM, an opportunity to teach the NM the why behind what we do or a ministry area that needs attention.
If we, as church leadership, can remain teachable enough to learn from others and if we are steeped in a God-relationship so that we remain faithful to the path He has us on, we will do nothing but benefit. We will receive the privilege of seeing through fresh eyes to new perspectives that can shed invaluable light on how we are doing ministry and where we might consider looking in the future.
Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 | Lisa Baker
The easiest way to measure results is by counting numbers. Any church staff person knows that numbers will be due every year, every quarter, every month and even weekly. But so much more takes place in ministry than numbers, lines and columns can calculate. How do we measure effectiveness adequately?
continue reading…Measuring Effectiveness and Maximizing Giftedness
Friday, January 15th, 2010 | Kraig Kelsey
In October of 2009 I was given the challenge as a layperson to get PLACE up and running in 90 days! WOW! At first it seemed impossible, but once I put a timeline together and began working forward, it’s amazing of how it has all came together.
continue reading…Starting PLACE in 90 Days Update
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 | Quentine Lofton
I started my ministry of discipleship due to what I believe was a life calling. I have come to believe that God calls all believers to live out their life in a specific manner utilizing Spiritual Giftedness & godly Passions. This calling can be affirmed by a continuous awareness of how God speaks to believers today—His word (Bible)—His interpreter (Holy Spirit)—Prayer—Circumstances—The Church.
continue reading…Knowing Your Purpose…and Living It!
Monday, October 26th, 2009 | Ginger McSwain
The joy of the Lord is my strength” was the song of encouragement and prayer I sang to the girls this morning as we drove to school. Their second day in a new school. Their countenances and spirits were understandably a bit low….(not to mention their mama’s!). But as I think about their feelings over the past few weeks transitioning from homeschool to public school I realized how often I’ve felt the very same things they’re feeling….but in ministry. More than once over the past 15 years of volunteering in my local church I’ve experienced the excitement of the ‘dream’ or the ‘vision’ of what a particular ministry role will be like; the nervous anticipation of the first team meeting; the preparation and thrill of that first day on the job. But then what sometimes has happened is the over analyzing of my performance and then eventually the comfort level of that position settling in and then the routine of it all just zapping my initial enthusiasm.
continue reading…Experiences of Joy
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 | Jay McSwain
Every investor wants to know how much his/her investment makes over time. However, rarely do I hear about churches wanting to know how to measure effective as it relates to their people serving, and whether their strategy to involve people in ministry is paying off.
continue reading…Is Your Ministry Involvement Strategy Reaping Big Pay Offs?
Thursday, September 10th, 2009 | John Rushing
What is typically on the minds of newcomers as they contemplate the decision to connect with a congregation of any size. Certainly, there are a number of variables that play into their decision: Bible preaching/teaching; mission/values/core spiritual beliefs; opportunities for fellowship/small groups; programming for their children and youth; and so on.
continue reading…Connecting Newcomers to Ministry
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