Effects of Busyness on the Life of the Church

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Effects of Our Busyness on Others in the Church
The busyness of individual believers affects not only their own lives but also the life of the church in many ways. As Christians we should be concerned that what we do is beneficial and constructive not just for ourselves but for others.

How the Personal Busyness of Christians Affects Church Life

Here are just some of the ways peoples’ busy lifestyles affect the whole Church.

Attendance:

People constantly make choices about what they view as important enough to fit into their busy schedules.  Sometimes sleeping in, family time, work, sports events, or some other activity will take priority over regular church programs; how much more for training or other special events.

Fellowshipping with one another:

In a busy world, time and availability are a rare commodity but it takes time to get to know people.  How are we to fellowship with one another if we do not spend time with one another?  (Heb. 10:25)

Recruitment:

The number one reason ministry leaders tend to hear for people not serving, according to a poll taken on the MinTools.com site, is busyness. How do we motivate people to get involved in the work of the church and ministry when their schedules are already full?

How well people do in their ministry responsibilities:

Busyness affects our ability to be reliable in the little things.  Little things add up to a big picture.  Whether they simply feel too depleted to put their best into the ministry or they run out of time to tend to all the details, busy people often do just what they must to get by. Read: Busyness Affects Ministry

Corporate Worship:

Worship does not begin and end in a worship service.  If we are not presenting our lives to God throughout the week, we will have little to bring into the worship service to add into the collective expression of praise.  God looks at the big picture, not simply that moment.  He sees the heart.

Helping One Another with Perspective About Time

Let’s help each other remember that there will come a day when time will be no more.

NOW is what we have to work with here on this earth.  You or those you know may be in heaven tomorrow.  That thought should challenge us in the way we use our time.

Heaven will be the culmination of our love relationship with the Lord.  Let’s not let busyness rob us of nurturing that relationship now.  Let’s take time to talk with Him and to let Him speak with us through His Word … today!

Let’s help one another identify lies we might believe about our need to be busy and what we can or can’t do about it.

Perhaps we’re letting the world define what’s most important in life. Maybe we’ve allowed Satan to deceive our minds. For how, read: Combatting the Lies about Busyness

Let’s help each other learn to live in light of eternity, using our time in ways that count not just for today but for eternity.  When we do, we will follow the words of Ephesians 5:15-16

Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.

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Keeping Issues from Blocking Church Growth & Health

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We want to see our churches grow and become spiritually healthy. Yet, church leaders must deal with many issues that can prevent or stunt reaching those objectives. We can, and should, learn as much as we can about the obstacles but keeping issues from blocking church growth and health requires aligning with God’s overall purposes for the Church.

Objective to Grow & Become Spiritually Healthy

First spend some time reflecting on your desire for church growth and health. Ask God to help you understand your part in it and how to handle blockages to that growth. Here are some articles and books that can help you grasp a better understanding of this objective:

Issues That Might Be Blocking the Realization of These Objectives

Obstacles of both a physical and spiritual nature can sometimes block church growth and health. This post won’t provide solutions but rather point to other resources for you to read, reflect on, and pray about.

  1. Physical concerns like safety and legal issues can get in the way of spiritual growth and health if not dealt with effectively. They could become distractions and even cause people to become disillusioned with the church. Perhaps the following resources can help you with these kinds of issues:
  1. Sometimes people stray from God and His ways. Similar to the account of Achan in the Old Testament whose disobedience to God affected the whole camp (Josh. 7), so will sin left unchecked in the Church lessen its light and saltiness in the world (Matt. 5:13-16). If the people in the church act and react no better than everyone else, what’s the benefit of becoming part of it? Church leaders can find help thinking about their role in these situation in the following resources:
  1. When conflict festers in a church, it tends to derail real ministry and can even lead to division. Jesus clearly stated that a house “divided against itself will not stand” (Matt. 12:25). Leaders can become so consumed with putting out relational fires that they have little left to steer the church toward health and growth. If we can’t reconcile with one another and find ourselves wrapped up in political power plays, how are we any different than the world around us?

