It’s All About Relationships
Effective ministry has always been based on great relationships…
It’s usually pretty easy to see the “stuff” of ministry…the programs, activities, resources…the tangible tools that seem to define the basis of our service to others. For quite some time, these elements of ministry, and the excitement and energy created by those engaged in their use, captured much of the attention of church leaders. In that context, a great ministry was one with plenty of “stuff”, including a high-energy ministry team to go with it.
Today, we understand that, regardless of the ministry model and the resources supporting it, the real basis of effectiveness in ministry is the quality of relationships that are formed…relationships between those serving, between those serving and those served, and most importantly, between those in ministry and God. Thankfully, among the many gifts that Jesus has bestowed on us is His model of Christian love and commitment to living “in relationship” with others.
Because of Christ, we are able to minister with others in a manner that helps us to think, decide and act in ways that are more like God’s intentions for us. In that way, we can deal lovingly with the “unlovable”, work productively through conflicts with those whose ideas differ from ours, and deal with challenging situations and circumstances without damaging hearts. Jesus and His disciples set a wonderful 1st century ministry example for us that didn’t rely on trendy curriculum, bigger and better youth events, or PowerPoint slides…just intimate, caring connections with people in need.
The Bible provides us with a powerful theology of relationships that can be the basis for effective ministry today…just as it always has. What is your team doing to ensure that relationships are at the heart of ministry?
March 24, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Very good points. At its core, Christianity is not a religion. It is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
One thing our team is doing is cooperating with other churches to build bridges and show unity. When we build Christ-centered relations with each other, we can better show those “in the world” what it means to be a Christian.
Thanks for the site. Keep up the good work.
March 26, 2007 at 4:04 pm
This is an uplifting perspective for churches that may not have a lot of money and resources to do “exciting, resource-rich” ministry. With sincere, caring adults who are committed to working with kids and to forming great relationships, they really can make a difference.
May 11, 2007 at 6:00 pm
[...] on what we at LOGOS call the foundational elements of ministry to children. These are: a. Theology of Relationships - where there is a focus on relationships with adults, peers and God. b. Process of Call – [...]