"Yes" to Ministry in the Right Place
Any given Sunday, on any church campus, there are people carrying out a multitude of tasks, from parking cars, to caring for children to singing in a choir and countless other things.
In one place I served we counted and determined that 78% of our members had said 'yes' to serving in some capacity in one of our ministries.
Every Christ-follower is equipped by the Holy Spirit to do ministry. Every church carries the responsibility to help a person determine where they can serve best...not where is the church's biggest need.
Too often I have seen people recruited to fill a pressing ministry need and say yes because of 'staff persuasion,' only to find out later that they were not called, nor equipped to meet the need.
A church functions better when there is a plan and process in place to help a person determine their calling and identify their gifts. A plan could easily start at a new member orientation.
- interview the person to see what skills they may have that would translate to ministry
- give the person spiritual gifts analysis to help them identify their God given gifts
- ask questions that would help you understand where the person's passions are
Once these simple steps are complete you can then
- direct the person to a specific ministry area
- or encourage a ministry leader with whom there seems to be a connection, to the persons gifts/talents/passion, to make contact
When a person says yes to the right ministry they
- serve longer
- feel connection to the church
- find fulfillment
- stay at the church longer
- are happier church members
Getting people involve in ministry keeps the church going and growing and building the kingdom of God. Getting the right people in the right ministry takes some planning, but it is well worth the effort. No one plan to do so will fit every church, but every church needs a plan.
Does your church have a plan for identifying people who want to serve and where they would serve best?
Where do you serve?
