Tips & Tools for Ministry and Mission
Welcome. We’re brand new. Content is being created. Keep checking in…
Ambitious vision is crucial
Have an ambitious vision and work everything around that. Know where it is you are heading. Don’t settle for ‘ticking along nicely.’ As long as there are lost souls, people without hope and places in God’s kingdom, the church has a global mission. If there are 20,000 people in your neighbourhood, parish or community and only three churches, why settle for 50-60 attending at each? Better to dream and plan and envision a church family of 500 than to settle for 50. Okay, so 500 might never be realised. But 70 might. 120 might. 250 might. What if? What if God honours your vision, answers your prayer and advances His kingdom? How big is God’s vision? How many people in your community does he intend to draw towards the cross of his son?
Be unconventional
Imagine starting from scratch. What does ministry and mission look like from new. Question everything. Why a Sunday morning at 10:30 AM? Why a Wednesday night at 7:30 PM? What else do people have in their lives that start at those times? Do people attend a gym class at 7:30 PM? Maybe. But they also attend at 5:15 PM and 7:00 AM and 8:45 PM. Not everything has to be at the conventional ‘Church’ times of 7:30 PM. Do people attend Sunday morning football at 10:30 AM? Maybe. But many families will spend the morning with their children at the local field or park. And there will be somewhere to buy a bacon barm and a hot drink. How can church be culturally relevant without imbibing culture?
Teaching is everything
Teaching-based discipleship is the basic, intrinsic and most important tool. Be clear about what you believe. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Help others know why they believe what they believe. Help people own their faith. Crete a culture of learning. Expect disciples to be zealous to learn more. Weave a wide net – create many learning opportunities for people to join in. Have multiple teaching groups covering a wide selection of days and times in order to enable as many as possible to have the opportunity to participate.
Communicating is sprinting
Be on the front foot. Have as many possible in the loop. Tell everyone what’s happening, when it’s happening and why it’s happening. Make your info about church unmissable. Communicate as much as possible before a Sunday. Verbal notices on a Sunday can act as a reminder of what people have already received information about earlier in the week. Create a culture of daily church news. Email? Of course, without question. Social media? Obviously. Paper notice sheets? Maybe. Ask yourself how you receive information for the important things in your life? Can those communication methods be utilised for effective communication to church members and those of the wider church community? It must be fast, often, informative and inspiring. News of God’s kingdom on earth must be unmissable!