OneSentTwo - Columbia Life Church

Simple Ministry

2009-10-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about what church ministry should look like and the more I think about it the more uncomfortable I get with categorizing ministry as "church ministry." I think the reason for my discomfort stems from the baggage that comes with the label. It become third person, impersonal "someone" (the church) should be doing something. But consider this what did they call Jesus' ministry? When Jesus was walking the earth He drew crowds touched people in need, preached, huddled in small groups, challenged the religious and political status quo of the day. He did all of this without a label.

I guess what I'm asking myself is whether or not there's a way to release people into ministry to touch other people without the church coming along and 'absorbing' it into a third person obligation. I mean isn't he heart of ministry people touching people as people not as a thing?

Share your thoughts below....

Small Church Dilemma

2009-05-15T12:08:00.000-07:00

Part of the reason for creating this blog was the dilemma often faced by smaller churches. That dilemma is trying fit big church concepts into a small church package. There are two main things that drive this:

1. Leadership Ego.

Leadership ego is when a pastor of a smaller church feels like he's failing because the numbers (noses and nickles) don't compare with the big boys whose churches get all the pub. The leader then feels compelled to try to copy what the big boys are doing in order to achieve their success. Talk about an impossible trap and a complete departure from the heart of ministry. Jesus call us to follow Him not build numbers. In fact Jesus said that He would build the church. So leaders that focus on numbers lose their way and the church goes along for the ride.

2. Consumer Expectations.

Consumer expectations are the driving force of most church growth. A simple review of the numbers will show that most of the growth reported by churches is transfer growth fueled by the ideal of consumerism. I believe that if a poll were taken to determine the primary reason someone attends a particular church in America the answer would be "Because I like the......" and fill in the blank with whatever program or feature they like. Few would say it was because "Jesus called us here...."

What these expectations then drive is a demand that creates stress on the small church to try and match what the bigger churches are doing in order to keep and hopefully attract new people in order to stay viable.

Both contribute to a downward spiral that cripples the effectiveness of the small congregation. It's a self-destructive conspiracy of wrong motivations that Satan uses to keep the church from being the powerful influence Jesus intends for her to be.

I believe that the greatest potential for transformative influence in America is the smaller church. Large churches have their place and there's no excuse for churches and leaders who 'mail it in' from week to week gathering in their holy huddles for all the world to ignore.

But could it be that there is a place for the influential small church in our Christian culture that isn't looked upon as less than or inadequate? Is there a way that these smaller congregations could prove to be the key to the transformation of our culture?

Share your thoughts below......

What is the Micro Ministry Movement?

2009-05-09T23:37:00.000-07:00

If you've never heard of the Micro Ministry movement you're not alone. Until now I had never heard of it either. That's because it's starting right now. Actually it started a long time ago by Jesus.

Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

I believe that this is significant because He had 70 people total but chose to send them out in twos. I don't believe that this means we can only do ministry or serve in pairs, but I do believe it's an principle that we have to consider.

Why the micro ministry movement? I'll start off with a confession. I'm tired of the thinking that big numbers of people are what determines ministry or service projects success. In fact why do we even use the word success in this context? The word success by it's very nature requires implies a measurement that most likely leads to a number.

Isn't the very idea of ministry and service about love and obedience? Both very difficult to measure but very easy to know. Did I do this because I love Jesus and others? Did I do this because Jesus sent me to do it? If I can answer yes to both of those questions then I have been faithful, even if not 'successful.'

I'm not making excuses for a lack of preparation or silliness. I believe that we should be good stewards and not waste our efforts, resources, or other people's time. But, when the drive for 'more': more people and more resources gets in the way of actually going and doing then something is out of order.

What would micro ministry look like? Whereever Jesus stirs the hearts 2 or 3 people (or a small number in general) through the Holy Spirit I believe the church should let them do it instead of trying to orgainze it and grow it.