The GCC Philosophy of Ministry
A Philosophy of Ministry (POM) establishes both the why and how of proper God-honoring ministry within Christ’s Church. The foundational and non-negotiable mandate for the Church’s very existence must come from His inspired and inerrant Word. It is in the Bible that we have His direct, special revelation through which God has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness (2Pe 1:3). But while this fundamental level of a POM is specifically stated in Scripture, God has generally omitted explicit methods to allow His Church implementation flexibility for different locations and times.
Many tangible advantages come to a church which prepares and progresses in accordance with a Biblical POM. Everyone in the body needs to be able to say with confidence what Christ’s desires are for His church, for which He died! What is my role? What should I do, and how do I accomplish it? If we don’t have a plan, how will we know if we got there? If we know the church’s purpose, and know our role within the church, then we can know our individual ministry purpose.
Because the Bible is unchanging, reflecting the immutability of God its author, if we adhere to a Biblical POM we will not have a shifting foundation ourselves. We will not run the risk of slipping into doctrinal error or sinful, carnal, and pragmatic approaches to achieve humanistic objectives: children tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14). The apostolic church had consistent traditions (1Co 11:2; 2Th 2:15; 3:6; Jud 3), practices (1Co 11:16), and philosophy (1Co 14:33, 40) and any movement from them was apostasy (2Th 3:6; 3Jn 9).
The ministry must have definite goals. These have the practical effect of defining one’s ministry, preventing pointless running in all directions, and subsequent burnout. Paul would not run without aim, or box as beating the air, but only serve with discipline (1Co 9:26-27). The prioritization of ministry goals will aid our efficiency. Since resources such as people and money are always at a premium, only the most essential tasks for any given time should be pursued. Lower priority work having little or nothing to do with the POM-specified purpose and goals for an individual should either be eliminated or re-assigned, as the apostles did (Ac 6:1-7). With the most important ministries identified and performed, the church can effectively glorify God.
Additionally, since each of us must one day give an account to the Lord for our work for Him, the POM will help prompt us to stay on track and be personally faithful to His calling on our lives (1Co 4:2). A church that can clearly define its philosophical basis is able to determine the scope of its ministry; continuously reevaluate its corporate experience; evaluate its ministry rightly (not by popularity); keep its ministry balanced and focused on the essentials; empower more members as ministers; weigh objectively the relative merits of a prospective ministry; be a clear, attractive alternative for people seeking relief from systematic failure; and can rightly and consistently decide involvement with other church and para-church ministries (from Rex Johnson, "Philosophical Foundations of Ministry" in Foundations of Ministry, pp. 55-59).
A few definitions will serve to clarify our subsequent discussion of Christ’s body, His purpose for it, and our practical application and ideas to achieve it:
Because the purpose of the church is mandated by God, if churches commonly understood Biblical doctrine their foundation would be completely consistent: that of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself the cornerstone (Eph 2:20). The differences among churches would then be only the means or methods by which it is accomplished.
Exaltation/Worship
Describing the greatest commandment, our Lord said that one must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind (Mt 22:37). All our worship must be in spirit and truth because God is spirit (Jn 4:23-24), and our very lives must be a light or testimony from which men see our good works and glorify God (Mt 5:16). We must exalt God, magnify His name, ascribe to Him the supreme position He alone is due, and glorify Him before all creation. Jesus summarized His perfect ministry in the final evening before the cross saying, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (Jn 17:4). This is the ultimate purpose of the church and every one of its members.
Worship is central in who the church is and what we do. The Christian’s very election to be God’s adopted son is to the praise of the glory of his Grace (Eph 1:6, 12, 14). Having been predestined for worship, we must honor and adore Him throughout the actions and attitudes of our lives. All of Christian life is an act of worship. The exaltation of God must permeate all the services and ministries of the church.
