By Will Mancini
Nearly 30 years ago, Joe Ellis wrote in The Church on Target: “Sometimes the voice of Jesus saying, “˜I will build my church,” can hardly be heard amid the babble of human voices affirming, “˜We will build the church. Our plans, our organizations, our resources will accomplish it, and we will have it the way we want it.”” More recently, “clarity evangelist” Will Mancini wrote similar words, describing 10 ways we often get in the way of God building his church, and what we can do about it.
1. Rely on God”s wisdom, not human wisdom by copying what you see in other churches.
2. Seek ministry assignments that are connected to the rescue mission of redemptive history.
3. Use your ministry platform to develop the gifts of others, not to display your own gifts.
4. Practice transparency rather than making yourself more than you really are.
5. Keep growing in your own faith so you can overflow and influence the growth of others.
6. Be careful not to confuse the ends and means of your ministry efforts.
7. Boldly face the answers to difficult questions rather than practicing denial.
8. Refuse to use your influence to stay in a ministry position longer than you should.
9. Make time for weekly Sabbath rest. Stop taking yourself so seriously that you believe you don”t need it.
10. Focus on loving people deeply rather than on programs, numbers, and growth rates.
Will Mancini blogs at www.churchcentral.com.
Amen.
We’ve been doing our best to heed #1.
If you were to ask people what things might they find in a church, they might answer:
Rows of chairs or pews”¦Sunday School”¦ushers”¦ robes”¦ sound system”¦banners”¦a cross “¦a pulpit”¦choir”¦stained glass”¦altar calls “¦steeple”¦preacher standing”¦religious art”¦ spotlights”¦strict time limits for services.
None of these things are necessarily wrong, but none of them are in the New Testament’s descriptions of churches.
God doesn’t build the church while we stand passively by and get out of his way. WE are the one who build the church. He builds it thorough us.
1. Rely on God”™s wisdom, not human wisdom by copying what you see in other churches.
Church growth is about studying what other churches are doing right and applying the principles for growth to our own situation. Why should we suppose what other churches are doing is “human wisdom” especially if they are growing quantitatively and qualitatively in the Lord? And what test do you propose to differentiate between God’s and human wisdom? Are we to subjectively listen to our hearts? God has never communicated subjectively.
2. Seek ministry assignments that are connected to the rescue mission of redemptive history.
Preaching the gospel is how people are won to the Lord. Teaching them everything Christ taught is how they grow spiritually. The Bible is redemptive history. Why not just say teach the word of God?
3. Use your ministry platform to develop the gifts of others, not to display your own gifts.
We do want to participate in equipping others for ministry but the word “gifts” is loaded. The charismatic gifts ended long ago. Perhaps “talents” and “opportunities” are better words to use.
4. Practice transparency rather than making yourself more than you really are.
We do need to be authentic.
5. Keep growing in your own faith so you can overflow and influence the growth of others.
Valid.
6. Be careful not to confuse the ends and means of your ministry efforts.
The ends always justifies the means. We need to be sure we have the right ends.
7. Boldly face the answers to difficult questions rather than practicing denial.
Valid.
8. Refuse to use your influence to stay in a ministry position longer than you should.
Young people respond to young people and older people respond to older people. Ones ministry must change as they get older.
9. Make time for weekly Sabbath rest. Stop taking yourself so seriously that you believe you don”™t need it.
We are under the New Covenant not the Old. Rest is important but it’s not a law.
10. Focus on loving people deeply rather than on programs, numbers, and growth rates.
Quantitative growth and qualitative growth are both important, it’s not one or the other.