Keeping These Issues from Blocking Church Growth & Health Requires Aligning with God’s Purposes

We must always remember what Jesus identified as the Greatest Commandments — to love Him with all of who we are which spills over into loving others (Matt. 22:37-40). Jesus also said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (Jn. 13:34-35). Church life will at times get messy as a diverse group of people come together as one living in a world full of trouble (Jn. 16:33). But, if we keep bringing each other back into alignment with God’s overriding purposes, we will overcome and continue to grow and mature in Him. To keep from letting issues destroy and divide rather than build up and propel us, we need to “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8). Use the resources below to work through how to continue on this pursuit:

Keeping Issues from Blocking Church Growth & Health Requires Aligning with God’s Purposes

More Help for Leaders: Leadership Resources

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First Steps to Change

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Churches have had to implement change in many ways to stay effective, especially in recent years. How will we help people see where the church is going and their part in that process? Before trying to implement change, especially that which affects the church’s culture or DNA, we need to follow some important first steps to change.

Three Important First Steps to Change

If we’re going to effectively implement change, we can’t rush into it without doing these three steps:

  • Make Sure to Lay the Groundwork

To come onboard, people need to understand not just what changes must be made but why change is necessary. Simply telling them changes we’ve decided on will give them little incentive to do their part. When they are involved early on in the decision-making process, they’ll tend to have more of a sense of ownership of the changes needed and hence be more involved in getting there. We need to patiently lay some groundwork, asking ourselves questions like:

  • What do people need to understand in order to come onboard?
  • What means can we use to help them gain that understanding?
  • How can we consistently communicate that understanding?
  • Make Sure Leadership is Onboard

We will lay groundwork through teaching but that needs to be reinforced by the example of leadership. People must see a consistency between what we communicate formally and what they observe informally. Let’s first get leadership in the church on the same page and then move out to getting the rest of the Body onboard.

  • Make Sure to Get on Page with God

All of this needs to be enveloped in prayer. Undoubtedly heart change must happen, not just behavioral conformity. That requires divine power. If we fail to get beyond behavioral conformity, we probably won’t experience lasting change.

  • Pray in the planning stage.
  • Pray while laying the groundwork.
  • Pray in the implementation stage.
  • Pray when evaluating results.

First Things First Before Implementing Change

Too often we skip these first steps. Then we wonder why change is so difficult or why it doesn’t last or make a real difference. The third step listed above should actually be the first step in the process and infiltrate the other steps. — We need to be on page with God.

First Steps to Change Include Following the Chief Shepherd, Head of the CHurchChanges we make in the church must be more than the idea of an individual leader or leadership team. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4) so we follow Him. We, as the entire Body of Christ, need to be following the direction of the Head of the Church.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Eph. 1:22-23)

… Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. (Eph. 5:23)

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Col. 1:18)

So, first things first. Get on page with God, make sure leadership is onboard, and be sure to lay the groundwork with the rest of the Body. Then it will be time to start implementing change.

Also Check Out: Church Leaders & Change Management

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A Changing Church Still Fulfills God’s Mission

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Though the Church is changing, not everything changes. In addition to continuing to fulfill God’s purposes and live within His design for the Church, we’re also still on the same mission — Jesus’ mission to “go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:18-20).

This mission doesn’t end when life gets difficult or changes. We have the promise of Jesus’ presence “to the very end of the age” so we always have the power needed to 1) reach out to those who feel hopeless and need the Lord, and 2) help those who do hope in the Lord to deepen their faith so they don’t lose heart but rather live in the fullness of life and joy Jesus came to bring us (Jn. 10:10).

Thoughts for a Changing Church Fulfilling God’s Mission to Make Disciples

As a Church, we must make the most of every opportunity to reach out to those around us (Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5) as we go and make disciples of all peoples. That means we may need to learn new ways to present the Gospel and truth of God’s Word. We must learn to adapt as the Apostle Paul expressed in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. He said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” To keep that mindset from turning into compromising, always remember these truths:

  • Discipleship will continue to be founded upon the truth of God’s Word which does not change.

faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Rom. 10:17)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (Jn. 8:32)

  • The best discipleship practices will continue to grow out of relationships.

Read through the New Testament Gospel books and note all the time Jesus spent with His disciples. So, even in a digital age, relationships matter. Perhaps there will be times more of our discipling efforts will happen digitally. Nonetheless, even then we need to build into it times for questions, feedback, debriefing, and praying together. Where possible, it would be good to plan for at least one initial in-person contact to help lay the relational foundation.

