Ministry Focus & Equipping | Christian Ministry Training Blog

Objective for Staffing in the Church

Posted on November 20, 2019 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

Do you want to get beyond merely filling positions in your staffing efforts? Then you need to make it about getting the right person for the right ministry at the right time so you can most effectively accomplish God’s work His way.

Read Get Church Staffing Right to learn more about getting the right person for the right ministry at the right time.

Objective for Church Staffing Ministry Must Include Accomplishing God’s Work His Way

To aim at this objective we need a good understanding of the way God accomplishes His work which includes these elements:

1) God’s design for the Church

2) God’s purpose for the Church

Until we get to the core of his design and purpose for the Church, we’ll be more likely to merely spin our wheels in staffing so take time to learn more by clicking on the above links.

To learn more about staffing in the Church, order the Staffing Ministry Manual. It looks five different elements of staffing that can help you accomplish this objective.

Serving God Effectively

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

To serve God effectively, we need to know the the big picture so we have a blueprint to follow. We need to know what makes ministry work which requires a guidebook. We need a standard against which to measure. And, we also need a means to accomplish all that it takes to effectively serve, some sort of enablement.

The following principles for serving God effectively are included in the overview section of the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool Download which also includes a section with more help on ministry effectiveness.

Principles for Serving God Effectively

If we abide by these four principles, we’ll have what we need to effectively serve God.

1) Follow God’s design for the Church. — the blueprint

For More: Body Life Resources

2) Adhere to principles in God’s Word. — the guidebook

For More: Bible Study Resources

3) Measure what you do against God’s character. — the standard

For More: Theology Resources

4) Use God’s power and grace in accordance with the spiritual gifts He has given you. — the means

For More: Spiritual Gifts Resources

Notice the emboldened words — God’s design, God’s character, God’s Word, and God’s power. Serving God effectively is about what God does in and through us, not what we do.

Benefits of a Shepherding Ministry

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

Training Category: Shepherding Ministry

God’s Word compares people to sheep.

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Ps. 100:3)

To help us know the benefits of a Shepherding Ministry, then, we need to make some parallels.

Sheep are most productive when they are properly tended to (nutrition, protection, shelter, water) and cared for (affection) by the shepherd.
The ultimate goal is that sheep produce wool, offspring, or good meat.

What are the Benefits of a Shepherding Ministry?

The objective for the shepherding ministry in the church is to help people become more Christ-like and bear fruit. This happens best through a shepherding ministry as we similarly tend to the spiritual welfare of people.

When shepherding is intentional, regular, and consistent . . .

Communication is deliberate;

Connectedness is deepened;

Christ-likeness is developed.

Learn more about how to shepherd God’s people in ways that lead to the development of Christ-likeness and spiritual fruit in the Shepherding Ministry Manual. (The manual includes this article.)

Bible Verses for Ministry Teamwork

Posted on October 9, 2019 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

While we do not find Bible verses using the terms ministry teams or teamwork, we do find plenty of Scripture about how to function as a team. Of significance, note how many descriptions of the Church suggest the need to function as a team. Each of the following are entities that are considered a unit yet composed of many diverse parts that must function a certain way for maximum efficiency, productivity, and unity.
Ministry Teamwork Because the Church is Many Yet One

body (Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27)
household/family of believers (Gal. 6:10)
spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5)
holy priesthood (1 Pet. 2:5, 9)
a holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9)

Members Functioning as a Team Seen in these Bible Verses for Ministry Teamwork

We need some core biblically-based beliefs if we’re going to serve according to God’s design for interdependence and unity out of diversity — functioning as a team. Below you’ll find two of the six points found in the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool. That resource identifies Ministry Teamwork as one of nine key elements needed for doing ministry God’s way.

When we believe every individual is significant, diversity is sought, welcomed, respected, valued, and pulled upon.

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Rom. 12:4-5)

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. (1 Cor. 12:12)

Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? (1 Cor. 12:14-17)

When we believe in the importance of every person having a unique contribution to make, we’ll encourage them to do their part according to their best fit.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. (Rom. 12:3-6a)

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. (1 Cor. 12:17-18)

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; … But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. (Eph. 4:4-7)

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. (Eph. 4:16)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Pet. 4:10-11)

Different Types of Leaders to Help Us Accomplish God’s Work

Posted on September 25, 2019 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

Training Category: Leadership Ministry
God's Handiwork to Accomplish God's Work

Though we aren’t saved “by” good works (Eph. 2:8-9), we are saved “for” good works in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:10).

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

God not only planned out what we should do but also provided the help we need to accomplish His Work through gifted leaders.

How God Used Different Types of Leaders to Help Us Accomplish His Work

We can identify three different types of leaders based on spiritual gifting who each contribute in special ways to the accomplishment of God’s work.

God has provided us with shepherding types of leaders, with the gift of pastor, to build people up to prepare and equip them to do those good works.

People matter because “we are His workmanship”.

God has provided the Church with administrative types of leaders, with the gift of administration, to help us effectively implement the tasks God has given us to do.

Task matters because we were “created in Christ Jesus to do GOOD works”.

God has provided visionary types of leaders, with the gift of leadership, to help us see what those good works might be.

Goals matter because we aim at what He has “prepared in advance for us to do”.

Learn More About These Different Kinds of Leadership Approaches:

The Leadership Ministry Manual includes content similar to this page plus more. It considers how these leaders affect church life in general.

The Balance in Church Leadership Based on Spiritual Gifting resource looks at how the different leaders approach various leadership tasks and responsibilities.

(Both of these resources can be ordered together in the Balanced Church Leadership Bundle for a more comprehensive view. Or, you can get either of them separately.)

Bible Verses for Ministry Recruitment

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

God recruited mankind from the beginning to participate in His work as we see in His assignment of people to rule over His creation (Gen. 1:28-29). In addition to specific Bible verses, we can learn from His example in recruiting people. Following are some examples:

Moses to lead the exile (Ex. 3-4)
David to be king (1 Samuel 16:1-13)
Isaiah to be His spokesperson (Isa. 6)
Jesus’ Twelve Disciples (Matt. 4:18-19, 21; 9:9)
Paul to be His Apostle (Acts 9:3)

Learn from Relevant Bible Verses for Ministry Recruitment

Principles from Bible Verses for Ministry Recruitment Move It from Being a Drudgery

The following Bible verses have relevance to ministry recruitment. Applying these principles to the way we recruit should positively affect the way we approach the task of recruiting.

God’s criteria in recruiting differs from the world’s standard.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7)

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Cor. 1:26-30)

We need to communicate the value of everybody’s part in ministry, no matter what we’re recruiting them for.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Cor. 12:21-27)

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. (Eph. 4:16)

Recruitment should take people’s spiritual gifts into consideration as God expects them to be used.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Rom. 12:6-8)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Pet. 4:10-11)

Prayer should be an integral part of our recruitment efforts.

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matt. 9:37-38)

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles . . . (Lk. 6:12-16)

Think about recruitment in terms of passing on an entrustment, not merely filling positions.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Tim. 2:2)

For More Help with Recruitment and Other Staffing Issues, Go To: Staffing Ministry Manual