Talk about it!
Today’s churches are missing the purpose of the Great Commission. Churches have a unique diversity to make life-changing impact, but choose internal-sabotaging behaviors. It’s transactions over impact. Investing money and energy into what looks good over what does good. Implementing performative policies for control over spirituality-centered frameworks to transform lives. It’s time to do away with performance and move to intentional impact for a healthy organizational culture in the Church.
Jesus told the disciples to go and make more disciples, baptize them, and to share his teachings in The Great Commission.
What is a disciple? A disciple is a follower of Jesus. Discipleship is the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus through living and spiritual practices.
People are the richest asset a church has. Motivating people to align isn’t impossible, but it is challenging. It requires intentionality that’s clear, direct, and structured in a well-communicated manner to be executed in excellence.
This will be a series diving into the facets of an impactful church organizational culture built on intentionality.
The Ministry of Helps over volunteerism
Churches need to utilize The Ministry of Helps instead of volunteers for an intentional culture.
The Ministry of Helps is an intentional supporting role found in 1 Corinthians 12:28. Whether a person’s ministry is janitorial services, or administrative, it's all valuable. Dr. Buddy Bell outlines what The Ministry of Helps is and how it can be used as a motivator for helping members understand how to intentionally use their gifts to push the body of Christ forward.
Churches often sum supporting members up to volunteers. There’s nothing wrong with having volunteers, or being a volunteer. However, volunteerism is transactional and task-oriented. It’s not rooted in intentionality. Utilizing The Ministry of Helps motivates individuals to intentionally use their gifts to build up a church with a vision and plan.
Showcasing ‘The Why’
Powered through The Ministry of Helps, hands-on discipleship can take shape. Remember, discipleship is the ongoing practice of becoming like Jesus through living and spiritual practices. An intentional culture reverts back to its source of truth to draw motivators. It’s important for a church to tie every aspect of what it does and who it serves back to the Word which is ‘The Why’.
Mark 10:45 We’re striving to be more like Jesus, so we, too, should serve.
Colossians 3:23 We serve to please Jesus, not man. External validation shouldn’t become our motivator to serve. Our motivator should be our discipleship.
Matthew 25:40 Whether your service is a part of a church, or a local community, whatever you do for any being you’re doing it for Jesus.To make ‘The Why’ sticky, a church should draw 1-2 supporting scriptures to frame its service culture and convert it into a core value. It’ll be the source of truth a person can reference when tension arises, or self-doubt comes.
Structuring service
Serving in a church has to be monitored to prevent exploitation. A church cannot exploit the services of others. An individual cannot exploit a church.
To proactively combat exploitation, there needs to be parameters on service opportunities. Limit it to two including a leadership role per person. Effectivity is not transactional, or volume based. Effectivity is through intentionality.
Shakespeare’s quote, “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” doesn’t apply in the Church. It’s disheartening to see mediocre results praised as excellence. The results are what the people receive. Don’t deliver less than Jesus’ quality to his people. Having a desire to serve doesn’t mean a person is qualified. Leadership must assess competency, skills, and availability with reputable industry leaders to establish qualifications.
Churches must financially invest in its ministries. Each ministry needs a foundational budget plus an annual deposit. This is tangible support. Ministry leaders shouldn’t be responsible for all ministry fundraising when its efforts benefit a church.
A church’s leadership needs macro and micro views of its ministries’ operations. Assess how the ministries are interconnected, interdependent, siloed, etc. Identify key performance indicators to measure impact. What defines disciple impact? Define what a church’s standard of excellence is. After these areas are answered, it’s important to clearly communicate, disseminate, and periodically revisit with all leaders.
Ministry/life balance is essential. Serving in a church, whether paid or unpaid, cannot be the focal point of anyone’s life. That’s not balance, or discipleship. Discipleship requires us to be present at home, with family and friends, and in community. Members should be encouraged to pursue healthy hobbies and interests outside of church. Stewardship is key for ministry balance. Burnout is a sign of poor stewardship.
Intentionality is key for developing a healthy church culture. A church is known by its disciples. Jesus and his people deserve better. 99 and a half just won’t do.