Church management/Summing Up

=Summing UP= So far, we have underscored the meaning of management and leadership. We have discussed the characteristics that define these concepts. We then discussed the place of management and leadership in the sacred institution - the Church. In doing this, we delved into the elements of leadership as it relates to the practicality of managing a church or a ministry of the church. We then focused our attention to some of the more intangible resources of the church, eg "TIME", and discussed ways of ensuring more optimal usage. We then discussed some of the less pleasant but practical aspects of a church's life - the "bad" practices. In discussing these practices that should mostly be avoided, we underscored some of the ways to mitigate impact and to prevent them in the first instance.

Let us sum up by taking a short assessment of our church. What do we REALLY know about our church?

Why does our church exist?
A multitude of churches exist for a multitude of reasons. Some are church plants put in place to round out a denomination’s geographic coverage. Others spring up independently to fill a perceived spiritual gap in the community. Other congregations are the by-product of a church split or theological split within their denomination.

So why does your church exist? If it’s for the Great Commission, how faithfully are you pursuing it? If it’s to build god-fearing families, how are marriages and kids holding up? If your church is keen on community outreach, what impact are you making at the grassroots level? If you’re a disciple-making congregation, how many spiritually-reproducing disciples are hard at Kingdom work? If you exist for social activism, has your community benefited from greater justice, equality, and sharing of wealth? Are you a holiness church relying on God’s mighty Spirit to miraculously transform and renew lives? If so, is the agape love of members for one another maturing and deepening? Have their lives been transported to a higher spiritual plain?

Does your congregation have a declared mission? What difference is your church making in the lives of other people? What will your legacy be?

How does our church fit into God’s plans?
What makes your church special, reflecting God’s special work in your midst? Has he blessed you with ministries few other congregations offer? Do you have certain “magnet” ministries that pull in a steady stream of new members? Is your church overflowing with baptisms? Are you reaching a unique group or subculture of people (the homeless, the incarcerated, unwed mothers, families in crisis, at-risk teens, etc.) overlooked or ignored by other churches? Do you have a discipleship or missions program that regularly sends new missions workers into the spiritual harvest fields of the world? Are you a sacrificing, giving congregation? Are you a multiple generation family church of “rock of ages” members with deep roots in that one congregation? Does Christ shine in and through your members?



What brings people to our church?
Is it your great facilities, vibrant mid-week family programs, or your minister’s sermons? Are visitors attracted by the spiritual maturity of your members, or maybe by the congregation’s diversity in age, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status? Do you know what your church is doing “right” to attract new members?

CONCLUSION
In presenting the facts and nature above I have almost consciously refrained from using bible quotations. They are the greatest sources of inspiration on leadership and management. Jesus Christ was and is by far the greatest leader of all times. He was so good that, even though he knew the nature of Judas Iscariot and what he will do to him, he still took him up and made him his accountant for one reason – ministry is about team work. Although members may have their faults, they also have a purpose and a place in the family of God. Again, management is not a one person affair. It is also not for amateurs and people who do not want to develop themselves for their congregation to benefit from. It is not too late – start now, with a prayer for God’s guidance.

Thank You All.

--Victor P. K. Mensah