WHO will serve?

This is obviously a key area, and again will vary by church.  Many churches  are already infused with an energy and desire to serve.  Others are in different places in their local outreach paths.  An objective assessment in this area will drive your plans for communication and who you will equip to serve. 

Some key questions to consider are:

• Will our entire congregation serve together?
• Will our small groups serve together (Sunday school, lifegroups, etc)?
• Will our internal ministries serve together (children’s, youth, greeters)?
• Will new attendees, members,staff,elders serve?
• Will guests be encouraged to serve (neighbors, co-workers, etc)?
• Will families serve together (what ages are appropriate)?

 WHO will lead?

As with any core value of a church, it is imperative to have someone who is the catalyst for the vision, evaluation, and forward movement of that value.  Serving outside the four walls of your church should be a part of your core values.  It is still crucial to have someone who has a passion for local outreach to commit to the overall value.    

Some key questions to consider are:

• Will it be a Pastor, Director, Administrator, or Volunteer? 
• Which ministry leadership will it fall under in your church structure? Local Missions, Discipleship, Benevolence, etc.
• Is the person empowered and equipped to carry out the outreach mission of the church effectively?

 WHO will we serve?

There are many, many opportunities to serve outside the four walls of your church.  Determining the people groups you are being called to help, the community ministries you partner or will partner with, and the ability to serve individual families in need are a significant part of the organizing and preparing your church to serve.     

 Some key questions to consider are:

• WHO needs to be served in our city?            

                                      Homeless                                 Public Schools                   Healthcare

                                      Less Fortunate                       Youth                                   Families

                                      Disabled                                    Business                               Orphans                    

• What community organizations/ministries are providing services AND the gospel of Christ?  Do we currently partner with any? 
• Do we want to focus on specific needs and community ministries? OR Do we simply want to give an “open window” to our members to search and fill community needs?
• Do we have the ability within our congregation to provide for the physical and spiritual needs of individual families in the community?
• Do we want to find the needs of families in the community for our members to adopt? OR Do we simply want our members to see and fill the needs as posted by other organizations.

We encourage you not to duplicate what is already being done, but direct your members to serve the many needs of the community through agencies that are already serving the people in need.  Churches and minsitries should be united as one body to make more of impact in Jesus’ name.

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Just as there is a purpose in going in taking a class of students on a field trip, there should be even more purpose in transforming lives into a lifestyle of serving.  The intent and motivation of WHY we are serving brings the end result to the forefront.

Service is the ultimate growth model for a church.  The best church growth plan was the first church plan in Acts.  It was about healing, feeding, and selling all they owned to help those in need.  It wasn’t focused on top notch worship or the most inspirational and relevant sermons.  Demonstrating God’s love is far more powerful than just hearing or talking about it.  It was well said by Saint Francis of Assisi “Preach the Gospel at all times – if necessary, use words”.

Jesus knew people often can’t see past their physical needs to even think about their spiritual  needs.  He knew He had to meet them right where they were.  That’s why Jesus almost always met a need before He told them who He was.  He fed, healed, or counseled those in need (i.e. the woman at the well in John 4), then He told them He was the Son of God.

We should be building a relationship with people through serving their physical needs and then tell them where that love comes from and why we are so compelled to share it with others  – Jesus Christ.

Ask yourself as a church. “Are we serving to . . .”

            connect our members together?

            lead more people to a decision of salvation? 

            bring people to Christ with a plan to disciple them? 

            fill the physical needs of those less fortunate? 

            encourage people to come to our church (increase membership)? 

            serve with other churches and ministries to  unite the body of Christ?                                                                                                                           

More than likely, the reason why you are serving is more than one reason above.  Based on your answers, articulate WHY your church will serve/or is serving others in the community.  Have a purpose statement just for your outreach is a great foundation to leading your members to move in the community.  It could be something as simple as

Serve, Love, Have Fun . .. Share Christ!  

Next blog we will talk about WHO will serve, WHO will lead, and WHO will be served.  Would love to hear from you! :)

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In order to get the most out of anything, organization and preparation are essential. We find inspiration from Jesus in Luke 6:47-48 when He gave instruction on how to build a house.  With a proper foundation, the structure can withstand anything.

