I remember being in seminary and having to learn the 5 functions of the church. It seemed as if that was the seminary answer for every question asked in the section of the seminary I was affiliated with at the time. Fast forward several years and I read a book by Rick Warren called The Purpose Driven Church. I dismissed the book as something that was a rehash of seminary stuff and I wanted new cutting edge measures. It wasn’t until I began serving on the staff that I presently serve, that I realized how important the 5 purposes of the church really are to the health and the well being of the church. Evangelism, worship, discipleship, service, and community are to the life of the church what the food pyramid is to the body. I use that as an illustration only. The 5 purposes (functions in seminary terms) help to provide balance for the local church and keep the body from over emphasizing in one area too much. The over emphasis in one purpose can lead to unhealthy spiritual bodies, just as eating too many sweets can to a physical body. I am not going to go into a discussion of the book here in this entry, you can read the book yourself and decide if you think what I say is true. The 5 purposes of the church help to promote church health in the local body of Christ.
A Typical Work Week
Someone in our Ministry Leadership Class asked “What does a typical work week look like for a pastor?” I think we all understand that in any given church their are different roles that we all have according to the ministry we lead. The Sr. Pastor has a different schedule than the Student Pastor and the Worship Pastor has a different schedule than the Childrens Pastor.
With that in mind, I will give a very general work week schedule for me as the Assoc. Pastor. My day normally begins around 5 am. A shower, breakfast, and time with the Lord are the first things of the day. I help get the kids and Amy off to school by 6:45 a and then I leave for the office.
Sunday Morning
7:30 a – Arrive at Church
9:00 a – 1st. service
10:30 a – 2nd. service
12:30 p – Go home after any meetings
afternoons – sometimes meetings
4 p – Small Group
6:3 p – Home
Monday
7-7:3 a – Arrive at Office, Begin Study and digging out from Sunday
9 a – Debriefing with staff about Sunday
10 a – headed to Hospitals or more study and general work stuff
11:3 a – Lunch meetings
1:30 p – meet with individual staff people
2:30 p – Continue Study for Wed. teaching
5- 5:30 p – Head home
If there are no visits or meetings rest of the evening is for family and study for Wed. teaching
Tuesday
5:45 a – Men’s Fraternity @ church (mens bible study)
8 a – 1:30 p – Staff stuff (individ. staff meetings, team staff meeting, Lunch together)
1:3 p – Studying and Prep for Wed. teaching
3 p – Creative team meeting for teaching series (present and coming)
5 p – 5:3 p – Wrapping Up loose ends and leaving for home
If there are no visits or meetings rest of evening is for family and cont. study for Wed. teaching
Wed.
7-7:3 a – Arrive at office and wrap up everything for Wed. teaching
9:30 a – General planning, meetings (missions, sr. adults, counseling, ect.)
11:30 a – head to lunch meetings
1:3 p – more planning and indiv. staff meetings
4 p – final reading of that nights teaching
5:3 p – dinner w/family @church
6:3 p – Worship and Teaching
8:3 p – go home – if there are no meetings (you wonder if it all connected)
Thurs.
7 – 7:30 a- Arrive at office and begin prep for next weeks teaching
9: 30 a – general work, meetings, planning
11:30 a – Lunch meetings
1:00 p – general office work
5:00 p head home for family night
Fri. (day off)
9 a – 11:00 a Work around office a few hours in morning
Work at home on school stuff
Sat. (day off)
Family time unless church event
What I am unable to put into this work week are the frequent things that do not have a particular time slot: Sr. Adult meetings/trips, unexpected emergencies of church members, physical exercise, mission trips, email and phone correspondence, follow up with baptism canidates, letter writing, work on general promo stuff for church, and things the Lord decides to throw into mix to keep us close to Him.The weeks vary according to different events.
I cannot imagine doing anything else. It is truly amazing how He allows me the opportunity to be involved in what He is up to in the World.
3 Lessons I Have Learned
[updated 1-21-2012]
There are a few key lessons that I have learned in over 20 years of ministry that I believe will help anyone who is dealing with a call to ministry. I also believe they are great lessons for anyone who is presently serving in ministry in a leadership capacity.
1. Develop your relationship with God daily.
This is an imperative. Everything about ministry flows out of this relationship. No relationship, no effective ministry. Notice you can continue to function in ministry, but you will be frustrated and so will the people who you are trying to minister to in the church. I recommend you start your day with the Lord, so you can get His direction for your life that day. He will give you focus, encouragement, direction, and will help you order your day.
2. Develop your relationship with your spouse daily.
I believe that your spouse must be called to ministry just as you are called. That does not mean they have to be called to the same type of ministry, but that they have a heart and love for the church and see themselves in a supporting role. You as the fulltime called person may be leading in a ministry role, but their supporting role is equally important. Because without their support and help there will be a massive strain in your marriage and in your home. Everyday you need to be growing in your relationship with your spouse in areas of communication, trust, conflict resolution, your visions for your family and many other areas.
3. Develop as a leader daily.
Developing as a leader is vitally important. You have been called to lead people. It doesn’t matter what the specific expression of ministry is, (youth, administration, sr. adults, ect.) ministry is about people. Read books, talk to people you view as good leaders, listen to CDs about leadership, and whatever else it takes to develop. Ask people to honestly evaluate your leadership and then be prepared to work on the areas they view as being deficient. Leaders are learners. We must always seek to learn and grow in the area of leadership. In my opinion, the church needs more effective leaders today than ever before.
These lessons are not revolutionary ideas. They are just what I view as some of the top lessons I have learned over the years of ministry.
A Few Guidlines
To help us in our ongoing conversation:
- I would like to ask that any replies be done in a courteous manner.
- I would like to ask that there be nothing derogatory toward another person.
- I would like to ask that the language used to reply be tasteful and not crude.
- I would like to ask that you reply only to the content of the post. (not a time to rant)
- I would like to ask that you seriously consider the things you are writing.
Connect & Relate Launches
My desire by entering into the world of blogging is to be able to get info to people in a very clear and concise manner. I want to be able to update people on the workings of ministry as I see it today. With that being said, this blog is personal and will have opinions on it that will be debated and talked about. I will not always be right, but I will have an opinion. I also look forward to hearing from you as you read and digest what we talk about.
I am also launching this blog to keep in touch with a group of people who are interested in how they can serve Christ more effectively. Maybe you are in ministry full time or you are beginning to sense God is calling you to follow Him in a very unique way. I would love to have conversations with you about what you are sensing.
Some of the postings on this blog will be directly related to ministry questions that are posed to me. Some will be questions that I pose to you. I am open to hearing from you and talking about the things we are walking through as followers of Christ and maybe even those exploring whether or not to start the journey. I know that I will not be able to answer all of your questions, but I would love to hear what you are thinking.
Well, with that being said, here we go.
