Welcome to the tenth article in a series designed to enhance the use of the Small Membership Church Guideline. Ideally, this Guideline will be shared among your church leaders, read, discussed together, and utilized to strengthen ministry.
Here are some added suggestions for making the NOW(rm) model of ministry work in your church.
1. Prepare leadership for meetings.
One of the keys for success is to prepare for meetings. The pastor should work with the church council chairperson to consider carefully items for the agenda. Make sure the meeting can be accomplished in the time scheduled. Provide printed background information in advance for agenda items that will be considered for decision. Never surprise people in a meeting with items they did not realize were up for discussion.
2. Provide training on the role of the church council and local church organization.
Obtain a copy of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2004 and review the section describing the church council. Share information about the purpose with your council, and provide a copy of the Guideline on the Church Council to at least the chairperson. Members should know how often and when meetings would occur. Each congregation is required to organize including Nurture, Outreach, Witness and Resource Ministries — NOW(rm). How you do this is up to the local church to decide.
If you are considering a new organization, explain the model and why you believe it is appropriate. The information in the Small Membership Church Guideline should help you make this decision. Invite leaders to try the new model and agenda for a short period of time, perhaps six to nine months, and then assess its effectiveness. Take slow steps.
3. Consider using a consensus/discernment decision-making style.
The church council should practice careful agenda planning and spiritual discernment. All "action items" coming from committees and ministry groups should be available in printed form for distribution to church council members about a week in advance of their regular meeting. This allows time for thoughtful consideration and asking questions about the item. It also provides time for spiritual discernment, or knowing what is best for the congregation and its ministries (Philippians 1:9–10.) Developing this spiritual ability to distinguish good is of utmost importance when planning the ministries of your church (Hebrews 5:12–14). The primary operational question here is "What is God's will?" not "What makes us happy?" Careful attention to this question necessitates providing the time and format needed.
Most small churches find that in addressing action items, consensus agreements work far better than majority votes. Consensus is a "win-win" process because it ensures that all voices have a respectful hearing. An action item is discussed until everyone in the group agrees to abide by the decision. Sometimes referring the item back to the ministry group or committee from which it came for further shaping is appropriate. On the other hand, majority/minority voting is a "win-lose" process. The majority wins, while the minority loses. This can cause dissension and hard feelings. Consensus agreements take more work, but in the long run they are the healthiest decision-making process.
4. Stay centered! Develop spiritual leadership as well as church leadership.
Leaders should grow spiritually as well as in terms of service and experience. These thematic suggestions are developed for a calendar year and can be integrated into church council sessions, special leadership settings, or even the worship life of a congregation. Invite various leaders to provide a short devotion, Bible study, or activity for reflection. Perhaps a leadership retreat during the year would be renewing.
Topics may include:
1st Meeting: Get acquainted
2nd Meeting: Group covenant (group commitment)
3rd Meeting: Setting goals
4th Meeting: Gift discovery
5th Meeting: Ways to grow together spiritually
6th Meeting: Keeping God #1
7th Meeting: Spiritual renewal
8th Meeting: Begin a new ministry project together
9th Meeting: Discern how to best serve God
10th Meeting: Being good stewards of resources
11th Meeting: Celebrate accomplishments (Thanksgiving)
12th Meeting: For end of group, name contribution and send with a blessing
5. Understand the role of the Resourcing Ministry Team.
An overview of the resource ministry team responsibilities by specific area is mentioned in the Guideline on pages 41-43, with reference also to the expanded information in the Book of Discipline. There are also other Guidelines in this series devoted to each of the resource ministries. As you review that information, identify one or two topics that the entire church council would benefit from knowing more about and plan a training session. This helps support the work of the resource ministry team and clarifies their work. Remember, Finance, Lay Leadership, Pastor Parish Relations, and Trustees are intended to resource ministry.
6. Expect teamwork.
In smaller churches there are individuals (rather than committees or teams) who take responsibility for ministry. Unknowingly, these people may actually stifle creativity and continuity of the very ministry they care deeply about by trying to do it solo. Shifting to ministry teams (even if they are only 2-3 people) develops stronger support for the ministry of the church.
Consider creating teams of people around nurture, outreach, and witness that would have leadership from the following areas:
Nurture Ministry Team
Sunday school
Children's ministry (i.e. Vacation Bible School)
Youth ministry
Worship
Others as appropriate
Outreach Ministry
Local mission
United Methodist Women and Men
Others as appropriate
Witness
Communication
Lay Leader
Stewardship
Shared ministry/project
Others as appropriate
Find a time to bring these individuals together to discuss as a team how they work together to accomplish their shared area of ministry (nurture, outreach, or witness), how they plan and coordinate their work, and what could be added in their area that would make a significant difference in the mission and ministry of the congregation.
Thank you for visiting our website and for giving us the opportunity to serve you.
Julia K. Wallace is former Director of Small Membership Church and Shared Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship.
Diana L. Hynson, editor of this series of articles, is Director of Learning and Teaching Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship.
Copyright © 2004 The General Board of Discipleship. Permission is granted for use in local church training or study groups. No portion of this article may be reprinted or republished in any form for any other reason without written consent.
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