The worship in Church is clearly distinguished from that of Israel. No longer is there a temple, holy place, sacrificial system, or select priesthood. Instead, the body of Christ is the temple of God, all Christians form a royal priesthood, and all are to be living sacrifices willing to share in the fellowship of the suffering of their Lord. While no requirements for the order of service are specified, a few scattered examples can be found, especially in Acts and First Corinthians. The new believers were "continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Ac 2:42). They gathered together in fervent prayer (Ac 4:31; 12:5) and met to exalt God in teaching, prophecies, and singing (1Co 14:26). They worshipped God (1Co 14:25) with the purpose that all things be done for edification (1Co 14:26).
A pastor’s role in exaltation/worship—as always—is to model, teach, and lead the church in this vital area, as a servant-shepherd. All areas of church life must be pointed upward, with God’s will and the kingdom of heaven in mind. This includes business and planning meetings, choir rehearsal, work days, everything! All are opportunities to glorify our Creator.
The worship service itself is certainly no exception. All its elements must exalt God, pointing attenders to Christ, including the preaching of the Word, prayers, music, offerings, and the announcements. Offerings, and discussion of giving, should not be avoided as beneath the dignity of the church. In the NT, they were given for support to the poor, missions, and pastors (1Co 9:13-14; 16:1-3; Php 4:14-19; 1Ti 5:17-18). The sacrificial, joyful giving of firstfruits to the Lord (2Co 8:12; 9:6-7, 11) is an act of faith and trust in Him and should not be robbed from God or His people. And announcements should not be obscured as a necessary evil, but should be a time of praise and thanksgiving for the work God is doing through His people.
Preaching should be via expository sermon: "A discourse that expounds a passage of Scripture, organizes it around a central theme and main divisions which issue forth from the given text, and then decisively applies its message to the listeners." (Vines, Power in the Pulpit, p. 29). Generally the expository preaching should be systematic because it is the only way to teach the whole counsel of God (Ac 20:27). On occasion, for a brief respite from a long series or for a devotional emphasis (e.g., the attributes of God), general exposition can also be used.
Systematic teaching will assure breadth of understanding as the Scriptures are unfolded over time, but depth is also critical. The service and the sermon is not primarily to the unsaved, but to the saved. We cannot feed lambs skimmed milk week after week and expect them to become reproducing sheep. Preaching and teaching the Bible reveals the will of God to His people so they may be conformed into the image of His Son.
Similarly, Prayer must saturate the services and life of the church, and each of its members. Significantly, when asked to set their highest priorities and relinquish others, the apostles said that they must devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word (Ac 6:4). Every person and ministry of the church needs to be giving and receiving prayer, continually (1Th 5:17). God has commanded it, and without His empowering we cannot bear spiritual fruit (Jn 15:5). Every ministry needs prayer and usually hospitality (food, flyers,…) teams supporting it continually for specific group needs, not generalized platitudes. Ad hoc structures such as prayer trees and chains are also very encouraging during emergencies and as rapid notification for the body to help. Every Christian should be trained in prayer so that speaking with the Lord is as reflex as breathing, as it must also be in our gatherings together. Prayer is both taught and especially caught (e.g., Mt 6:9-15; [Lk 11:2-4]; Jn 17).
Although listed here because of their critical role in the exaltation and worship of God, both preaching and prayer are also integral to the functions of evangelism/witness and equipping/working. Preaching and prayer are of broad value to the church, as is the man who obediently ministers in them.
Music has always been an important means for celebration of praise among God’s people, many of David’s psalms even having specific directions for instrumental and choral accompaniment. The church age is no different. Those who are filled with the Spirit speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs and give thanks to God in song and with music in their hearts (Eph 5:18-20; Col 3:16).
Although its value and clear Biblical support is undeniable, the particular form of the music has probably always been debated, just as the form of the sermon or service has. Again, God has given us great flexibility to adapt to the language and culture of the local body. For example, many of today’s "traditional" hymns were originally written and set to the music of then-contemporary folk songs. So long as the words are Biblical, unobscured by a cacophonous style, and undiminished by a secular refrain, the song is a candidate for worship. Traditional hymns generally have better content currently, though some could be improved with more contemporary melodies. The better praise songs—especially those directly from the Psalms or New Testament—are also Biblical and popular. There is room for both well done.