Some questions to consider that will help determine a vision and lay the foundation for successful service outside the four walls of your church are:

          WHY are we serving?

                          WHO will serve? Who will lead?  Who will we serve?

                                        WHERE is our membership in terms of current service?

                                                             WHAT are the needs of our community?

                                                                                 HOW will we mobilize our staff and members? 

                                                                                                   WHEN do we begin this transformation?

The answers to these questions should not be taken lightly.  We will explore these questions further over the coming weeks to lay a foundation in your church for a change in culture, to a lifestyle of serving.

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ANNNt…ANNNNNNT….ANNNNNT..aNNT …Annnt….ANN…Crash!!!!

So I woke up this morning as my alarm clock hit the floor at 6:02am and sat on the edge of my bed. Out of nowhere God  started to deal with me about the  limitations of faith, so I thought this was a lesson that  I would share. How many times do we go to church, attend ministry meetings, go to work , attend board meetings and listen to our expectations in life, work, and in our walk with God.

We listen to our leaders (pastors/board members)  talk about our goals and application of  our organizaition’s mission to bring about some sort of change. Whether it’s monetary growth/fundraising, increasing profit margins and generating exposure ,to increasing member outreach and bringing in more bodies to fill the seats in a sanctuary.

We get so focused on increase that as leaders in the ministry and/or corporate America  we sometimes forget the importance of understanding our current levels of success. God dealt with me about understanding the rules of stewardship and  faith and how it has  the answers to growth in life. Where ever you are in life ,ministry growth or in your corporate career you first must understand the reward and merit of what you currently have.  We often times have our hands out  saying “Please sir, I want some more”  and “Lord I’m faithful in doing work but I want to see the efforts of my labor.”  We ask where is the increase?

Faith as quoted in the bible,  Hebrews 11:1  is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  So in actuality faith is believeing in the unknown outcome. Stewardship is really understanding that what God has already given us is just as important as my expected increase. If we aren’t good stewards of God’s smaller rewards can we really expect to appreciate growth, or more importantly will we even notice it when it happens?

So the question is, can you have effective faith expectations if you don’t understand stewardship?

To have truth faith is to challenge God and put him to the test.  And I know you’re probably thinking “hold on, i’m not challenging God on anything” as you run from lightening bolts that might strike you down. lol..  but notice, I didn’t say to just question him but to challenge. In challenging God you use his word as tools of merit for your faith-actions.  What better way to show God that you have a grasp of his teachings and have enough faith in him then to hold him accountable for his word.

Think about it……

Helpful Scriptures:

Job 8:7 (KJV) says: Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

Job 42:12 (NLT) says: So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.

 Quote: ” Worring Paralyzes Faith” – Anon

Relating post:http://blog.meettheneed.org/?p=432

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How can we translate aspects of our career and jobs in  working American,Church Administration and  ministry  into serving outside of our parameters?

Our Guest Blogger for this week is Amanda N.Jackson of Current Connections Consulting.

In defining the relationship of the Church and the community, I am reminded of stewardship. God’s first commandment to man was in Genesis 1: 28, “And God said unto them…take heed to the Land and oversee every living thing in the Garden of Eden.” Sure God meant, in the literal sense to roam and take care of the Earth, but is there perhaps figurative meaning?

Some church goers draw a line between religion and other aspects of life, civic responsibilities in particular, and restrict Christianity to what happens in Church  Sunday School, Sunday worship, in Bible Studies and Prayer meetings, to acts of charity and to the necessary transaction of church business.

Christ commissioned us to make disciples and bring new sheep into the fold. That work is easier when those we reach out to can consider their spirituality in every act of life.

- Amanda N. Jackson of Current Connections Consulting.

This transitions us out of the perceived lines of business and our religion and  the mentality of not intermixing the two. As businessmen and church staff members we must open our minds to what we can do to serve the community outside of our perceived job descriptions. Stewardship is about us taking care of everything that God has blessed us with.

As quoted by Amanda in Genesis 1:28, “God has blessed us with dominion over the land and all it’s inhabitants.” God has given dominion to us not man. Man has set parameters to our responsibilities but we can’t allow our parameters to limit us from fulfilling our God given authority to draw men unto him.

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