A post from my Monday morning column at Zondervan’s ministry blog, Engaging Church. This one is on the types of ministry models we employ. Yes models are generalizations, but without them no one can realize a dream and vision for a preferred future. So how are you realizing that dream in your church ministry? (Read the full column HERE.)
A.) The Pastoral Model—This model has served many traditions whose basic building blocks are small, stable flocks and a loving, multi-talented maintenance-oriented shepherd. It emphasizes simple means of grace, Sunday school classes, and growing through births and shrinking through deaths. Under this model maintenance of the status quo is common.
B.) The Attractional Model—Key to this model is suiting the message, music, and method to the tastes of the community. This model catches up with new forms of music, art, and architecture and draws people in who would otherwise be turned off to church. As a result the model catapults churches onto a platform within the community by being relevant.
C.) The Influential Model—This model believes attracting people isn’t enough. It also believes that while people need the gospel, they also need food, clothing, shelter, advocacy, and healing. And in order to get these things to people in need the church must go out into the community to where they live and work. Focus is placed less on the church and more on the larger Kingdom.
So A, B, or C. Where do you see your ministry generally falling?
I’ve experienced all three models in my short 32 years of existence. I grew up under option A. Was part of a successful option B church in Washington DC. And then left that church for option C when I became a disillusioned post-evangelical. Looking back I see value in all three—each option at some level can be healthy and effective. Yet I’ve wondered
what if there is an option D?
Randy Pope believes he’s stumbled across that option. And in his new book INsourcing: Bringing Discipleship Back to the Local Church he brilliantly shares and explores that 4th option for all our benefit. It’s a solid resource that will help your church reach it’s goal of forming mature and equipped believers by bringing back option D.
“What if the pastoral/attractional model of church produces an army of Christians who are consumeristic, shallow, and bland? And what if the influential model of church cranked out wild-eyed activists who do loving acts without the love that springs from spiritual maturity? What if the church marched on, resolutely doing many of the right things, but without being the right people?” (25)
In response to these “what-ifs” Randy has gravitated to option D, a model he calls the Life-on-Life model.
[…]
Essentially Randy is trying to bring discipleship back to the local church as a ministry model. And the reason why is because he has found it to be the only model that actually helps his church reach its target goal of forming mature, equipped followers of Christ. For Randy, a mature and equipped believer is someone who:
- is living consistently under the control of the Holy Spirit, the direction of the Word of God, and the compelling love of Christ;
- has discovered, developed, and us using their spiritual gifts;
- has learned to effectively share their faith, while demonstrating a radical love that amazes those it touches;
- gives evidence of being a faithful member of God’s church • an effective manager of life, relationships, and resources • a willing minister to others • and an available messenger to nonkingdom people;
- demonstrates a life characterized as gospel driven • worship focused • morally pure • evangelistically bold • discipleship grounded • family faithful • socially responsible (15)
Consider again your option choice. If the goal and target of ministry is forming people as spiritually mature and equipped followers of Christ, are you hitting your mark? Is your ministry reaching it’s goal?
While pastoral/attractional and influential models are helpful ministry guides, they don’t seem to accomplish the only target that’s worth hitting: forming people in such a way that they do what Jesus did. A discipleship-centric ministry does. And Randy shows us ministry leaders a way forward.
