Read an Excerpt
Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Complete Set
By Scott Hughes Cokesbury
Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5018-3012-9
CHAPTER 1
Blessed to Be a Blessing
If you are reading this Guideline, you have said yes to servant leadership in your church. You are blessed to be a blessing. What does that mean?
By virtue of our baptism by water and the Spirit, God calls all Christians to faithful discipleship, to grow to maturity in faith (see Ephesians 4). The United Methodist Church expresses that call in our shared mission "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world" (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, or the Discipline, 120). Each local congregation and community of faith lives out that call in response to its own context — the wonderful and unique combination of God-given human and material resources with the needs of the community, within and beyond the congregation.
The work of servant leaders — your work — is to open a way for God to work through you and the resources available to you in a particular ministry area, for you are about God's work. As stewards of the mysteries of God (see 1 Corinthians 4:1), servant leaders are entrusted with the precious and vital task of managing and using God's gifts in the ongoing work of transformation.
In The United Methodist Church, we envision transformation occurring through a cycle of discipleship (see the Discipline, 122). With God's help and guidance, we
• reach out and receive people into the body of Christ,
• help people relate to Christ through their unique gifts and circumstances,
• nurture and strengthen people in their relationships with God and with others,
• send transformed people out into the world to lead transformed and transforming lives,
• continue to reach out, relate, nurture, and send disciples ...
Every ministry area and group, from finance to missions, engages in all aspects of this cycle. This Guideline will help you see how that is true for the ministry area or group you now lead. When you begin to consider all of the work you do as ministry to fulfill God's mission through your congregation, each task, report, and conversation becomes a step toward transforming the world into the kingdom of God.
Invite Christ into the process to guide your ministry. You are doing powerful and wonderful work. Allow missteps to become learning opportunities; rejoice in success. Fill your work with the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
God blesses you with gifts, skills, and experience. You are a blessing when you allow God to work through you to make disciples and transform the world. Thank you.
(Find additional help in the "Resources" section at the end of this Guideline, in The Book of Discipline, and through http://www.umc.org.)
Biblical and Theological Foundations
The apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians: "[B]e filled with the knowledge of God's will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. We're praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God....
So live in Christ Jesus the Lord in the same way as you received him. Be rooted and built up in him, be established in faith, and overflow with thanksgiving just as you were taught." (Colossians 1:910; 2:6-7)
This passage is one way to describe the desired results of ministries with adults — wise, knowledgeable adults who are growing in the faith and who consistently demonstrate their love of God and neighbor.
Called to Lead
You have been called to work with other leaders in the church to fulfill the church's mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Research indicates that two of the primary drivers that have an impact on the vitality of congregations are small groups and effective lay leadership. As a leader of adult faith formation and discipleship, your ministry relates directly to both of these drivers. You have a unique responsibility to provide leadership in your congregation so that adults in all life stages are:
• accepted as beloved children of God;
• provided opportunities to relate to God through worship, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines;
• nurtured in the faith through Bible study, mutual accountability, and other faith-forming practices;
• sent out as disciples of Jesus Christ to participate in God's transformation of the world.
The Book of Discipline states that the function of the local church "is to help people to accept and confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to live their daily lives in light of their relationship with God" (202). As the body of Christ, we are challenged to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people.
As a spiritual leader in your congregation, you will find support, courage, and wisdom through the Holy Spirit. As you engage individually and with others in adult faith formation and discipleship, you will experience God's grace and be empowered to lead other adults as they grow in faith.
The Core Process: Offering H.O.P.E. with Adults
The invitation to be part of the kingdom of God is good news! People of all ages thrive as they receive and respond to God's prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace in and through the church. As you meet and get to know the adults of your community, you will find opportunities to invite them into the life of the congregation, which embodies our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We do this by providing H.O.P.E. Hospitality, Offer Christ, Purpose, and Engagement.
Hospitality — Are you reaching out and receiving all people, including those not in the church? Is your church intentionally proclaiming the gospel, seeking, welcoming, and gathering people into the body of Christ?
