How does our Father want you to serve through . . .
Needs and Responsibilities Under God's Hand ?
I. A General Description of Our Needs, Opportunities, & Responsibilities
(Acts 2, 6, 17, 20; Ephesians, 1 & 2 Timothy; Titus): [Also see the articles: "When is a Church A True Church", the "Elder Qualifications", and "Elders & Deacons - Vital Distinctions".]
Any church's needs, opportunities, and responsibilities fall into two categories, the spiritual (overseen by elders), and the physical (managed by deacons). The spiritual dimension has priority over the physical, but both are inseparably dependent one to another in order to achieve God's best. Remember that man's "good" often swallows up God's best.
The spiritual dimension involves evangelism and discipleship, each of which should be done both privately and publically (Acts 17 & 20). Evangelism, rescuing the lost, is God's top priority (to seek and save the lost). Then full disciplined discipleship of believers (Mat 18 & 28) must L.E.A.D. toward maturity in Christ's character. Therefore, true church ministry must include all four elements of Loving, Equipping, Accountability, and Discipline (2 Tim 3, Titus 1).
The following is a specific outline of Family Bible Church's needs, opportunities, and responsibilities, in both the spiritual and physical categories so that you can prayerfully choose where and how you will invest yourself (and your family) in service for our Father's glory.
(Under the pastors'/elders' oversight)
I. Ministers of the Spiritual Resources (The Word
)Quick Summary:
- Pastoral elder training (The booklet Sid's been working on is almost complete ....)
- Prayer Ministry (maintain prayer lists, contact families for prayer, etc...)
- Lord's Supper Ministry (coordinate men to lead the devotional, read Scripture ....)
- Evangelism Ministry Team (materials, training, personal, hospitality, .....)
- Baptism Team (teach new believers, set up place & time for baptisms)
- Discipleship Ministry (basic materials, training, practice .....)
* Discipleship Counselor Training Ministry (Five Levels: BC101, 201, .....)
- Music/Worship Ministry (materials, training, .....)
- Seminar/Conference Ministry (Bring in national speakers, set up place, advertise, etc.....)
* Marriage, parenting, Biblical Counseling, Creationism, etc....)
- Men's Ministry (monthly meeting arrangements, retreats, men's Bible studies, ...)
- Ladies' Ministry (meeting arrangements, weekly fellowships, Titus 2 teachers ....)
- Missions Ministry (local and international - outreach, $upport, trips, etc..)
- Southern Baptist cooperation (local association family counseling help, state, national, etc.)
* Help with the denominations efforts to rediscover the biblical basics of home & church.
- Church Website Management (General church info, sermons, audio, ....)
- Benevolence Ministry (Develop and administrate policies for those in need)
- etc., etc., many more opportunities ...............
A. Private Teachers / Preachers (Discipleship Counseling)
1. Personal evangelists (missions) (through home video hospitality nights, on the job, in the neighborhood, door to door, etc.) If you need training, then you are responsible to actively come and get it.
2. Personal disciplers (through hospitality, private meetings, etc.) If you need training, then complete BDC 101 and practice it to the best of your abilities. The full Five-Level process of Biblical Discipleship Counselor training is available.
B. Public Teachers / Preachers (Classes, radio, internet, etc.)
1. Group Evangelism (missions)
a. Home video nights, Areopagus Seminars.
b. Mission trips reaching out to other areas.
2. Group Discipleship
(Bible study classes for new believers, new members, counselors, marriage classes, parenting classes, seminars, conferences using internationally known and gifted teachers, training of our elders, deacons, and church planters).
C. Research / Writing: (Policy statements, brochures, pamphlets, booklets, books, workbooks, web pages...)
** The following are in progress:
- Bylaws & Covenant
- Family Discipleship Manual
- Baptism Preparation Booklet
- God's Way Home: Submissive Faith
- How to Appeal to or Above Your Authorities
- When is a Church a True Church?
- Elder / Deacon training guides
- Covenant Courtship Guide
- Divorce & Remarriage Policy
- The Music / Worship Controversies
- How to Communicate Heart to Heart
- How to Discern God's Will
- Nature's Violence & Death Are Not from God
D. Church Discipline - Peacemakers (Eventually to be composed the council of pastor/elders. Mat 18; 1 Cor 5; Titus 1)
II. Worship Facilitators:
(Especially teaching and encouraging the families to worship at home every day. This makes the Sunday meeting is actually the spark for the rest of the week. (Remember that our 10 - 11:00 worship time is divided into 20 min of praise, 20 minutes of prayer, 20 min of Communion)
1. Praise - singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5; Col 3)
along with praise reports from the week.
2. Prayer - men to lead out with thanksgiving.
3. Lord's Supper - for believers who are in fellowship with God and
others. Servers for the elements, men to prepare a word on the Lord and His
work.
What else can you think of?
Physical Service
(Under the deacons' management)
Quick Summary:
- Deacon training (The booklet Sid's been working on is almost complete ....)
- Financial Management Ministry (Budget, bank balance - thanks Craig!-, long term plan ....)
- Resource Ministry (Maintain inventory & stock of most used tracts, articles, booklets, books...)
- Mailing Ministry (Data lists, Newsletters, printing, mailing, email lists, etc..)
- Building Ministry (find & reserve meeting places, scheduling, set up, plan toward own facility, etc.)
- Church Directory Ministry (Update database to include kids birth dates, print & distribute)
- etc., etc., many more opportunities ...............
I. Financial Management
(To add to the excellent job Craig is doing)A. Government Compliance (Rom 13)
1. Research pros/cons of 501-C-3 Tax status & pursue if best.
2. Monitor laws effecting politically correct speech, political activism, etc.
to help the church show honor and obedience to the secular authorities, without
compromising Scriptural mandates.)
B. Southern Baptist Cooperation
1. Help with denomination's rediscover of biblical basics (inerrancy,
sufficiency, male leadership, church accountability . . . . )
2. Donations to SBABC
C. In-House Church Stewardship
1. Accountant communication, application
2. Compensation of Full-time Elders
a. Set up allowances (housing, auto, etc.), and officially record in the minutes
of a business meeting.
b. Direct payments for medical insurance, etc..
c. Decide on 1099 vs. W-2 & W-4
3. Benevolence Ministry Management
a. Emphasis on training folks to work hard, manage their finances responsibly.
b. Give to those in legitimate crises
c. Develop outreach to widows (including house & auto repair, transport,
medical, etc..)
d. Develop a single parent training & support network including their
relatives, ex-spouse, childcare support, etc..
II. Meeting Place Management
A. Finding appropriate places for Sunday meetings, Baptisms, classes,
seminars, conferences, etc..
B. Set up of chairs, tables, projectors, etc..
C. Cleanup of buildings
D. Insurance coverage for use of buildings.
III. A New Radio Program
(Alternative to current psychobabble shows)A. Raise support for the program
B. Promotional flyers
IV. Local Conferences
(Bring in gifted teachers to reach our area)A. Arrange Speaker's airline, hotel needs
B. Promote on radio, newspaper, etc..
V. Mailing Management
A. Databases
B. Document & label printing
C. Zip code sorting
VI. Resource Inventory Mgmt
A. List all resources the church chooses to keep in stock for immediate
availability
B. Monitor the stock, find best prices, and order before we run out.
C. Promote their use by keeping folks aware that we have them & why.
VII. Meal Coordination
A. Inventory & maintain stock of dry goods.
B. Enlist & coordination folks to prepare.
What else can you think of?