Discovering and Developing the Ministry Style of Your Church. By Philip D. Douglass

Transcription

1 Discovering and Developing the Ministry Style of Your Church By Philip D. Douglass

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3 Three Elements of Church personality? Church Personality Philosophy of Ministry Community Context Theological Convictions

4 Concrete Subconscious and intangible Works quietly behind the scenes like the operating system on a computer Nonverbal communication

5 PRACTICA L Adventurou s Expressiv e ANALYTIC AL Organizer Strategizer Fellowship CONNECTION AL Inspiration al Entrepreneuri al Relational INNOVATIV E

6 Debatable Matters Doctrinal Distinctive s Core Conviction s Gal. 1:9 Romans 14:5 1 Cor. 10:23-30

7 Church focused upon freedom of expression, spontaneity, flexibility, creativity, and acting quickly in a crisis. Church focused upon responsibility, tradition, maintaining order, attention to details, and subordination to authority Tolerance of church Personality differences. Intolerance of church personality differences

8 Information-gathering Personal observation vs. intuition Decision-making Objective Analysis vs. Based on values Lifestyle Planed and structured vs. casual and informal

9 PRACTICAL INNOVATIVE Pay attention to facts, details and current reality Preference for working with information on the basis of its meaningfulness, originality, and future possibilities

10 ANALYTICAL Deal with information on the basis of its structure and function CONNECTIONAL Interact with information on the basis of its dynamism and potential for enhancing relationships

11 STRUCTURED FLEXIBLE Motivated into action proactively on the basis of planning Motivated into action through responding to changes in events

12 Practical Churches are influenced by leaders who: Live in the here and now Work well with facts and details Like realistic challenges and problem solving Are experience and actionoriented Are realistic and matter-of-fact Innovative churches are influenced by leaders who: Prefer to live in the past and the future Are interested in new and unusual experienced Do no like routine Are attracted to theory rather than practice

13 Analytical churches are influenced by leaders who: Are interested in systems, structures, patterns Like to expose issues to logical analysis Can be aloof and unemotional Are likely to evaluate issues through their intellect and decide on the basis of right and wrong May have difficulty talking about emotions May not work as diligently at clearing up arguments or quarrels Connectional churches are influenced by leaders who: Are interested in people and their feelings Easily communicate their moods to others Pay attention to relationships Tend to evaluate issues through their ethical system and decide on the basis of good and bad Can be sensitive to rebuke May tend to give compliments to please people

14 Structured churches are influenced by leaders who: Do not like to leave many unanswered questions Are likely to plan their work ahead and finish it in a timely fashion Make an effort to be exact in what they do Do not like to change their decisions once they are made Flexible churches are influenced by leaders who: May act impulsively in their ministry Can do more things at once without feeling compelled to finish them Prefer to be free from long-term obligations Are curious and like taking a fresh look at things Are likely to demonstrate stable work habits Easily follow rules and discipline Are likely to work according to their mood Often act without much preparation

15 STRUCTURED FLEXIBLE Adventurou s Expressiv e STRUCTUR ED Organizer Strategizer Fellowship Inspiration al Entrepreneuri al Relational FLEXIBLE

16 Characteristics of the Fellowship Church Strong Points Listening to people and understanding their feelings Valuing teamwork and harmony with others in the church Following-though on projects Challenges Can be oversensitive to criticism May take on too many projects May struggle to respond to changing needs and opportunities Primary Ministries Ministries of mercy, helps and compassion Children s ministry Ministry Tempo Deliberate and relaxed What Inspires What Demotivates Involvement in ministries that genuinely help people in practical ways Insensitivity and impatience with people Disrespect for tradition and authority Disharmony

17 Characteristics of the Fellowship Church (Cont.) Under Stress Can feel overwhelmed Become more submissive to authoritative people Decision-making Through consensus building Desire Acceptance and approval from people important to them Peach and agreement in the church Priority Organize ministries to do what is best for people Church Ethos Personal Relational Loyal Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through More formal and traditional Friendships Cooperation Serving Fear Sudden change

18 Characteristics of the Inspirational Church Strong Points Take their biblical values seriously and want others to do the same Loyalty, commitment, and responsibility are essential Challenges values Take communication for granted believing they are understood and their good intentions are accepted as genuine Just as they are accepting, they assume others are accepting towards them Primary Ministries Instruction and discipleship that relates to people, their needs, and Christ-centered aspirations Ministry Tempo Rapid pace, highly relational What Inspires What Demotivates A ministry environment that is people oriented, supportive, and organized Ministries being disorganized, indecisive, and haphazard

19 Characteristics of the Inspirational Church Under Stress Looks for faults rather than solutions (Cont.) Disconnects from people Discontinues listening or taking into account people s Decision-making needs Reflects their ideals and promotes harmonious relationship with others Desire Lively and enthusiastic ministries that apply warmth and vision to help people be all that God created them to be in Christ Priority Focus on individuals changing things for the betterment of others Church Ethos A spirit of harmony with encouragement given for all to fulfill their calling Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through Willingness to cooperate with one another Caring concern and willingness to become involved in people s lives Fear Being discovered as incompetent and unworthy