Also, the Lord Jesus has given two ordinances to His church and commanded them to be observed as remembrances or memorials. The first is Baptism. One who believes in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior is already a new creation, Spirit baptized, placed in the universal Body of Christ, and adopted into the family of God—justified! This ordinance of water baptism (Mt 28:18-20; Ac 2:37-41) then does not confer salvation, and cannot be for unbelievers such as infants, but must be for believers and in obedience. Its ultimate purpose is to identify the new believer with his Lord and lead directly to membership in a local church. Because it symbolizes death to the old life and rebirth, and because it grammatically and historically means "to immerse," the preferred method is immersion. Forward or backward, and how many times, are even less important, but should parallel the meaning. It may be held anywhere there is sufficient water, and proclaims the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection by symbolism and personal testimonies. Mature believers are inspired to more fervor in evangelism.
Just as Jesus completed the meaning of baptism to identification with Himself at the beginning of His ministry, He completed the meaning of the Passover meal with the Lord’s Supper (Communion) at the end of His life (Mt 26:26-30; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:17-20; 1Co 10:16; 11:17-34). Just as baptism symbolizes salvation and so is done once, the Lord’s Supper symbolizes sanctification and is to be done regularly. In addition to commemorating the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord in the past, it also looks forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and is done with the present unity of the Body of Christ in mind. We examine ourselves for sin (1Co 11:28) and recognize the bread as body of Christ granting access to the throne of grace, and the cup as the blood of Christ presenting us holy before our God. We observe it proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes (1Co 11:26). It may be observed with a fellowship meal, and perhaps monthly.
Evangelism/Witness
This is the second function of the church to achieve its purpose of glorifying God. Evangelism is an outward ministry without limits of place or time, culture, or national barrier. It is the primary reason we are still here after salvation since exaltation and equipping will be perfected upon entrance to heaven. We labor hard to share the Gospel, thankful that God alone is able to do the saving. Yet, it is the responsibility of every Christian to share his faith.
Truly, the Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15-16; Lk 24:46-47; Jn 17:18) must be properly understood as going, make (command) disciples by (1) baptizing and (2) discipling. In other words, we begin praying for workers and prepared hearts, and sharing the Gospel as best we can, continually. But, we also lead the new believers to be obedient in baptism and membership in a church which will equip/disciple them in the faith. Otherwise we’ve left a recent convert to be tossed by waves and blown by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14).
Perhaps surprisingly, the ministry of Fellowship—practicing the "one anothers" of the New Testament—best belongs under evangelism. If Christians love one another, all men will know we are Jesus’ disciples (1Jn 13:34-35) and there can be no better evangelistic witness than that. In fact any efforts to equip the saints for evangelism will fail without unity. First, no one will desire to work, and second, no one desirous of Christian fellowship will find it in that local body. Visitors will come in the front door and run out the back.
Fellowship takes time and, like all relationships, communication and trust. Contact alone is not fellowship, but is a necessary start. Fellowship meals such as potlucks in which people have time to talk is a start, but interaction in each others’ lives is best. To best develop a sense of belonging and a truly family atmosphere, ministering together in service to others is best. Both the work result and method are glorifying to God. Church leadership should promote many entry-level ministry opportunities. Unbelievers will witness the love and unity of the body (1Co 12:12-27) and want to be a part.
Outreach is a command of the Lord and a compulsion of the heart. Witnesses went out from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Ac 1:8). And so is the order today. Throughout church history the most effective method has been Relationship evangelism: family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Those people that best know of our love for Jesus and our lifestyles should best listen to our message, rather than to a heretic that comes to his door. We begin with training and modeling evangelism at this level.
