By Michael C. Mack
Church ministries often find themselves working as silos, fixating on their own specific objectives and depending on their own resources. Imagine what could be achieved for God”s kingdom if different ministries learned to work together to make a difference in their towns, cities, and the world!
For the body of Christ to work effectively to carry out Jesus” mission, ministry leaders must first learn to listen to the Head, that is, Christ, as well as to local church leaders who can coordinate teamwork. They must also see themselves as stewards of the ministry; they refer to his ministry rather than my ministry, yet will wisely manage that which God has entrusted to them. They must learn to communicate with one another, putting aside their own personal agendas and egos, to discover how they can help one another carry out Christ”s mission. Here are some examples of how ministries can align and be more synergistic:
“¢ A ministry that takes sack lunches to the homeless on weekends partners with the church”s cycling ministry to help distribute the lunches in local parks and other locations.
“¢ A variety of types of outreach ministries communicate their needs to small groups.
“¢ The marriage ministry partners with couples groups to involve more people in the ministry and discover more stories of marriage success.
“¢ A men”s ministry partners with a group that mentors boys.
“¢ A women”s ministry works together with a prison ministry to serve in a local women”s prison.
“¢ The prayer ministry connects with a retirement-home ministry to invite residents to intercede for needs of the church.
“¢ A ministry that sews or stitches blankets works with a ministry that serves in hospitals or nursing homes to provide beautiful blankets for patients.
“¢ The greeting team partners with the youth ministry to get teens involved in welcoming people to services.
These are just a few possibilities. Be creative and develop your own partnerships.
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