In preparing myself to be a pastor next month, I’ve been thinking a lot about what churches do and what they ought to do. Many, if not most, churches have become bloated with many activities and programs. They offer these programs either to draw people to the church, or else as genuine services to their communities, out of love for them and Christ. I wonder, however, if these programs actually distract from the primary purpose for which the church exists.
I’ve been having an ongoing discussion with a friend on this very topic. If you know me from college, you probably know who I’m talking about, as you’ve probably been having this discussion with him as well. He’s got a good point, though, and it’s this: the church ought to be the “called out ones” of God, setting the captives of the world free. He goes on to argue that this is best done through inner city ministries.
While I do agree with him that the church ought to be doing more to help the poor, homeless, and outcasts of society, I do not think that the church ought to do these things to the exclusion of other social ministries. Sports camps, women’s teas, and tutoring all have their place within the life of a church. At the same time, however, churches ought to make sure they are balanced in their efforts. Here are three questions churches should be asking themselves before starting a new ministry:
- Does this new ministry honor Christ? Does it point to Christ as our Savior and Lord? How? Is Christ the focus? Many programs of the church fill legitimate needs in a community, but Christ is not often the center of them. People are. Rather, we need to be intentional that we serve people because Christ loves them and died for them.
- Is this ministry needed in our church and community? Does it fulfill one of the purposes of the church, whether it be worship, service, fellowship, discipleship, or evangelism? Even if the ministry may be a Christ-honoring one, each specific church needs to make sure that they are balanced in terms of how they fulfill each of the purposes of the church. Many programs are started for the sake of fellowship and service, but few are started for the sake of evangelism and discipleship.
- Is our church capable of engaging in this ministry effectively? Every church has a different mix of people, who have a unique mix of abilities. Does our specific church have the specific talents needed to excel at this ministry?
These are meant to be a starting point, not the definitive checklist for each new ministry endeavor. When it comes to church ministries, less is more. Churches often spread themselves far too thin. Rather than struggling to do many things, a church will honor Christ more and have a greater impact on the world for Christ if they learn to focus on doing a few things well.