ESA
Navigating the Spiritual Journey
Preparing for the Journey
- How Can We Learn About Holistic Ministry?
- How do we prepare our church for the ministry journey?
- How do we strengthen our commitment to outreach?
- How do we develop ministry leadership?
Mapping out the Journey
While each church's path to ministry is unique, we can learn from one another. The following stories highlight the experiences of other churches that have ventured out in holistic mission. As these stories illustrate, there is no one template for the holistic church, no one "right" way to do ministry.
Introducing the ministry journey
Your church can proclaim the Good News, comfort the afficted, build up the cities, and repair the cyclic devastations of broken communities. If you are willing in obedience and trust to take the first small step and then the next and the next God will take care of the big picture. (Churches That Make a Difference, page 314)
Ministry Vision Team
How do we overcome obstacles to mission?
Confront interia, fears, and conflict
Stories
How do we overcome obstacles to mission?
Confront interia, fears, and conflict
Tools
COPING WITH CONFLICT
Jesus warned his followers to expect conflict: “Do not think that I have come to bring
peace on earth” (Matt. 10:34–36) If holistic ministry were not controversial, more churches
would already be doing it! Risks and change will inevitably “threaten those individuals within
the congregation who had a deep commitment to and vested interest in the existing
programs and priorities,” warns Leading Congregational Change. Sit in on a meeting of
elders or deacons, church staff, or the congregation-at-large in the process of considering
a shift to holistic ministry, and watch the sparks fly. Sparks? Sometimes it’s more like
missiles hurled at opponents.
Dealing with Fears: Counting the Cost, Looking for Treasure
As a church considers a call to holistic ministry, people will want to assess the price
tag. Some in the congregation will focus on the risks associated with any new endeavor:
to your membership, budget, personnel, property, facilities, or reputation. Leaders should
not ignore these concerns. Rather, leaders should heed Jesus’ warning and count the
costs:
How do we overcome obstacles to mission?
Confront interia, fears, and conflict
How do we move from ideas to action?
Equip, energize, and mobilize the congregation for mission