There are many myths and misconceptions about church health, ministers and ministry. Myths are defined as “an idea or story that many people believe, but that is not true.” Misconceptions refer to “something we don’t see accurately, or our perspective is in some way skewed.” Some believe that leadership in ministry is reserved for the most gifted, the most charismatic personalities and those with the most competent leadership skill sets. If that were true, many of us would need to step aside and get out of the way.
Ministry was never designed to create a culture of “professionalization among the clergy.” This is a reference to the “trend of religious leaders, such as pastors and other clergy members, being treated as professionals with specialized training, skills and knowledge, similar to other professional fields.” It involves a more formal education, certification and professional development. Many of the standards and certifications are beneficial, but the most valuable qualities are a godly calling and character. Matthew 23:11 states, “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.”
One misconception of ministry is that the local church can solve every individual’s problem. Believe it or not, many will come to you, and if you “fix” their issues or problems, they will likely blame you and possibly look for another church. Yes, those are unrealistic expectations, but a culture has been developed that holds the helper to a much higher standard than the one needing help. You should never remove the inherent individual responsibility of every believer and person to obey Christ’s commands and abide in Him.
Another myth is that bigger is definitely better, and if you are not growing, you must be doing something wrong. Evaluation is a valuable tool for identifying areas where improvement is needed. However, you must be very careful not to fall into the temptation of running a marketing ministry more than a local church. Perhaps there has been an overemphasis on “movements” rather than one-on-one discipleship? Andy Johnson with ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism) stated, “They have bought into a myth and hung their hopes and expectations squarely on something that God explicitly says is not theirs to manage and control — the rate and size of the harvest.”
Is there a way to determine a ministry’s capacity, and is there ever a ceiling? Carey Nieuwhof suggests considering three key factors: the leader’s capacity, the community’s size and the organization’s structure for growth. Every leader has a capacity of what he can handle and what his strengths and weaknesses are, based on being uniquely made by God. The Younique training (lifeyounique.com) challenges you as a leader to find your “sweet spot” by determining your passion (What fuels you the most?), your ability (What can you do best?) and your context (Where is your impact the greatest?).
The challenge is to find your sweet spot and quit comparing yourself to other leaders. Stop coveting their gifts. God made you specifically for the assignment He has called you to. Discern which APEST (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, Teacher) gifting God has equipped you with. These are not titles but rather descriptors of His unique design and your primary focus because of the way God hardwired you. Here is what Calling Qualified (callingqualified.org) said: “When each ministry style or gift speaks into the life of the church, the kingdom of God advances powerfully.”
Determining your ministry capacity and ceiling (if there is one) involves assessing both the leader’s capacity and the size of your community. Take out a drafting compass and on a map of your community, draw a circle that encompasses everyone who lives within a thirty-minute drive of where you meet. What is the total number of people living inside that circle? That is your potential, but it is not very realistic. No one reaches 100%, and the Parable of the Sower reminds us that only 25% fell on good ground. The irreducible minimums here are the sowers (you), the seed (the gospel), the soil (those receptive) and the Holy Spirit of God.
The statistics in the United States reveal that on any given Sunday, only 17% of the population is in church. Even in the Bible Belt, that number, at its highest, is around 25%. Take the population in your circle and realize that at least 75% of them need you to sow the seed of the gospel into their lives. If you are in a large city or a densely populated area, the obvious truth is that there is more potential for impact. If your church is rural, you will likely have a smaller congregation. The crazy thing is that it does not always work out that way. “There are big churches in small towns and tiny churches in huge cities.”
There are plenty of reasons why you cannot grow, but please never blame God. What are you doing to reach the people in your circle? God can do anything, and God desires to accomplish a great deal through you in your circle of accountability. The issue may not be demographics, competition, population, people groups or the culture. The problem may be a mindset of a lack of faith.
Here is a key to changing your mindset. First, have faith and then have a singular focus. Don’t look at the masses, but instead focus on the individual faces. Don’t think in terms of plural, but instead think about that one person you need to meet and reach.
Remember what they said about Jesus’ first team? Acts 14:23 makes it pretty clear, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” The third item, which addresses how you are structured for growth, will be covered in the next article.
