Pandemics have a way of making a pastor re-think a few things. This has always been the case, and it is the case right now. Over the last few months, I’ve had many pastor friends ask for advice, assuming that a church planter is more equipped to handle this current crisis. I’m not sure how true that is, but I do know that there seems to be a certain mindset that comes along with the task of church planting. I wonder if this way of thinking might help all of us as we make decisions for our ministries.
In what follows below, I lay out four concepts and principles, housed in four questions, that I believe are helpful for pastor friends as they try to reshape their ministries. At least I know that these questions helped us in the planting of Grace Fellowship and they are continuing to help us now, as we re-shape things for a new season.
These questions, I believe, outline what I call a church-planting mindset. I’m not sure what you think when you hear a phrase like, “a church planting mindset.” You might think trends and strategies, but I’m convinced that church planting is mostly about an approach to ministry that is marked by a rugged and robust simplicity, arising from four basic questions. I believe that these are the fundamental questions that a church planter must ask, and think through carefully, in order to begin the process of planting a church. Here, I argue that these same questions will guide us as we re-form our ministries.
To the pastoral community, I want to suggest we solidify answers to these four questions as we make decisions for our churches in the days ahead.
1. What is a church?
I fear that, sometimes, when we describe a church, we are describing something that—while not necessarily bad— is a thing not found in the Scriptures in the form in which we describe it. Further, what we are describing when we describe church is often non-essential to what the late Thomas Oden called the “consensual tradition” (those things held in common what constitutes a church in all times and in all places). Finally, and importantly, some of the things we are thinking, that we think we must have when we describe a church, may stand outside what is possible and realistic in a pandemic or in an unsteady financial climate.
Therefore, a vital task is to remember what we need—and don’t need—in order for “church” to be “church.”
For a church to be church you do not need a) a lot of programs, b) a very particular kind of facility, c) a jam-packed assortment of children’s ministry offerings, d) a very long sermon, and e) many of our other preferences.
It is popular to say that a church is not the building, it is the people. I agree, as far as that goes. But it is very important for us to remember that a church is the people gathered in a place under certain conditions.
There are, as far as we are concerned at Grace, four things necessary for Grace to be Grace and for church to be church. It is our conviction that we need: a) Two or three souls (Matthew 18:20), b) gathered together (embodied, physical presence) in Jesus’ name, c) under Word and d) Sacrament.
In other words, we need: a people, a semblance of physical presence, the Scriptures, bread and wine (Lord’s Supper), and water (for baptism).
I know, it is an unnervingly simple set of conditions.
Harold Senkbeil reminds us, “Everything God the Father planned from all eternity and everything that God the Son accomplished for our salvation in time in each succeeding generation by God the Holy Spirit working through the means of word, washing, and meal.”
These are the ordinary means of God’s grace and we must have them for the thing we are doing to be “church.”
With regard to the physical presence you might be thinking, “Joel, are you saying that all the online meetings you did with your church was not church?”
Actually, yes, that is what I’m saying.
I think online meetings were good, helpful, necessary, vital, and fruitful. We loved them and what they did for our community in those days. We would do these again. They were right to do. They were what we needed. We are prepared to do these again. We anticipate that we will need to do these again at some point. We will do these again if we think that is the right thing. They were the way we remained connected as a community. They were a means by which we centered on the word, steadied our hearts as we prayed together, and saw each other’s faces and heard each other’s voices. These meetings were a gift to me. I’m so thankful for the technology that allowed us to make it happen. I even liked these meetings as a temporary measure. I believed in them and believe in them still. No regrets.
(You get the idea).
But they were not the same, they were incomplete, and they were not “church” in the robust theological sense because they did not offer the fullness of what is required for church to be church. In light of this conviction, at Grace, we chose to call these ZOOM™ sessions “Congregational Meetings” to make this point clear, even if subtle. For us, calling the thing what it was actually aided us and helped nourish a richer sense of ecclesiology at Grace. I have had more talks with folks about what it means for church to be the church than ever before.
As we think and re-think our plans, it will set us free to remember what is necessary for church to be church. It opens up all sorts of possibilities when we realize what we need, instead of what we might simply prefer (and enjoy and eagerly await to return!), and therefore, forego for now.
2. What is a pastor?
Once we know what a church is, we can remember what a pastor is, and what a pastor is supposed to actually be doing. This, again, will free us.
I have benefitted immensely from the Anglican tradition and I would suggest their vision of the priestly ministry as a particularly helpful way to think about our work as pastors in these times. In this tradition, the pastor-priest is a messenger, a watchman, and a steward.
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First, a pastor is a messenger. We are called to feed God’s word to God’s people. We are called to announce the good news of God’s work to reconcile all things in Christ to the souls in our care. We are called to tell the truth about sin, the world, God’s grace, and the provision of mercy in the person and work of Jesus. We are called to proclaim a clear path of forgiveness for sins and a clear way to come out of hiding among the trees of shame. We are called to follow the Scriptures lead, unfolding what it says, going where it goes, in order to do this. When we do, faith (saving and sustaining) will come by hearing.
We are called to teach disciples to “obey all that [Jesus] has commanded.” We are called to put Gods’ words before the eyes, ears, hearts, and minds of God’s people constantly, creatively, and consistently with a view to their formation.
We are called to make personal sacrifices in order to do this for our folks. We are called to do this in formal and informal settings and through a variety of means and methods.
