Leading Ideas: "6 Keys to Sharing the Gospel in a Pluralistic Culture - 5 Reasons Churches Suffer Management Chaos" from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., United States
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Lewis Center Director F. Douglas Powe Jr. says evangelistic strategies often fail because they don't meaningfully and respectfully engage those we are trying to reach. Powe highlights key values and practices for reaching others while honoring differences, gleaned from a recent study of the renowned 20th century evangelist, E. Stanley Jones.
It’s tempting to imagine that revitalizing a church is a matter of reverting to an earlier, “purer” tradition, as in the case of Methodists intent on emulating what John Wesley did in the 18th century. Others think it’s a matter of adopting practices that work in other churches. They go to a training event and hear someone say, “Our congregation started growing when we gave out refrigerator magnets,” and think a similar, seemingly easy evangelistic strategy will work for them.The ideal of engaging all as children of God means altering the way we approach people, creating a space where all perspectives are honored.
What both approaches lack is an understanding of the importance of contextualizing practices. They fail to distinguish between the idea and the activity resulting from the idea. Sharing the gospel in a pluralistic culture requires that we contextualize the gospel in ways that honor the personhood and the perspectives of those we are trying to reach. I believe these six values and practices are key.
1. Engaging differences
The idea of engaging others who are different is something we often talk about, but we aren’t often successful in living it out. We either seek commonality at all expense, glossing over differences, or we shut down all conversation by demeaning those who disagree with us. We label them as liberal or conservative, progressive or traditionalist, etc. The implication is that they are not even worthy of engaging because we already know their perspective. The ideal of engaging all as children of God means altering the way we approach people, creating a space where all perspectives are honored.
2. Encouraging dialogue
Can we believe that Christ is the only way to salvation and still be open to the beliefs of others? We don’t have to accept the beliefs of others to appreciate their beliefs, to enter into dialogue without shutting them down, and to show genuine interest in what they have to say. Even those who claim to be open-minded can treat others in a cursory manner by failing to really listen to those with different beliefs. We need to genuinely listen and learn from others.
3. Valuing relationships
When individuals who think and believe differently than we do are not swayed to accept our perspective, some of us will stop being in relationship with them. Being in relationship with another is not about conformity, but about authentically seeing the person as a child of God, and treating that person as such, no matter the circumstances. We are called to be in relationship with people who don’t necessarily hold our beliefs.
4. Being accessible to others
It’s easy to paint a picture of society as “going to hell in a handbasket” and close ourselves off from those who aren’t like us. We live in a culture where we often give access only to those who run in similar circles with us. In many cases this is not intentional, but we never move outside of our comfort zones. We need to broaden our circles so that others will see that we are accessible. If I talk about wanting to connect with soccer families, it’s not helpful if I do this from inside my church. I need to hang out in places where those who play soccer attend. This may mean coaching a team or getting involved as a referee. We need to be intentional about building up relationships outside of our normal networks.
5. Becoming more vulnerable
It’s one thing to be accessible but another to be truly open to others. Too often we take the safe route and do things that do not require us to expose ourselves. An example is a feeding ministry where we get to set the terms and control all the resources. How can we be more intentional about entering spaces that we do not control so that those who believe differently will feel comfortable engaging, dialoguing, and relating to us?
6. Recognizing the importance of reciprocity
Our work in Christian outreach can never be one-sided. Too many Christians either abuse their right to speak in the public square by trying to shut down all the other voices, or they fail to speak up in the name of Christ because they do not want to offend. Neither is a reciprocal approach. We need to make space for others so that their voices can be heard. We cannot be afraid of letting others speak and voice opinions that differ from ours.
Our goal should be to be known not simply as Christians but as Christians who cherish the personhood of others. We need to learn to contextualize the gospel with people and not for people as we work to transform lives and communities.
This article is adapted from the conclusion of E. Stanley Jones and Sharing the Good News in a Pluralistic Society (General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, 2018) F. Douglas Powe, Jr., and Jack Jackson, general editors. Used by permission. The book is available through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and Amazon.
