That is a question I hear from all different types of churches and ministries. And it makes sense, since to grow and expand means more people reached and more people served. When I hear that question, I sometimes like to tweak it a bit. What happens if we replace “our ministry” with “a new ministry” or even “a new church”? Does that change your motivation level at all? How much do you want to invest in kingdom growth and expansion if the majority of the work (and credit) will be done by others? The issue at hand is whether or not you have an outward focus.
Outward Focus
An outward focus means looking outside the walls of your own church. It means being more concerned about reaching out and meeting the needs of the community around you than you are about the level of comfort inside the church. For most churches, it’s much easier to look inside the church—at things like budget, staffing, buildings, attendance, etc. Yet those things are actually a means to an end. What is the end? The mission of the church to go and make disciples (Matt 28).
Expand the Ministry
For established ministry leaders, supporting up and coming, outwardly focused leaders may very well be some of the most effective ways to grow and expand the Kingdom of God. Consider your level of willingness and your level of generosity with the time and resources at your disposal. Reflect on these questions and open yourself up to listening to the Holy Spirit to see what God might have for you.
- What if your current contribution might be to help someone else plant a new church or ministry?
- How can you prepare your heart and mind to coach or mentor a church planter?
- Are you willing to release some of your best leaders to help in the effort?
- How can you adjust your budget to provide startup financial funding?
Resources
Continuous Multiplication Storyboard with Coaching Guide– In order to achieve extensive and lasting missional ministries, there is a need for a paradigm shift from growth by addition to growth by multiplication. This Coaching Guide and Storyboard outline a basic structure and the right questions to start asking as you work with individuals to move their multiplying, kingdom-focused ministry forward.
The Church Planting Journey- This book is a comprehensive guide for the church planter. It is the culmination of experience that includes being a church planter myself, and coaching and consulting church planters for more than 40 years. Within the pages of The Church Planting Journey, you will find wisdom, systems, and processes that can help you launch successful church planters.
Photo by Diana Vargas on Unsplash