20 Characteristics of the Relational Church Strong Points Energetic, creative, and warm Stimulated by new people and new ideas Enjoy helping people achieve their potential Challenges Can be anxious during transition Have difficulty with people s negative feelings Primary Ministries Developing a vision of the future that energizes people Enthusiastically and articulately communicating with people in ways that are inclusive Ministry Tempo Fast-paces and activity-oriented What Inspires What Demotivates Cooperation, diversity, teamwork, harmony, and creativity Insensitivity to people Under Stress Overwhelmed with possibilities; indecisive Obsessed with unimportant details

21 Characteristics of the Relational Church (Cont.) Decision-making Tend to procrastinate because they dislike their options being limited Have strong, people-centered values on which most decisions are based Desire Openness to the moment Minimal conflict Priority Changes that make things better for people Church Ethos Visionary, exciting, egalitarian Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through Fear Being tied down Creative ministry that develops new ideas and programs for people Idealism that focuses on serving, developing, and growing people so they reach their potential Connection first with what is best for people

22 Characteristics of the Entrepreneurial Church Strong Points Handles crisis and problem situations adeptly Are fearless risk takers, overflowing with optimism Challenges So absorbed in action and the moment, they may lose sight of the long-term strategy Can be so bored by routing that important day-to-day activities go unattended Primary The new, the exciting, the adventurous, the risky Ministries Ministry Tempo Action oriented, rapid paced What Inspires What Demotivates Spontaneity, autonomy, challenge Rules, regulations, structure Under Stress Become excessively pessimistic about the future Become emotional Decision-making capabilities erode

23 Characteristics of the Entrepreneurial Church Decision-making Use logic, analysis, cause-and-effect reasoning (Cont.) Desire A flexible, spontaneous, ever-changing environment Priority Changing things for the good of others Church Ethos Easygoing and cooperative; minimally structures, unregulated Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through Concentration of attention and resources for quick, powerful impact Connection first with the task Fear Dealing with ambiguity and theory unconnected to reality

24 Characteristics of the Strategizer Church Strong Points Pioneers in the development of new ministries and outreach opportunities Focused on completing task at the level of excellence Challenges Can get bored with routine activities and leave them unattended Can ignore the present for the future Primary Ministries Ministry Tempo Rapid pace What Inspires What Demotivates Developing theories and vision Solving complex problem Creating plans, developing prototypes and designing strategies Unpredictable delays and postponements that slow them down in attaining their goal Under Stress Loses objectivity Ray emotions exposed Becomes overly sensitive

25 Characteristics of the Strategizer Church (Cont.) Decision-making Logical and clear-thinking Desire Visualize where the church is going and then communicate that vision to others Priority Staying current to ensure the ideas they communicate are well validated Church Ethos Energetic, task-oriented people organized around a clear vision Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through Reserved, unassuming, unceremonious Being deemed competent Fear Failure When emotion rules

26 Characteristics of the Organizer Church Strong Points Preparation Troubleshooting Managing Challenges Obsessive Fault-finding Unsympathetic Primary Ministries Ministry Tempo Deliberate Systematic What Inspires What Demotivates Program development Planning and management Orderly procedure Randomness Disorder Under Stress Reserved

27 Characteristics of the Organizer Church (Cont.) Decision-making Calculated Desire Exactness Priority The method Church Ethos Efficient Proper Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through Conventional Attention to detail Research Fear Embarrassment

28 Characteristics of the Adventurous Church Strong Points Handle crisis and problem situations expertly Are fearless rick takers, filled with optimism Challenges So absorbed in action and the moment, they may lose sight of the long-term strategy Can be so bored by routine that important day-to-day activities go unattended Primary Ministries The new, the exciting, the adventurous, the risky Involvement with new opportunities Ministry Tempo Action-oriented, rapid-paced What Inspires What Demotivates Spontaneity, autonomy, challenge Rules, regulations, structure Under Stress Become excessively pessimistic about the future Become emotional Decision-making capabilities erode

29 Characteristics of the Adventurous Church Decision-making Use logic, analysis, cause-and-effect reasoning (Cont.) Desire A flexible, spontaneous, ever-changing environment Priority Changing things for the good of others Church Ethos Easygoing and cooperative: minimally structured, unregulated Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through Concentration of attention and resources for quick, powerful impact Connection first with the task Fear Dealing with ambiguity and theory unconnected to reality

30 Characteristics of the Expressive Church Strong Points Communicative with strong people skills Take a sympathetic, inclusive approach with new people Challenges Prefer to avoid or deny conflict as long as possible Will react fiercely if a value has been trampled Primary Ministries Like to be where the people and the action are; right in the middle of things, involved Ministry Tempo Fast-paced action; gregarious and sociable What Inspires What Demotivates Spontaneity, excellence, equality, harmony Unsettled by conflict among people they care about Under Stress May become uncharacteristically pessimistic, negative, or doubt themselves (thought they may not show these reactions overtly)

31 Characteristics of the Expressive Church (Cont.) Decision-making Will seek information and advice from all sources Will consider the human aspect and whether all will Desire benefit To open about themselves and their concerns (what Priority you see is what you get) and encouraging others to be the Create same an environment where people feel valued and in on things Church Ethos Express concern for people by keeping the focus on the needs of those being served Outward Appearance Gain Confidence Through An exciting, optimistic, and fun atmosphere Being observant, paying attention to what is going on in their community Fear May question their own abilities and fear exposure as incompetent in their most important ministry endeavors