Archive for June, 2009

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One Verse Says It All

Monday, June 29th, 2009

If I had to give a Scripture verse defining why I do what I do as director of Ministry Tools Resource Center, I would choose Ephesians 4:16.  It has long been the passion of my heart to see the Body of Christ line up with God’s purpose and objective for the Church and to get there following His design.

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

This verse sums it up:

1)  The Church’s Identity:  the Body of Christ (”from him the whole body”)

The church is a living organism made up of many different parts under the leadership of the Head, Jesus Christ.  Out of this diversity comes unity.  We are one in Him.

—So, I had to develop a section just on Body Life.

2)  The Church’s Objective:   ”grows and builds itself up”

The Church should be growing numerically through new converts and qualitatively with one another  –reaching out but also building one another up …. both, not either/or.

—So, I knew ministry training had to include outreach ministry but also shepherding, prayer, worship, teaching, and more.

3)  The Church’s Purpose:  “in love”

Love, the greatest commandment according to Jesus, unites us (Col.2:2) and so over all the different virtues we can and should exhibit in our lives we must “put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (Col. 3:14).  We “live a life of love, just as Christ loved us” (Eph. 5:1-2).  We “do everything in love” (1 Cor. 16:14).  We “serve one another in love” (Gal. 5:13) and “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15).  Above all, we are to “love each other deeply” (1 Peter. 4:8) and  “increase and overflow” in that love (1 Thess. 3:12).

—So, I wanted a section devoted solely to the Church’s Purpose to love God and love people out of which the church ministries would flow.

4)  The Church’s Design:  “as each part does its work”

The Church was made to best function as an interdependent unit.  All parts are needed (1 Cor. 12:21-26).  Every believer has something to contribute (1 Cor. 12:7).

—So, with everybody doing their part as the means through which this all happens, I had to make teaching on Spiritual Gifts a core value around which the site would be built.

 Here are some other articles on the MinTools.com site on Ephesians 4:16.  Isn’t it amazing how much can come out of just one verse?

God’s Bueprint for Church Growth: An Exposition of Eph. 4:16

God’s Body Building Plan

I told you — this one verse says it all.  Now, may the Church be the Church!

Posted in Church Life | No Comments »

Will the Summer Slump Lead to a Frazzled Fall?

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Summer tends to be slower with orders here at Ministry Tools Resource Center.   Then, all of the sudden sometime around mid to late August orders start to peak to some of their highest levels … as though all of the sudden the reality of the fall being upon us has hit and materials are needed right away.

It’s been that way since beginning this ministry in 1999.  Because it is an equipping ministry dealing with on-going church life, this ministry tends to ebb and flow with the church calendar. 

Due to vacationing members and resultant attendance fluctuation, some churches only do the minimum during the summer months and so they don’t think about church life as much.  Ministry leaders also often take their  vacations during the summer months and try to spend more time with the family.

A good number of churches are pouring their time and energy into Vacation Bible School or summer camping programs and so their primary focus tends to be off of the normal ministry flow.

I would like to encourage you to enjoy the summer but also to remember to work ahead to fall ministry needs  — curriculum, small groups, recruiting, teacher training and other ministry training, etc.

  1. Spend time in prayer for God’s wisdom in planning and preparing for His desires to be accomplished.
  2. Take time to evaluate and peruse curriculum and training materials in light of the answers you got when you did the above number one suggestion … and get them ordered and ready to go.
  3. Start recruiting for the fall before the end of the summer.  Give people time to pray and prepare their hearts for the upstart of fall ministries.
  4. Distribute materials and inform people of schedules early enough so they aren’t left wandering and frustrated about their responsibilities come the fall.

Why go into the fall frazzled because of last minute preparations?  Use the summer slump to prayerfully work ahead in a relaxed frame of mind.

Of course I realize that some of you do prepare well in advance.  I’ve seen a few orders come through for the Christmas curriculum in the early spring already.  And some of you are now getting ready for the fall/winter ministries.  But, I do believe there are also many out there for whom the summer slump will lead to a frazzled fall if they don’t soon start preparing.

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Why Don’t We Train Everyone for Ministry?

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Regardless of

position (how high or how low)

tasks (how minor or how major)

experience (how long or how short)

training (how prepared or how unprepared)

Regardless … we all have something to learn.  None of us have arrived … in our personal walks or in our ministry service.

“Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”  –the Apostle Paul (Phil. 3:12)

Perhaps we resist training everyone because of past reactions.  People don’t seem interested.  They don’t attend.  They don’t need one more thing to do.

Not interested?  Perhaps they aren’t finding it relevant and therefore lack a reason to be interested.  When we use a one-size-fits-all approach, meeting the needs of ministry workers is hit or miss.

Don’t attend?  Perhaps the time doesn’t suit.  Perhaps they find it hard to sit through a meeting.  When we fail to provide alternative means of training, gaining their participation is an uphill battle.

Too busy?  Perhaps the real issue is that they don’t view it as a priority.  We tend to find the time to do what we view as important.  When we make training simply about doing a better job, getting people on board might be all the harder if they feel they are doing a good enough job.  When we make serving more about lining up with the Almighty God and working in cooperation with Him, people just may find themselves thinking twice about equipping.

At minimum, we should be giving everyone in ministry a big picture perspective of the area of ministry in which they are engaged.  What does God want to do through that kind of ministry?  How can we line up with Him and work in cooperation with Him?

The Ministry Manuals published by Ministry Tools Resource Center can help you with that.  They are available individually for eleven different ministry areas as downloads or books or as a download bundle deal.

If you haven’t been training everyone for ministry, think and pray about it.  It may seem a bit overwhelming, but what are some first steps that can be taken toward that objective?

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Declaration of Independence, But Are You Free?

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

On the Fourth of July, we celebrate our freedom here in the United States.  The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, formally declaring the colonies as free and independent states.  That freedom came with a price but the benefit is still felt today, over two hundred years later.  We demonstrate a loyalty to our country, observing our patriotism by flying our flagsAmerican Flags at Oriental Trading and with parades, speeches, the pageantry of cannon and gun shots, fireworks, picnics and the like.

Whether or not we live in a free country, we can still be free in a way that supersedes any kind of physical freedom.  A price was paid by Jesus shedding His own blood so that we can be free from sin.  Over 2000 years later, the benefits are still felt today.  No longer bound by sin, our loyalty shifts to Him.  We celebrate by worshiping and living for Him.

Part of the problem of being free, whether that is as a country or spiritually, is that we can abuse that freedom or take it for granted.  In pursuit of personal freedom, we can offend others and stifle their freedom.  We can become inconsiderate and intolerant, not thinking of the other person because “we have rights.”  In reality, don’t we then become bound in our own selfishness ambition?

Be care, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. (1 Cor. 8:9)

You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command:  Love your neighbor as yourself. (Gal. 5:13-14)

Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.  Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers fear God, honor the king. (1 Pet. 2:16-17)

Spiritual freedom is what enables us to properly express physical independence and live victoriously in physical bondage.  We have higher principles to attain to than “my rights.”

Posted in Independence Day | No Comments »

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