Philosophy of Ministry: Statement #3

By Pastor George Antonakos

"Christian growth, pastoral care and fruitful ministry happen best in the context of authentic Community."

Moses had a headache. He had the headache because "he was in over his head," but he didn't know it. It took the wise counsel of his father-in-law, Jethro, to serve as a dose of ancient Advil. In the first section of Exodus 18 Moses recites the deeds of the Lord in delivering God's people from Egypt. What Moses didn't know is that the people needed another kind of deliverance. They needed to be set free from the way of doing ministry and problem-solving Moses had devised. Jethro put it to Moses in this way (vv. 17, 18): "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone."

This account from Scripture instructs us in these days of reciting the great deeds of the Lord on our behalf. God is doing a great thing among us here at Central. As we journey in this grace Exodus 18 reminds us that in the midst of the miraculous, God used common sense counsel to guide the people day by day. That counsel freed both Moses and others to serve God more effectively.

The 3rd Philosophy of Ministry statement challenges us to think about ministry in similar ways. We have all probably heard the analogy between the church and football - 22 guys knocking themselves out on the field while thousands watch. In most congregations today the pastor and perhaps a few others are expected to be the repository of educational knowledge, pastoral care, and motivation for mission. Comments like the following are heard: "that's what we pay the pastor to do," or "unless the pastor makes the hospital visit, the person hasn't been visited." The 3rd Philosophy of Ministry statement is like the counsel of Jethro. It is in the context of authentic community that the many functions traditionally expected of the pastor can take place. The member of a small group, who is in emotional or physical distress, is usually ministered to far more effectively by friends and co-members of their group than by anyone else, including the pastor. Small groups accelerate spiritual growth and mission effectiveness exponentially. The real need is being willing to be ministered to by one another, not only by the professional clergy.

Allow me a personal example - because Central has been moving to an Ephesians 4 model of ministry I have purposely cut back on hospital and nursing home visitation. This has been a source of tension for me because I was not trained to do it this way. I still feel that if I don't visit everyone I have been deficient or let someone down. When I later hear that a deacon or other person with gifts of mercy has been on the scene I feel a sense of relief and gratitude, somewhat like Moses must have felt under his new "marching orders" from God, through Jethro.

Leaders at CPC recognize that the next pastor must focus primarily on three tasks:

1. To preach and teach,
2. to cast vision and motivate others toward it and
3. to mentor staff.

These tasks alone are easily a full-time job, requiring great amounts of time for managing the pastor's own spirit. This is further reason to extol the benefits of authentic community (small groups/ministry teams); it keeps the work from "getting too heavy" and the leaders and people from "wearing themselves out."