Offer Christ — What opportunities does your congregation offer for adult spiritual formation? What intentional processes are in place to lead people to commit their lives to God through baptism by water and the Spirit and profession of faith in Jesus Christ?
Purpose — How are you equipping people for Christian discipleship? How are you nurturing people in Christian living to help them find a true sense of purpose in life? Are people learning what it means to live out their beliefs through acts of piety and acts of mercy, through worship, the sacraments, spiritual disciplines, and other means of grace, such as Wesley's Christian conferencing?
Engagement — The ultimate test of effective discipleship in and through a congregation or an individual Christian is found in the family, the workplace, the political arena, and in relationships with neighbors. How are you sending people into the world to live lovingly and justly as servants of Christ by healing the sick, feeding the hungry, caring for the stranger, freeing the oppressed, being and becoming a compassionate, caring presence, and working to develop social structures that are consistent with the gospel?
As adult ministries coordinator, you assist your congregation in developing ministries that embody H.O.P.E. The "H.O.P.E. with Adults" chart can help you think through how you "work" the flow with various groups of adults.
H.O.P.E. with Adults
Using the chart "H.O.P.E. with Adults" (available as "Adult01-Hope with Adults Chart. pdf" at www.UMOfficialResources.com/Guidelines and www.MinistryGuidelines. org), list the settings and/or ways in which you live out H.O.P.E. through your congregation with single adults, single parents, married couples, working adults, homebound adults, adults living in long-term care facilities, and other groups of adults in your congregation and served through your congregation. You may want to add notes about how often each setting or method is offered, who is involved, and any thoughts you have about improvement.
Ministry Description
Your congregation will decide what kind of structure is needed to plan for adult discipleship. Some structures will be formal and ongoing, such as an adult council or education/nurture team. Some structures may be informal and short-term, such as a task force formed to plan an older-adult retreat. Your position title may be coordinator of adult ministries, team leader for adult discipleship, coordinator of singles ministries, or some other title indicating that you are a leader in adult ministries. Regardless of your title, church size, or structure, this Guideline is designed to help equip you in leading adult ministries in your congregation. (Note: If you work with young adults, ages 18–30, please read Guidelines: Ministries with Young People, 2017–2020.)
Your role is to keep the big picture of adult faith formation and discipleship in view and to help develop a comprehensive strategy appropriate for your context. Within those boundaries, your responsibilities may include:
• becoming familiar with the overall goals of your congregation and how the goals are achieved through the congregation's ministry with adults;
• identifying and articulating the needs of adults of all ages and life situations in your congregation and community;
• serving as liaison with organizations, people, and resources that relate to adults and their concerns for personal growth and service;
• supporting and guiding the work of the adult council (or other structure) throughout the year, planning agendas, and presiding at meetings;
• helping to plan and carry out a varied and wide-ranging ministry with adults, including worship, study, fellowship, intergenerational events, and service opportunities;
• communicating the goals and plans for ministries with adults of all life stages;
• reviewing and evaluating resources and programs that address the faith formation needs and passions of adults at various life stages and stages of faith;
• representing the vision of adult ministries on the church council and charge conference.
Where to Get More Help
You can consult these people or agencies for help:
• your pastor
• adults in your congregation and community
• your church council
• your district adult ministries council or coordinator
• your annual conference staff, adult coordinator, or council
• Discipleship Ministries staff (see the Resources section)
The Roles of the Adult Coordinator
Whether you are the coordinator of all adult ministries or a specific segment (single adults, older adults, and so forth), you fulfill a crucial role of leadership in the life of the congregation. Since adults make up the majority of members in most congregations, the work of the coordinator heavily influences the life of the church. Your position as leader can involve several roles.
Servant Leader
First and foremost, you are a servant leader. In the broadest sense, you serve as a leader for all adults in the congregation and as one partner to the lay leader. Specifically, you lead the adult council or ministry team. You were chosen because you have exhibited the qualities needed for such an important position in your congregation.
A servant leader models openness to God and continues growing in the Christian faith. This role requires such skills as the ability to listen to the needs of others, compassion, discernment, and scriptural understanding. As a leader of adults, you have the privilege and opportunity to invite others to join in the journey. Helping adults become transformational disciples of Jesus Christ is an important role for the coordinator of adult ministries.
