You Don’t Need Our Permission…
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Mon, October 29, 2007
- Viewed 54
- (1) comments so far
To a certain extent, I think this happens some in the church today. I remember reading a recent newspaper article about the Canine Ministry at Mariners Church in Irvine, CA. Yes, that’s right… a canine ministry. According to Sheree King, an outreach director at Mariners, “"They (the dogs) are able to break down walls that we often can’t. The dogs facilitate relationships. They start a conversation.”
According to the newspaper article in the LA Times, the program began eight years ago when Paul Bogenrief, now 60, visited the church Sunday school with Sadie III, his golden retriever. Some of the small children found the dog’s presence comforting, so he started taking her there every week. The dog ministry expanded to other places. Today it consists of eight dogs ‘ministering’ at events like the monthly birthday parties for poor residents at a local nursing home. They also help with foster kids, preside over learning programs in which children are more comfortable reading to the dogs than to adults and act as canine comfort counselors at church mountain camps. And they’re helping break down barriers with people so that the gospel can be shared.
I doubt that any of the Mariner’s paid staff EVER thought of having a ministry that would work in this way. But they did have a system that gave people the power to dream and develop without having their permission. The result was a vital ministry that the church would have most certainly never thought of.
Does your church allow people to dream up new ministries? Does the vision you as a leader paint excite people to think of new ways that you might carry that mission out?
What would happen if you gave your people the opportunity to develop and dream about ministry?
My guess… they would come up with things that you would never, in your wildest dreams, ever imagine. And some of those things might be vital in carrying our your mission.
That’s something to think about!
Have a great week!
Todd
I was reading through the most recent issue of Fast Company magazine. I found myself very interested in an article on the growth of the internet site Facebook.com. What caught my attention was a quote by Facebook’s young CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He said, “We want a system where anyone can develop without having our permission. There are things that we will never think of.” Of course, I read that quote and immediately thought, "What would the church look like if we allowed people to develop ministries that fit our vision that we could never think of."
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James Ziessler on Mon, October 29, 2007
Todd;
Excellent article. I know for many of you the mention of Ted Haggard probably brings a mix of emotions. But for me his book, “Fly-fishing, dog training and winning people to Christ in the 21st Century.” was a great book about the topic you just mentioned. Disregard Ted’s personal failure and read his book. He outlines a ministry of saying “yes” first. Granting pemission. His first ministry was a dog-training course. A young woman wanted to reach people for Christ but didn’t how to do that. All she knew how to do was train dogs. Then she suggested training dogs and using the church facility once a week for the training. She won more folks to Christ in that beginning ministry than prior “canned” programs.
I have been an assoc. pastor for many churches and what I found is that churches that thrive say “yes” to their people. Stagnant, unproductive, little out-reach churches have the attitude of saying “no” first.
Control seems to the be the issue and fear of letting those “non-ministry” types lead a ministry just sets some leaders on their head.
In Ted’s book there are plenty of guidelines, accountability and loving resource. It’s not here you go, have at it. But the overwhelming atitude is; “you thought of it, obviously God is encouraging you to follow through with it. Here are some resources, go for it.” I like that!
I’ve been in ministry for over 25 years and been on both sides and I can say that I like the permission giving side a whole lot more. I’m a permission giver myself, so I like to run with my ideas and the passions laid on my heart from the Lord. Not from some board, or one single minsitry staff individual.
It’s certainly more exciting to see the body of Christ in action, yeh and scary at times.
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