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A vibrant and healthy church
People who attend a church want their church to be a vibrant
and healthy church. No one really wants to belong to a church
that is limping along or has major dysfunctions. Because we are
sinful human beings, there will always be room for improvement. But
I’m talking about the major life-giving systems to a church – and in
those areas, people want their church to be healthy. When a church
is vibrant and healthy, members are more likely to be excited about
their church. They are more likely to tell others what is going on
at their church.
The church analysts tell us that the first step to a vibrant
church is the spiritual life of its pastor. As the pastor’s
life goes, so goes the church. That is why I am leading by example
by doing my Life Journal every day. The Life Journal is a tool for
being in the Bible every day. After doing the daily reading
assignment, I write in my Life Journal a Scripture verse, an
Observation I have of the text, an Application for my life, and a
Prayer. (It follows the Acronym SOAP). I then ask myself, “How will
I be different today because of what I just read?” By following the
Life Journal reading assignments, I will read through the Old
Testament in a year and the New Testament twice every year. As we
spend time reading the Word of God, the Spirit of the Lord works on
our hearts, guiding and directing us. I speak from personal
experience that I have grown to value this time in the Word every
day.
In this same vein, it is absolutely necessary that the
leadership of the church embrace this same cause. Again, as the
leadership of the church goes, so goes the church. Since we are
first and foremost a disciplizing organism, pastor and leaders need
to be active in daily Bible reading. This is not a legalistic
approach to our Christian walk. Rather, it is a Gospel imperative to
have a healthy spiritual life.
It is my goal for DFLC to be a self-feeding church. To be
a self-feeding church is to be a church filled with members who are
being fed on the Word of God on a daily basis. One of the best ways
for people to take responsibility for their own spiritual health is
to read the Bible daily. If you have not picked up your Life
Journal, do so on Sunday. If you are having a hard time completing
the four to five chapters of reading each day, then pick up a First
Steps Life Journal. It has an abbreviated reading list. The key is
to be into the Word! Journaling also helps process our thoughts,
allowing us to chew on the Word of God throughout the day.
The next step in being a vibrant church is the concept of
teams and fractal ministry. In Doing Church as a Team, Wayne Cordeiro writes:
“If you look at a fern plant in its entirety, you will see one
major stem with smaller branches extending on either side. Now, take
a closer look at one of the branches. You will see the same
structure duplicated, with a major stem and smaller leaves
extending. If your eyesight is good, observe closely one of the
individual leaves. You will see that very same structure duplicated
again, with a major vein running down the middle of the leaf and
several more extending from it. If you had a microscope, you could
see that structure duplicated again and again on an even smaller
scale. ...
“Doing church as a team uses this fractal design – a very simple,
repeating pattern found in most organisms. Each unit has similar
patterns and similar purposes.” (pp. 176-177)
How does this work at DFLC? Each chair on the council gathers
together a team. This team is relationally based, not task
oriented. There are certainly tasks involved, but the primary
goal of the team is being in relationships. At a team meeting, Life
Journals are the first item discussed, with everyone getting a
chance to share what the Lord has revealed to them through their
reading. As each member of the team speaks, personal stories and
experiences will naturally be shared. Only after the sharing time is
complete do the teams move onto the tasks to be covered by the team.
Eventually, the team will begin to feel that the task is too big
for them. Someone might say, “We need more people to get this job
done.” The correct answer is both yes and no. “Yes,” more people are
needed, but “No,” more people will not be added to that team.
Rather, each team member gathers together their own team to
carry out more of the work. Ideal, every one is on two teams, the
team on which they are a member, and the team which they gather
together.
Along with the numerous benefits of team ministry (i.e., shared
vision, synergy of teams, etc.), there is an exponential growth
process built in to this model. As we employ this model here at
DFLC, volunteer burn-out will diminish, more will be involved, the
infrastructure of the church will be in place for exponential
growth, and relationships will be strengthened.
Another life-giving system to a church is its prayer life.
I am pleased that we have a group that is praying for our church –
to remove those things that hinder a thriving ministry and to
release the potential that we have here for a vibrant ministry.
“12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark
world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Yet another life-giving system to a church is people-flow
strategy. We are very good about managing the cash flow of the
church. We can track each penny – where it came from and where it is
going. We need to employ that same diligence to people. We need to
open both the front door of the church (through events) as well as
the side door of the church (small groups, social ministries to the
community through which the church members are able to establish
relationships and invite people to church, and the like). And once
people are part of the church, they need to be encouraged to have a
ministry – an area of service where they are putting their spiritual
gifts to use.
One more life-giving system to a church is relationship
evangelism. As the members of the church spend time in the Word
of God, they get excited about what the Lord is doing in their life.
They have a desire to share that with others and to serve. They are
being driven by the Spirit. Through their passion for the Lord and
his kingdom growth, they invite people to front door and side door
church activities. They lead ministries at the church. They are
winsome in their witness and contagious in their excitement for
spiritual growth.
There are three more life-giving systems to a healthy vibrant
church. They are charting the future, streamlining the
organization, and thriving on change. Each of these
systems is fairly self-explanatory. As we carry out these systems,
we have our hearts and minds on growth in the kingdom of God.
There is much to be accomplished for the kingdom of God in this
place. We need to pay off the current debt. We need to build a
Fellowship Hall, a Family Life Center, expand the Sanctuary, add a
Choir room, and expand and remodel the preschool. We should consider
the possibility of buying more land, building a Sports court, and
starting a school and a nursing care facility. We are on the verge
of starting ministries like Stephen Ministry, Christ Care Groups,
and Parish Nursing. All of these will come in the Lord’s timing. He
first wants us to grow closer to him.
If you are not yet on a team, begin by doing your Life Journal.
Then when someone asks you to be on their team, prayerfully consider
how exciting it will be to be involved with other Christians in
talking about your faith and putting that faith into action by being
involved. As you grow spiritually, our church becomes a
healthier, vibrant church.
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