A servant leader understands and supports the mission of the church. It is important to participate actively in all aspects of the church's life. You work with the church council to plan how your congregation fulfills the mission. As you work with other adults, you also build healthy relationships, balancing the concern for accomplishing a task with tending to the feelings and concerns of group members.
You set the pace for the work of the adult council (or committee or team) by carefully planning the agenda, keeping members informed, involving members in decision making, equipping and encouraging your team members to fulfill their agreed upon tasks, and seeking at all times to embody what it means to be a Christian disciple.
Visionary
Helping to envision what is possible and what is needed is a crucial role. You will be called upon to "think big," but at the same time not to lose touch with the realities of the situation. A vital part of our United Methodist theology is the desire "to go on to perfection." One of your roles is to envision how adult faith formation and discipleship help adults strive to emulate the example of Jesus in every aspect of their lives. You will help discern how and where God is calling adults to live and grow as God's people in your specific context.
Advocate
The coordinator serves as an advocate for adults in the various groups that plan and administer the church's ministry. You report to the church council on the goals of the adult council and advocate for adults who are left out or whose needs are being overlooked in church programming or in the community. Advocacy may take many forms, all the way from seeking more financial support for adult ministries and planning retreats for single parents to providing caring outreach to older adults in long-term care facilities.
Planner
You lead the adult council in planning ministries that will involve adults in worship, study, fellowship, service, and mission. You work with the adult council to interpret and promote adult ministries within the context of the church's mission, evaluate present ministries, identify additional needs, set priorities, enlist leaders, and implement plans. This role is particularly important for baby boomers who tend to work better together with less structure than older adults. Their work styles are more focused on tasks than on relationships.
Equipper/Recruiter
You serve as a lookout and coach, as you identify potential leaders, invite them to assume specific responsibilities, and provide them with the support needed to serve effectively. As you consider the various opportunities offered for adults, identify the gifts needed to lead those opportunities. Then consider those who have the gifts, passion, and potential for leadership in the area of adult ministries.
Evaluator
A key to good leadership is the ability to evaluate what is happening in the present. Are the present ministries working effectively? Are they meeting needs? Are they focused on helping adults grow in faith and discipleship? Are they helping to fulfill the church's ministry (H.O.P.E.) of offering Hospitality, leveraging opportunities to Offer Christ, Purposely nurturing Christian living, and Engaging people in God's world?
If you have questions about your role, consult with your pastor or chair of the church council. In addition to this Guideline, consult The Book of Discipline and other resources available through your church office or library.
Getting Started
How might a local church develop an intentional ministry among adults? While there is not a one-size-fits-all plan for every church or context, these general suggestions should apply.
A Five-Step Design
The following five steps will help you and your congregation design a ministry with, by, and for adults.
1. Organize a Ministry Team
If there is no adult council, find one other person who shares your vision for adult ministry in your church. Begin looking for others who are especially interested in sharing your vision. Review the names of people with your pastor and the committee on nominations and leadership development and consider the suggestions they make. Organize an adult ministry team with a cross section of all adults, including women and men; people who are single, married, divorced, and widowed; people representing a variety of ages and stages; people with disabilities; and people representing multiracial and multicultural diversity. After the adult ministry team is approved by the charge conference, the team should receive clarity regarding its relationship with the church council, committee on education, or other related committees.
While some churches may just have one adult ministry team, others will have several teams (task forces, councils, or committees) organized around specific life stages or experiences. For example, a church might have a singles ministry team or an older-adult team.
2. Gather Information about Adults
The adult ministry team can collect information in a variety of ways: face-to-face interviews, telephone calls, focus groups, and surveys via e-mail or your church's website. With each adult's permission, record as much information as possible. Include:
• name, address, phone numbers, e-mail, and other contact information;
• information about their needs as adults;
• information about ways they, as adults, can be in service to others.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation 2017-2020 Complete Set by Scott Hughes. Copyright © 2016 Cokesbury. Excerpted by permission of Cokesbury.
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