Related Resources:
It’s tempting to imagine that revitalizing a church is a matter of reverting to an earlier, “purer” tradition, as in the case of Methodists intent on emulating what John Wesley did in the 18th century. Others think it’s a matter of adopting practices that work in other churches. They go to a training event and hear someone say, “Our congregation started growing when we gave out refrigerator magnets,” and think a similar, seemingly easy evangelistic strategy will work for them.The ideal of engaging all as children of God means altering the way we approach people, creating a space where all perspectives are honored.
What both approaches lack is an understanding of the importance of contextualizing practices. They fail to distinguish between the idea and the activity resulting from the idea. Sharing the gospel in a pluralistic culture requires that we contextualize the gospel in ways that honor the personhood and the perspectives of those we are trying to reach. I believe these six values and practices are key.
1. Engaging differences
The idea of engaging others who are different is something we often talk about, but we aren’t often successful in living it out. We either seek commonality at all expense, glossing over differences, or we shut down all conversation by demeaning those who disagree with us. We label them as liberal or conservative, progressive or traditionalist, etc. The implication is that they are not even worthy of engaging because we already know their perspective. The ideal of engaging all as children of God means altering the way we approach people, creating a space where all perspectives are honored.
2. Encouraging dialogue
Can we believe that Christ is the only way to salvation and still be open to the beliefs of others? We don’t have to accept the beliefs of others to appreciate their beliefs, to enter into dialogue without shutting them down, and to show genuine interest in what they have to say. Even those who claim to be open-minded can treat others in a cursory manner by failing to really listen to those with different beliefs. We need to genuinely listen and learn from others.
3. Valuing relationships
When individuals who think and believe differently than we do are not swayed to accept our perspective, some of us will stop being in relationship with them. Being in relationship with another is not about conformity, but about authentically seeing the person as a child of God, and treating that person as such, no matter the circumstances. We are called to be in relationship with people who don’t necessarily hold our beliefs.
4. Being accessible to others
It’s easy to paint a picture of society as “going to hell in a handbasket” and close ourselves off from those who aren’t like us. We live in a culture where we often give access only to those who run in similar circles with us. In many cases this is not intentional, but we never move outside of our comfort zones. We need to broaden our circles so that others will see that we are accessible. If I talk about wanting to connect with soccer families, it’s not helpful if I do this from inside my church. I need to hang out in places where those who play soccer attend. This may mean coaching a team or getting involved as a referee. We need to be intentional about building up relationships outside of our normal networks.
5. Becoming more vulnerable
It’s one thing to be accessible but another to be truly open to others. Too often we take the safe route and do things that do not require us to expose ourselves. An example is a feeding ministry where we get to set the terms and control all the resources. How can we be more intentional about entering spaces that we do not control so that those who believe differently will feel comfortable engaging, dialoguing, and relating to us?
6. Recognizing the importance of reciprocity
Our work in Christian outreach can never be one-sided. Too many Christians either abuse their right to speak in the public square by trying to shut down all the other voices, or they fail to speak up in the name of Christ because they do not want to offend. Neither is a reciprocal approach. We need to make space for others so that their voices can be heard. We cannot be afraid of letting others speak and voice opinions that differ from ours.
Our goal should be to be known not simply as Christians but as Christians who cherish the personhood of others. We need to learn to contextualize the gospel with people and not for people as we work to transform lives and communities.
This article is adapted from the conclusion of E. Stanley Jones and Sharing the Good News in a Pluralistic Society (General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, 2018) F. Douglas Powe, Jr., and Jack Jackson, general editors. Used by permission. The book is available through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and Amazon.
Related Resources:
- Connect with Your Neighbors Video Tool Kit
- Adopting a Missionary Mindset by Douglas Ruffle
- 5 Key Practices for Connecting with Your Context by Mark Gornik and Maria Liu Wong
- Organizing a Missional COMMUNITY by Doug Powe And Hal Knight
Focused on ministry, churches often give too little attention to organizational management. Church consultant Rich Sider outlines five common management problems that can result in confusion and conflict.
Churches correctly give priority to ministry to their members and their communities. However, if they don’t also give priority to how they are managed and to the systems needed in any organization to function efficiently and effectively, they will not be able to meet their ministry goals and they will be consumed by confusion, chaos, and conflict. Here are five of the top management problems churches ignore at their peril.The first steps are to recognize that a church needs good management practices to be effective, just like any other organization, and to be willing to dedicate time and resources to making it happen.