For Additional Help on Fulfilling God’s Mission to Make Disciples:

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A Changing Church Still Follows God’s Design

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God's Design for the Church as a BodyGod designed the Church to function like a Body which requires interdependence. As members of one another (Rom. 12:5), we demonstrate concern for each other so that “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). That takes interaction, fellowship that goes below the surface.

God’s Design Requires Meeting Together

God’s design for the Church obviously provides the reason behind the command for “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).

Notice in that verse that the objective of meeting together is to provide a venue for “encouraging one another” which, if it was important back then, how much more as we “see the Day approaching” even closer.

Certainly the intent of that verse is for physically meeting in the same place with one another. Back then, however, they didn’t have phones and the Internet so meeting together by calling, texting, video chatting, and other technological platforms wasn’t possible. The only way they could meet together was in the same physical location.

God’s Design Still Works Today for a Changing Church

Keep in mind that the true objective of meeting together, according to Hebrews 10:25, is to provide opportunity to encourage one another. So,

what we do when we meet is as important, if not more important, than the fact that we meet together.

Traditional worship services, whether live or streaming video, often provide one-way communication with minimal opportunity for connecting. So, if it’s not happening much in one setting, are we providing other venues? Are we truly living out God’s design for the Church in the way we function?

Following God’s design leads to true community wherein we encourage and build each other up, which requires connecting and communicating with one another. We have so many means of connecting and communicating today that we’re without excuse for not meeting in some way.

  • Think through a variety of ways we can connect and communicate. If we rely on one means of connecting and communicating with people, what about those who aren’t connecting that way? Everyone in the Body matters. No one should fall through the cracks.
  • Think about all the different members of your church body. Has everyone been contacted at least once in the past month? If not, how will you learn their needs? How will they know you care?

Body Life doesn’t require a building or programs. It happens when we reach out and care for one another, wherever we may be. It happens by making simple connections and communication with one another in order to encourage each other. Though communication may be at it’s best when we’re physically present, it doesn’t have to become more shallow when done through technological means. We can still have the same types of discussions or conversations. We can still connect, experiencing fellowship with one another through a wide variety of means.

Resources to Help You Follow God’s Design for the Church:

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A Changing Church Still Maintains God’s Primary Purposes

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Resources about God's Purposes
Click image for resources to learn more about God’s purposes to love.

While much will change in our churches, not everything must or should change. For example, God’s primary purposes for His people to love God with all of who we are and to love others (Matt. 22:37-40), remains the top priority.

Read: Have a Church Purpose Based on the Greatest Commandments to Love?

Any changes we make need to align with this primary purpose for without love, we’re just “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1-3).

How Do We Maintain God’s Primary Purposes Despite the Need to Change the Way We “Do” Church?

While we might not be able to “do” church as usual, we can still be the Church by fulfilling God’s purposes to love.

We have many, many ways to express love to God. It might look different, but as His people, we still make it a priority to demonstrate our love to God.

The question isn’t “if” we worship but rather “how” we can do it in ways that are safe, considerate, and respectful for worship leaders as well as the Body.

The question isn’t “if” we help people learn about God but rather what the best platforms might be for doing that.

The question isn’t “if” we pray together as a church but rather when and where.

And, we still have many ways to show God’s love to one another. It might require more planning and creativity but loving one another as He loves remains a priority.

The question isn’t “if” we can do outreach but rather what the most effective means of doing so might be.

The question isn’t “if” we fellowship with one another but rather the format ongoing interaction with each other might have to take.

The question isn’t “if” we help one another in practical ways (benevolence) but rather how to best utilize the resources we have in the context in which we live.

We’ve grown accustom to worshiping, Bible learning, praying, outreach, fellowship, and benevolence happening in certain ways. Perhaps it’s time to remember “why” we do these things — to show love to God and people. Like the Church of Ephesus, in Revelation 2, we can be “doing” all the right things, even endure hardship, yet miss the mark if our love has grown cold.

As we navigate changes ahead, let’s view them as opportunities to re-examine our motivations and priorities. If we’re having a difficult time letting go of old strategies and programs, let’s ask why.

Resources to Help Maintain God’s Purposes to Love:

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