We already know “what to do,” but as we grow, we need to become more intentional about “HOW we do what we do”; what are the criteria by which we make decisions? What are the essential values that guide our decision-making? How do we maintain focused and healthy ministry? How do we communicate well between various areas of the church? And importantly, how do we as clergy and staff—equip, train, support, and resource lay leadership in ways that help you accomplish the tasks, for which God has called you?
My calling for the past four decades has been in non-profit organizational leadership and strategic, missional thinking, I have learned over the years that Christ calls us to build both impactful AND sustainable ministry in a hurting world. This requires not only “doing ministry” but developing structures for “HOW we best can sustain ministry.” Good structures allow for growth with integrity. Good systems helps us maintain who and whose we are. We are part of the Body of Christ, called to worship and serve, in this place… at this time… and in ways that allow us to grow and thrive.
Paul reminds us in Colossians 1:18a that “Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.” In Romans, Paul expands upon the importance of each member of the body being able to express the gifts provided by the Holy Spirit, for the unity and mission of the church:
“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” Romans 12:4-8
So for a body to function, it requires several internal systems to work well, especially during times of growth or rigorous exercise. At Servants, God has given us a new building and instilled in us a continuing commitment of “making disciples, learning to do all that Jesus said.” During this time of transition, I have been able to communicate with several people in our fellowship to learn more about structure and individual roles (remember, Kathy and I are still relatively new). Fr. Alex has tracked my progress closely and we meet weekly to process any suggestions. Our intention is to have new organizational processes in place by the annual meeting in January. We will continue to prayerfully improve upon these structures over time and modify them as needed.
This brings us back to our opening scripture from Proverbs: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” We are trusting God to determine our steps that allows us to grow and reach many new people who are currently without a church home—while carefully maintaining a healthy community of believers who love each other and the mission before us. Pray for Godly wisdom in each step as we make our plans. God is working… in our church, and through our members, for the sake of others. What an exciting time to be part of Servants of Christ Anglican Church!
Dcn Bob Ayres
A lover of great coffee, Bob especially enjoys sharing a cup with his wife, Kathy. They have been married over forty years and have five grown children and ten amazing grandchildren. Bob and Kathy are the founders of Deaf Teen Quest, a national ministry of Youth for Christ USA where Bob is still on staff. Bob has a Doctorate of Ministry and two masters degrees and was recently ordained to the diaconate in the Anglican Church. His undergraduate degree is in education from the University of Florida. But most importantly, Bob loves Jesus because Jesus loved him first.