Management
Posted: Mon May 02, 2011 4:50 pm
Years ago I read Baxter's Reformed Pastor and learned the importance of the individual, the value of private instruction, and the need for faithful ministry to "all the flock" that does not neglect even the weakest member of the church.
The day 35 reading is similar but with an emphasis on proper management of the whole as a means to meet the needs of individuals. It is essential to step back and get the big picture. We count worship service attendance, but what about attendance at Christian education classes? Mid-week service? Small group participants? How many foreign missionaries did the church send out last year? Church health needs to factor in all these numbers. Missionaries count baptisms, but they should also count ordinations.
Another flock approach that intrigues me is looking at the populations we serve. Suppose there are a million people within 25 miles of the church. How do we reach the largest number with the gospel? What strategy will get more of these folks inside our doors? As we think of the masses, we tend to think of how few will respond, but a better way of looking at it is to consider how many will respond. Starting with a million... If only one out of a thousand would visit the church, this adds up to 1,000 potential visitors. Not a bad number. Suppose only half of them would come back a second time (we are down to 500), and only 25% of those would become semi-regular attendees. Now we've got 125. Let's be conservative and say that of these attendees only one out of five will get baptized and become active, supporting members. This is a very small percentage of one million (it is .0025 -- a fraction of one percent), but it is 25 warm bodies! If this reaping effort is repeated yearly over a decade, it adds up to 250. In 20 years it becomes 500. Focusing on these numbers is more encouraging than thinking of the millions of unchurched who can't be reached, but it requires us to 'think flock' in terms of the whole as a starting point.
Paul said to "take heed to all the flock." This takes special skill, but thankfully God is able to teach us how.
The day 35 reading is similar but with an emphasis on proper management of the whole as a means to meet the needs of individuals. It is essential to step back and get the big picture. We count worship service attendance, but what about attendance at Christian education classes? Mid-week service? Small group participants? How many foreign missionaries did the church send out last year? Church health needs to factor in all these numbers. Missionaries count baptisms, but they should also count ordinations.
Another flock approach that intrigues me is looking at the populations we serve. Suppose there are a million people within 25 miles of the church. How do we reach the largest number with the gospel? What strategy will get more of these folks inside our doors? As we think of the masses, we tend to think of how few will respond, but a better way of looking at it is to consider how many will respond. Starting with a million... If only one out of a thousand would visit the church, this adds up to 1,000 potential visitors. Not a bad number. Suppose only half of them would come back a second time (we are down to 500), and only 25% of those would become semi-regular attendees. Now we've got 125. Let's be conservative and say that of these attendees only one out of five will get baptized and become active, supporting members. This is a very small percentage of one million (it is .0025 -- a fraction of one percent), but it is 25 warm bodies! If this reaping effort is repeated yearly over a decade, it adds up to 250. In 20 years it becomes 500. Focusing on these numbers is more encouraging than thinking of the millions of unchurched who can't be reached, but it requires us to 'think flock' in terms of the whole as a starting point.
Paul said to "take heed to all the flock." This takes special skill, but thankfully God is able to teach us how.