The right stuff - the wrong way
We have the right stuff
10 years/Win Arn in Marquette MI about the Christian church movement. I went with some LSCC Elders and listened and learned.
He said the Christian Church movement was ideally suited to reach American culture for Jesus and it should be able to grow!
He then cited several factors
We have the right stuff!
We have Jesus
We have the freedom in Christ to be his followers - no more and no less!
We have the word of God, no creeds
No rulebooks and manuals to follow
We have the church
No burden of denominational structure
No exclusive names or brands to follow after
Yet the average Christian church in America is baptizing 3 people a year. And 2 of those are biological additions. We are not keeping up with population growth!
It is not happening. We have the right struff but we are doing it the wrong way! - 3 Primary Problems
1. THE Minister.
People sit and the minister - minister
2. The Board Meeting
Elders and Deacons fight. We do not organize for growth. We organize to fight. There is no accountability. Preachers manipulate and grow old while still young.
3. The Congregational Meeting
3% of congregation dominates 97% of time complaining
worse - reading bylaws to the rest of us. The problem is the abdication of leadership. The Preacher can’t lead. The board can’t lead. The People shuffle one direction or another depending on the loudest voice - right or wrong!
Ezekial 34:1-16
Ezekiel 34:1 (NIV) The word of the LORD came to me:
Ezekiel 34:2 (NIV) "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ’This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
Ezekiel 34:3 (NIV) You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
Ezekiel 34:4 (NIV) You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.
Ezekiel 34:5 (NIV) So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.
Ezekiel 34:6 (NIV) My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
Ezekiel 34:7 (NIV) "’Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Ezekiel 34:8 (NIV) As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock,
Ezekiel 34:9 (NIV) therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Ezekiel 34:10 (NIV) This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.
Ezekiel 34:11 (NIV) "’For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
Ezekiel 34:12 (NIV) As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
Ezekiel 34:13 (NIV) I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.
Ezekiel 34:14 (NIV) I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
Ezekiel 34:15 (NIV) I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
Ezekiel 34:16 (NIV) I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Sheep without a shepherd
What has happened to the children of God is a tragedy
pastors have preached and and hammered the sheep
they have not shepherded them! - not like this passage!
Why?
1 comfort
2 ignorance
3 tradition
4 power holding
5 insecurities
What is the right way?
It hinges on one simple concept.
Leadership - leadership of the Elders/Pastors of the church. Usually we concentrate on qualifications. We need to concentrate on work also!
The work tells us why qualifications are so important
What is the work of the Elders/Pastors?
1. Ministry of the Word Acts 6
2 Tim 2:2 takes this principle and puts it into action. There are four generations represented in this text. Pass it on to others and teach them what you have been taught, showing someone else how to live for Jesus.
Leadership is influence.
It is not a position
It is not a relationship
It is not management
Elders are to be apt to teach - leave them alone - who knows they’re apt to teach some day! An elder teaches best not in the class but in life!
This is the ministry of the word - daily application and growth.
2 Tim 2:2 leads to Multiplication - not addition
My own ministry is limited to what I can do, to my spiritual gifts, to my knowledge, to the people I can contact and influence.
2 Tim 2:2 is unlimited: It depends on an expanding ministry of the word.
You have heard it before - in 18 years we can win the world to Jesus. How? One brings one to Jesus. Then two bring two. Four reach four more and on it goes. If this multiplication takes place every six months the exponential growth curve happens and in 18 years the world is won to Jesus
2. Ministry of Prayer
Acts 6
Prayer must be foundation stone of BCC. It is a neglected area. Yet it is a natural part of daily life. Turn to God first not last. It should be as natural as breathing and sleeping.
It takes more than lip service. More than duty. It does not need to be lifeless and empty. I think we all need to learn a conversational style of prayer
This too is the ministry of elders. It cannot become a ministry of only a few. It must not be limited to formal public prayer. Elders must be available to pray with you:
James 5:16
Prayer ministries are currently going on every Sunday.
Prayer with Me at 9:15 in baptismal area - my goal is 10 men. There isiIntercessory Prayer in Mark Ingmire’s office 1st service. On Monday the Ladies prayer chain meets.
The Sr. Pastor’s Prayer Partners meet on Tuesday.
The Staff Prayer time is at 9:00 AM on Wednesday. There is prayer in HFG’s and many other groups. Is this all there is? NO Is this enough? NO
I have much to learn in this area. So do we all!
3. Ministry of Equipping
Eph 4:11-12
People are the most effective ministers - witnessing; caring; loving.
One HFG helped a family move into a house this past week. People ministering to each other. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and teachers...
Ministry should be delegated to People. Let the people minister. Let the best leaders lead in ministry
Ministry Leaders; men and women; faithful and strong.
We are going to start using Ministry badges to identify the leaders and as a sign of authority and submission to authority.
4. Ministry of Modeling
1 Peter 5
Leadership is not a hirarchy or a pyramid too many organizational charts in the world! Many elders want to tell others how to minister w/o getting hands dirty!
They are "Ivory tower" decision makers. Leaders cannot expect the people to do what we are unwilling to do
Our leaders must lead small groups themselves and model the work.
We are a family led by those who are experienced and can show the way. That is why I began a small group in my home. Do more than tell you and preach at you
show you how to shepherd the sheep.
Leadership involves being in front and picking the way not pointing the way alone.
Important Principle: Whatever is shared is multiplied.
I want to share my ministry with you.
Pray for this church as we grow in ministry of the word
Pray for those involved in ministry of prayer
Pray for more to being equipped to serve
Pray for Leaders as models and examples
We have the right stuff - Let us determine to do it the right way.