1. Lack of clear lines of responsibility and accountability
Church staff sometimes joke that they have as many bosses as there are members. While that’s an exaggeration, there is always a subset of the membership that feels entitled to ask or even demand that staff do this or that for them. Sometimes those requests don’t have much to do with the job description. The member doesn’t really know which person to ask so they just contact someone they think might help them. On the other hand, in congregations with a small staff that is primarily managed by the leaders of volunteer boards or committees, members often don’t know who is responsible for what and a lot of things fall through the cracks.
Efficient communication, administration, and basic management are critical for congregational success. Without these, things don’t get done, there is duplication, and toes get stepped on, which causes a lot of frustration and even conflict. Congregations need to make sure there is a clear governance structure with lines of authority and responsibility that are effectively communicated to everyone. The division of responsibility between staff and lay leadership — usually the board — needs to be clearly defined as well.
2. Poor continuity in leadership
One of the factors that works against having clear lines of responsibility and accountability is the constant turnover in lay leadership. Board members usually serve 3-year terms and they may or may not be eligible for reelection. Where new board members are elected each year in the normal board term rotation, the typical “storming, norming, forming, and performing” group process never gets to the performing stage. In small congregations where board members — especially the treasurer — do most of the operational work, this becomes an even greater problem. A great deal of knowledge and even basic functionality can be lost when key leaders rotate out of their positions.
If a congregation doesn’t want to consider longer lay leadership terms or can’t get people to agree to longer service, it must hire staff and delegate operational authority to them to ensure that basic administrative systems don’t break down every time there’s a change in lay leadership. Staff turnover can also be a problem that works against continuity. But addressing these management issues will go a long way in creating a positive work environment that contributes to staff longevity.
3. Unwillingness to delegate and trust
One of the biggest challenges church boards face is to stay focused on the big picture — the congregation’s mission, vision, and goals — while delegating the day-to-day operational decisions to staff and committees. Without strong orientation to the contrary, the tendency of many board members is to get involved in day-to-day matters that seem more urgent and concrete than the big picture issues. Even worse is another common scenario in which the governance structure is set up to delegate decision-making, but the board doesn’t trust those to whom decisions are delegated to handle matters appropriately. So, board members meddle and undermine what staff, lay leaders, or committees try to do, which creates confusion and conflict.
4. Lack of strong policies and procedures that are communicated and followed
Policies and procedures provide the foundation for establishing clear lines of authority and responsibility and for defining how the congregation handles matters it faces. For many congregations, very little is written down, so policies and procedures are known only to those “in the know.” It’s not hard to imagine the problems this can cause — confusion, conflict, and marginalizing those who don’t know how “things are done.” In some congregations, policies and procedures aren’t updated regularly and there is no consistent and known way of making updates available to congregants.
5. Poor administrative systems that don’t consistently deliver basic products and services
Every church needs to have a few basic administrative systems in place to ensure that the congregation can focus on its mission and vision. There needs to be a good system to manage:
Related Resources:
Churches correctly give priority to ministry to their members and their communities. However, if they don’t also give priority to how they are managed and to the systems needed in any organization to function efficiently and effectively, they will not be able to meet their ministry goals and they will be consumed by confusion, chaos, and conflict. Here are five of the top management problems churches ignore at their peril.The first steps are to recognize that a church needs good management practices to be effective, just like any other organization, and to be willing to dedicate time and resources to making it happen.
1. Lack of clear lines of responsibility and accountability
Church staff sometimes joke that they have as many bosses as there are members. While that’s an exaggeration, there is always a subset of the membership that feels entitled to ask or even demand that staff do this or that for them. Sometimes those requests don’t have much to do with the job description. The member doesn’t really know which person to ask so they just contact someone they think might help them. On the other hand, in congregations with a small staff that is primarily managed by the leaders of volunteer boards or committees, members often don’t know who is responsible for what and a lot of things fall through the cracks.
Efficient communication, administration, and basic management are critical for congregational success. Without these, things don’t get done, there is duplication, and toes get stepped on, which causes a lot of frustration and even conflict. Congregations need to make sure there is a clear governance structure with lines of authority and responsibility that are effectively communicated to everyone. The division of responsibility between staff and lay leadership — usually the board — needs to be clearly defined as well.
