Churches are expected to do certain things, church things. But, one of the worst things a church can do is to just do church, in general terms.
No Church Needs to be a Generic Church
Many churches spend all their time, energy and resources on only fundamental church activities. These include preaching, teaching, praying, counseling, programming, worshipping, supporting missionaries, outreaching and fellowshipping to name a few.
A lot of pastors and people think church should just be about doing church and the basic things the Bible says. This sounds noble and spiritual, but the more you think about it, it sounds lazy.
Even if it works, it could work so much better if we put serious effort into crafting a specific vision for the future.
For example, although the Bible teaches about marriage, no one wants to live out marriage in general terms, just doing marriage. The same goes for our jobs and recreation. We long for uniqueness, passion and purpose!
Push your leaders. Leaders need to do the hard work of leading, not simply managing ministry. No one should have to suffer a generic church.
Each Church is a Unique Church
It is so invigorating to discover God’s specific calling for your specific church!
Analyze your community and other locations where you are doing ministry or would like to be doing ministry, even globally. What makes the society the way it is, and the people the way they are? Do you need to do more research? Make a long list.
Evaluate your currently available resources. What knowledge, skills and ministry desires do people in the congregation have? Who are your leaders? What assets might you have that no other church nearby has? Do you need to acquire anything?
Identify opportunities. What does the community need that is not currently being addressed? Who else cares about this that might be a potential partner? Who has the connections? Many amazing opportunities are hidden and it is going to require effort to search them out. Create a team to do this, perhaps.
By now there should be a lot of ideas, almost too many. Select a few and develop them into big broad goals to work on for 5-10 years. Soon you will realize that these need to be broken down into 2-3 key strategic initiatives for each major goal. And leaders are going to be needed for all these new initiatives. You get the idea.
By a lot of serious prayer and strategic analysis, think about what God might accomplish through your church in ten years, if He directs and blesses all these plans of yours?
Embrace your context, resources, opportunities and think, pray and dream big!
Every Church Can be a Great Church
Some churches need to realize that they are not as great as they think they are, or as great as others say they are.
And even if it is true that they are great, it might not be the case given a different social and ministry context. We shouldn’t cheat in doing ministry by copying one another. The last thing a community needs is a ministry approach that doesn’t fit it well.
It is not that hard to craft a vision unique to your church and truly relevant to your ministry communities. In fact, you might be the ones that know best how to make a significant Gospel impact!
We should be encouraging growth, creativity, and development of all sizes and all types of churches to fulfill their God designed potential and accomplish the goals put before them using the array of gifts granted to them at the present time. And celebrate it all!
No Church Needs to be a Generic Church
Many churches spend all their time, energy and resources on only fundamental church activities. These include preaching, teaching, praying, counseling, programming, worshipping, supporting missionaries, outreaching and fellowshipping to name a few.
A lot of pastors and people think church should just be about doing church and the basic things the Bible says. This sounds noble and spiritual, but the more you think about it, it sounds lazy.
Even if it works, it could work so much better if we put serious effort into crafting a specific vision for the future.
For example, although the Bible teaches about marriage, no one wants to live out marriage in general terms, just doing marriage. The same goes for our jobs and recreation. We long for uniqueness, passion and purpose!
Push your leaders. Leaders need to do the hard work of leading, not simply managing ministry. No one should have to suffer a generic church.
Each Church is a Unique Church
It is so invigorating to discover God’s specific calling for your specific church!
Analyze your community and other locations where you are doing ministry or would like to be doing ministry, even globally. What makes the society the way it is, and the people the way they are? Do you need to do more research? Make a long list.
Evaluate your currently available resources. What knowledge, skills and ministry desires do people in the congregation have? Who are your leaders? What assets might you have that no other church nearby has? Do you need to acquire anything?
Identify opportunities. What does the community need that is not currently being addressed? Who else cares about this that might be a potential partner? Who has the connections? Many amazing opportunities are hidden and it is going to require effort to search them out. Create a team to do this, perhaps.
By now there should be a lot of ideas, almost too many. Select a few and develop them into big broad goals to work on for 5-10 years. Soon you will realize that these need to be broken down into 2-3 key strategic initiatives for each major goal. And leaders are going to be needed for all these new initiatives. You get the idea.
By a lot of serious prayer and strategic analysis, think about what God might accomplish through your church in ten years, if He directs and blesses all these plans of yours?
Embrace your context, resources, opportunities and think, pray and dream big!
Every Church Can be a Great Church
Some churches need to realize that they are not as great as they think they are, or as great as others say they are.
And even if it is true that they are great, it might not be the case given a different social and ministry context. We shouldn’t cheat in doing ministry by copying one another. The last thing a community needs is a ministry approach that doesn’t fit it well.
It is not that hard to craft a vision unique to your church and truly relevant to your ministry communities. In fact, you might be the ones that know best how to make a significant Gospel impact!
We should be encouraging growth, creativity, and development of all sizes and all types of churches to fulfill their God designed potential and accomplish the goals put before them using the array of gifts granted to them at the present time. And celebrate it all!
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