This works in pandemic, still.
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Second, a pastor is a watchman. We are called to look after the souls in our care, for whom we will give account. To notice the pains and fears and joys and longings that are apparent and obvious behind their eyes. We are called to pray for them and with them. We are called to see around the corner and warn them of spiritual danger that they may not be able to see for themselves. We are called to tell them the truth. We are called to feel the unique pain of wanting more for them than they want for themselves. We are called to invite them into a community, a life together in Christ.
We are called to think about our folks with boldness and with the tenderness of Jesus in the way we speak to them, respond to them, and serve them.
This works in pandemic, still.
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Third, a pastor is a steward. In the Anglican tradition, this refers to "stewarding the mysteries,” that is, the sacraments. This, of course, applies to non-Anglicans also. As pastors, we are called to administer baptism and the Lord’s supper. We are called to lead folks in confession, covenant renewal, pointing them to the work of Jesus by announcing assurance of pardon and forgiveness in the finished work of Jesus Christ, each week.
Further, I believe we are called to be wise stewards of the gifts of the members in our body. We are called to fan gifts into flame and to let the gifts of the body direct ministry plans. We always needed to grow into equippers-in-chief. This is more important than ever before. At Grace, we are driven by Ephesians 4:7-16. We believe the resurrected and ascended Jesus has won a great cosmic victory. He rules and reigns over the universe and has doled out gifts to men and women in the church for the building up of his body to maturity.
Planting and pastoring is not about an individual pastor having a “vision” and recruiting volunteers to execute that plan. Instead, it is about receiving and stewarding the gifts that Jesus has given, in order to lead the church into his plans for her.
This is a very important distinction and it will help us as we re-shape our structures. We will be able to shape and hone vision and direction most effectively if we think in terms of stewarding the gifts that are present in our church family.
This works in pandemic, still.
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3. Who are the actual souls in our care?
Pastors are notorious for having their heads in the clouds, thinking in abstract terms, and floating in an ideal dream world. We can also tend to make ministry plans based upon a hypothetical, “typical” Christian.
Around the Grace Fellowship table, we find ourselves saying phrases like, “Well, I don’t think our people...”. We are learning to stop each other, and ask, “Which people? Who, in our body, are you actually talking about?”
We want to shepherd the particular people in our care. Granted, in a smaller church this is, perhaps, easier, or at least more natural. But, I’m convinced of the enduring importance of not making decisions based upon a hypothetical person, but on the basis of an actual soul God has entrusted to us to oversee.
This is a joyful process because it makes pastoring—and making ministry plans—deeply personal. It is also very sobering. I’ve caught myself, many times throughout my career, making a decision to try to engage people that, quite honestly, are never going to really be engaged. This is one thing that has made pastoring and making plans in this pandemic tricky.
Sometimes, I refer to this as the “proportion principle.” Let me explain.
Let’s say there are 100 people in a church. It seems, that there are about 30 people that are going to be on board with anything the church does, no matter how uncomfortable, outside their own preferences, and inconvenient things might be. These are people who are dedicated to “the uncomfortable, inconvenient, countercultural, not-making-my-life-easier aspects of faithful local church life.”
They are just here for it, up for it, and all-in.
Likewise, at most churches, there are 30 folks who are not going to be very engaged. They may be members of the body and they are supportive of the decision the church makes. They are not disgruntled. They are not mean. They come and go, somewhat inconsistent with their engagement. But, for all kinds of reasons, that I need not opine about, they are not here for it, up for it, or all-in.
Quite honestly, there is not a lot a church’s leadership will be able to do to coax greater participation from them and this is painful.
We give, love, serve, avail ourselves, pray, proclaim the gospel, and create opportunities. We act as messenger, watchman, and steward toward them also. We are there for them, present in their lives, and dedicated to their flourishing. We will meet them where they are. We are not angry or frustrated with them. We take a very gentle with these people, instead of harboring resentment for them (another essay for another day). We gladly accept our role in their life. But, there is not a lot we will be able to do coax greater participation. We must simply wait on the Lord while loving and serving them.
There is a freedom that comes with this posture because trying to make ministry decisions based upon them will drive us insane and deeply discourage our hearts.
Finally, at most churches, there are 40 people that can be swung to either side. I don’t have a lot to say about this group, but I have learned in 16 years of pastoral work that making decisions based upon the spiritual health of the all-ins is often the best way to see these “swing” folks folded in and flourishing in our community.
4. Is there any reason we can’t just try it?
Lastly, I’ve learned that one of the great gifts of this pandemic time is the freedom to think creatively. As long as we are faithful to the means of God’s grace mentioned above, why can’t we just try something? I’ve learned that most pastors live with angst about what they wish they could just try, or what they wish they could make happen if given the right opportunity with the right timing.
I’m saying that once we get our minds around our answers to the first three questions, we can, with joy and an eager spirit, try it. And now, creative attempts are actually marks of wise leadership rather than foolhardy shots in the dark.
Of course, this does not mean every idea is a good one. This does not mean that when we ask this question we won’t identify a lot of reasons why we can’t take a particular course at the moment. But, I believe that the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Jesus upholds the universe by the word of his power (Hebrews 1:3). To follow that logic, there are promises and deep communion with the triune God that we are being summoned and invited into, even at this time.
This has been our Grace Fellowship question all along: “Here are our circumstances, what is the invitation from our God?”