As I continue to read the book on best practices, I'm reminded, that this is but one way to be effective in ministry. It is a way that has worked well for North Point Community Church, and has worked well for many other churches. This is not a "how-to" manual, but a book of principles that, when applied, really seem to make sense.
Churches can become bloated with programs that are difficult to see the end to. Andy Stanley notes that this practice is all too common in today's churches. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Where do we want people to go or end up as a result of what we're doing as a church?
It was a great chapter because it helped me to ask tough questions about the ministry I lead. As a student pastor, I want students to be on a path to maturity with God. Getting them there is the challenge our team faces as we seek to create such means, or "steps" as Stanley calls them. How does a student go from our large group environment to our small group environment and feel a sense of connection? How do they connect with other adults or students from that small group? Rather than having programs, the emphasis should focus on direction. We have a lot of momentum within our ministry. How to create movement in the right direction (i.e. maturity with God) will determine our ministry's effectiveness, and will serve as measuring stick to determine whether we need to adjust our programs to meet the intended direction. More to come.
1 comments:
It is awesome that you are continually staying focused on the direction you are going with your ministry. I completely agree that keeping an eye on exactly what you're trying to achieve is the way to go. I wish I could only witness it in person! Keep doing God's work!
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