By Stephen Boster
As a youth in Augusta, Georgia, a summer staple involved a trip to a Georgian or South Carolinian beach. Imagine pubescence at its finest as young man. As we parked the bus and began walking over the sand hill to the beach and open waves, I distinctly remember the youth pastor saying, “Eyes forward, gentlemen”, which was code for do not oogle at the bikinis walking by.
Ministry pornography runs the same way. We must, without a doubt, look through the filter of Christ Jesus as we stare at the plethora of church programs, church growth formulas, ministry techniques, and developmental strategies. For example, my wife is the only person that I should oogle and stare at (and let me tell you – I don’t mind!). As a church leader, your church, your context, your people are the ones that you should be focused on when applying a culture strategy.
Ask Christ to grant you wisdom and guidance in understanding your context that he has you serving. Fast over it. I love Colossians 1:9-10
Colossians 1:9-10 (HCSB)
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing ⌊to Him⌋, bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God.
I have heard the phrase, “Just because you are on a diet, does not mean you cannot look at the menu.” My response has always been, “Yeah, but looking at the menu makes you cheat on your diet!” Your diet is your context of people. The menu is what others churches are doing. Their story and paradigms are not bad. Just make sure they fit your dietary context. Discuss the needs of the church with your staff and key volunteers. Listen to what they say and match techniques to those needs, do not try to make the people fit the technique. Let the people drive which of the plethora of strategies apply.
Love God. Love your people. Fight the good fight.
Summary action:
- Pray and Fast for Guidance
- Talk with your people
What have you found that your people need or desire? Have you found something that has worked well?
Thanks for the conversations!