Additionally, the disciples went house to house (Ac 5:42), to different countries (Ac 8:4-5), and to people of different nationalities (Ac 8:27; 10:1 ff.;…) Although cold-calling is less effective numerically, it is necessary for a new church and an obligation to God and the community. Evangelistic phone calling via reverse phone directories, and visits to new residents before they schedule all their kids’ time are both good contact points. Advertising in tactful and creative ways (church sign, license plate holders,…) lets people know of the church and can aid credibility for the life-changing message of the cross. Following up with new visitors who have made the initial step of investigation is perhaps the most efficient single step.
Multiple exposures often help pagans consider the Christian message fully—credibility must be gained in our culture which is more like Athens than Jerusalem. One way to get the relationship-building time together is through evangelistic sports leagues. Fear of church buildings and people is overcome and the Gospel is presented by the coach/evangelist with discipleship follow-up and meals. Christian movies with evangelistic intermissions or conclusions may also be used. The ideas are endless, but must be God-honoring, not man-exalting.
Church planting at home and abroad should be set as an early goal of every church. Supporting missionaries is good, but raising them up and fully funding them is best. The body then is committed to giving and praying. Opportunities for short-term missions should be pursued so that all members of the body are either going or supporting others. There are no walls to missions.
An evangelistic goal of each local body should be to identify, train and support, and send those men gifted by God to lead new churches. Preachers are under the compulsion of God to preach and must be sent (Ro 10:14-15). Generally, smaller churches are more aggressive at both evangelism and providing ministry opportunities for their members.
Equipping or Edifying/Working
To equip or edify the saints to discover and use their spiritual gifts to minister to the body and perform the works of service (Eph 4:12) which He has prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10) so that the body may be built up in unity, is explicitly the reason that God has chosen and gifted certain men to under-shepherd His church (Eph 4:11). Although there is a great diversity of ministries for doing so, the under-shepherd must be certain they are all to the glory of his Great Shepherd.
Two passages describing this maturing or completeness of the body are Col 1:28-29 and Eph 4:11-16. As the body becomes strong under its Head, it becomes united in the faith and a formidable force for the kingdom of God.
First, even Jesus did not directly disciple the multitude, but merely 12 close associates who then, in turn, ministered to others. This is the thrust of Paul’s charge to Timothy to entrust the sound doctrine to men who will be qualified to teach others (2Ti 2:2). Discipleship is fundamental to this work. Then these men can, in turn, be leaders in small groups such as Home Bible Fellowships and especially in their homes. Flock groups are especially good for building close friendships, providing opportunity for growth in prayer and the Word, and for detailed application questions to be asked and discussed. The opportunities are seldom available elsewhere, but require the church to have enough qualified leaders. New members can immediately feel part of even a large church, and can grow quickly.
Another major thrust must be to support the Family. They are God’s first human organization and will lead to a strong church. Women’s ministries, with good leaders, should be encouraged immediately. Women who could counsel, teach children, be hospitality heads, visitation regulars, elder nominee reviewers,…, are invaluable and provide insights often invisible to men. Sunday School is good for all ages, and should not be demographically pigeon-holed for adults. Applications to families and the person are especially relevant.
AWANA-type programs for the kids to learn about God systematically and early are very helpful to early maturity in the Lord. New member training in the Fundamentals of the Faith can give everyone the same solid foundation. And a Wednesday or Sunday evening series by the pastor or occasional para-church organizations can build the body and be more opportunities to serve. Subjects can be as diverse as cults, apologetics, media decline, or creationism.
Just as home-schooling has had a great response among Christians partly because children learn how to become adults by spending time with adults, and not the immature, so Youth groups should be structured to (1) equip them in the Lord bringing them to Christian maturity; and (2) have fun together and with adults. Promoting high school/junior high groups in which isolation from parents is the norm is exactly the wrong approach. Parent-teen time together is in short enough supply today already.
In summary, there is no lack of ways to honor Christ in His church! We can serve the body in many creative ways, both formally through existing programs, or informally in the oil change, clogged drain, clean-up, airport pick-up,…ministry. Whenever they are done for the glory of God, loving Him and His people, we will be achieving His purpose.