2. Poor continuity in leadership
One of the factors that works against having clear lines of responsibility and accountability is the constant turnover in lay leadership. Board members usually serve 3-year terms and they may or may not be eligible for reelection. Where new board members are elected each year in the normal board term rotation, the typical “storming, norming, forming, and performing” group process never gets to the performing stage. In small congregations where board members — especially the treasurer — do most of the operational work, this becomes an even greater problem. A great deal of knowledge and even basic functionality can be lost when key leaders rotate out of their positions.
If a congregation doesn’t want to consider longer lay leadership terms or can’t get people to agree to longer service, it must hire staff and delegate operational authority to them to ensure that basic administrative systems don’t break down every time there’s a change in lay leadership. Staff turnover can also be a problem that works against continuity. But addressing these management issues will go a long way in creating a positive work environment that contributes to staff longevity.
3. Unwillingness to delegate and trust
One of the biggest challenges church boards face is to stay focused on the big picture — the congregation’s mission, vision, and goals — while delegating the day-to-day operational decisions to staff and committees. Without strong orientation to the contrary, the tendency of many board members is to get involved in day-to-day matters that seem more urgent and concrete than the big picture issues. Even worse is another common scenario in which the governance structure is set up to delegate decision-making, but the board doesn’t trust those to whom decisions are delegated to handle matters appropriately. So, board members meddle and undermine what staff, lay leaders, or committees try to do, which creates confusion and conflict.
4. Lack of strong policies and procedures that are communicated and followed
Policies and procedures provide the foundation for establishing clear lines of authority and responsibility and for defining how the congregation handles matters it faces. For many congregations, very little is written down, so policies and procedures are known only to those “in the know.” It’s not hard to imagine the problems this can cause — confusion, conflict, and marginalizing those who don’t know how “things are done.” In some congregations, policies and procedures aren’t updated regularly and there is no consistent and known way of making updates available to congregants.
5. Poor administrative systems that don’t consistently deliver basic products and services
Every church needs to have a few basic administrative systems in place to ensure that the congregation can focus on its mission and vision. There needs to be a good system to manage:
- Finances. How are donations, banking, paying bills, payroll and financial reporting handled?
- Membership. How are classifying and tracking congregants as visitors, friends, members, etc. handled? Is there good reporting capability?
- Groups within the congregation. Who are the members of governance groups, committees, small groups, etc., and how are they selected and replaced?
- Facilities. Who is responsible for maintenance and record keeping of building systems and how are long-term maintenance/replacement needs managed and funded?
- Staff. Is there an up-to-date personnel policy manual? Are there clear staff reporting lines? Are staff supervisors providing good management oversight and evaluation?
- Communications. Is information readily available to members about what’s happening in the congregation and about what and how decisions are being made? Does the congregation have a visible public media presence?
Related Resources:
- Management by Wishful Thinking? by Mike Bonem
- Should a Church Staff Member Report to a Committee? by Dan Hotchkiss
- 7 Strategies to Master Meetings by Ann A. Michel
The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers. Leaders must have the right questions.
With churches more attentive to the fruitfulness of their efforts, Howard Stevenson suggests two questions appropriate for almost any ministry group.
- How do you define success?
- How do you track it?
Explore strategies your congregation can use to reach beyond its walls with worship, community events, ministries, and service. The Taking Church to the Community Tool Kit features engaging videos, presentations, and supplemental materials and is designed for both self-study and for use with groups in your church.
The most vital congregations always do two things: connect people with God and connect with their communities. Learn about the latter in this five-minute video from Lovett H. Weems, Jr., as he provides an overview of the importance of community engagement to your church.
Quotable Leadership
Multifaith encounters do not require a diminishment of one's own theological commitment or undercut the truth of other traditions. (Yvonne C. Lodico)
Millennials are now the largest American generation, and churches are asking how best to reach this diverse group. Browse theLeading Ideas archives for ideas and strategies to help your congregation attract, engage, nurture, and minister to millennials.
Are you a pastor preparing to begin ministry in a new setting? With The Right Start Video Tool Kit, you'll learn how to end your current ministry well, develop a personal transition plan, and make the most of your first days, weeks, and months in your new congregation. The Right Start is available in both Pastor's and Group TrainingVersions.
Editor: Dr. Ann A. Michel
Copyright © 2004-2018 Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary
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