Monday, June 21, 2010

The Blessings of 'every member ministry' thinking

One of the things I have been trying to create a buzz about this year is 'every member ministry'. The unashamed goal is for everyone to know and think that they are as much a minister as someone with a Rev in front of their name. In our context of middle-class suburbia I want our people to think 'we are ministers in the urban jungle; we are missionaries to the Parish of Norwest'. I want people to get to the point were they feel equipped and ready for the task of being a missionary and I see my job as one of helping them for this task. As Eph 4 says

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building
up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ,

As I was shifting through some notes from a conference I was at with Mark Dever last year I came across his 14 blessings of every member ministry. I haven't got explanations for them all unfortunately.

1. Blessing of perspective: especially to the Pastor to know it is not all up to him
2. Blessing of fellowship: encourage others in ministry
3. Blessing of growth: there is a new completeness in the believer
4. Blessing of relationship: a depth
5. Blessing of seriousness
6. Blessing of obedience
7. Blessing of service: from consumers to 'where is that person?' How can I follow them up? A move to contributors to the gathering
8. Blessing of maturity
9. Blessing of resources:
10. Blessing of priesthood: it takes seriously the 'priesthood of all believers'.
11. Blessing of efficiency
12. Blessing of corporate responsibility
13. Blessing of witness: the more people are involved the greater the witness. Don't underestimate the power of corporate witness. I remember the story he told of a Professor in Sociology who became a Christian at his church because of the way the people related to each other.
14. Blessing of perseverance

Looking back on them now, I wish that I had taken better notes!

2 comments:

Russell Smidt said...

nice new look dave.

good reminder too as i lock back in post holidays

Dave said...

Thanks Rusty!
Hope you had a good holiday!

I will post the second part of Dever's talk today at some point which was about the dangers, challenges and cautions in every member ministry thinking. And then tomorrow, his answer in how best to get multiplying of ministry.