February 3rd, 2011
6 Extremely Powerful Questions for Simple Ministry Design
This is the second post related to a forthcoming ebook. The first post was titled the Tyranny of More, (6 Common Myths that Drive Churches to Do Too Much) You can still comment there to ensure a free copy of the book.
My purpose is to provide a powerful question checklist to break pastors and staff out of the leadership fog of “just doing more.”
These questions allow you to plug one of two kinds of words in the blanks.
The first set of words are for ministries designed for particular groups, age segments or special needs like:
- Young adults
- Senior adults
- Singles
- Mothers of preschoolers
- Recently divorced people
- Women’s bible study
- Kids-focused discipleship
The second set of words are for ministries designed for develop spiritual practices and aspects of discipleship like:
- Personal bible study
- Prayer
- Giving or financial peace
- Missional living
- Accountability
- Witnessing
Six SIMPLE Ministry Design Questions (or you can call them SILO STOPPERS):
#1 How do we provide for more _______________ more effectively through people (not programs) within our existing ministry environments (not a new structure)?
#2 How do we develop more __________________ more effectively without requiring people to come to a new time and place at church?
#3 In our desire for something new for __________________ are we being tempted to create a new environment instead of 1) providing new tools, 2) developing leaders (new mindset) or better utilizing an existing ministry or life environment?
#4 Is the need for something new for _________________ being falsely driven only by a staff’s passion to exercise their gift or validate their value to the team?
#5 Is the need for something new for _________________ being driven solely by one member’s experience in a previous church?
#6 If we do provide something new for __________________ how are we augmenting, streamlining, eliminating or leveraging our existing ministry environments to create a meaningful relationship with the new initiative or environment?
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Just had this conversation with our new Pastor as he is praying and developing a leadership team for our church. We are a small “drifting” congregation that needs focus urgently to build on our legacy. This tool will be a great paradigm for pruning out the unfruitful branches of withered but “sacred” programs.
Cheers,
Terry
In March 2011, God led me to establish “Journey Forward Ministry”, in our hometown of Eclectic, Alabama. Eclectic is a small town, located about 25 miles from Montgomery. The ministry began with 12 people, meeting in our home. As the ”new” wore off, people stopped coming. The ministry dwindled, to TWO people. We put the ministry ”on hold”, from August 2011 until NOW. God has placed seeking a NEW ministry name, upon my heart. I ask for prayer, to seek God, in changing the name. I am allowing GOD, to give the new ministry name, to me-rather telling God the new ministry name. Please stand, with me, as I SEEK-and LISTEN to-GOD!
May God richly bless you Charles as you seek Him with focus and determination. He is the Chief Visionary!