Comments on: Impossible Religious Demands?

By: Bumble

Bumble — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 01:24:53 +0000

Thanks Tony, you just sparked my mind with this:

now I realized this cross-polination: Unlike businesses, church should grow by its equity, not by its liability – by stocks and not bonds, using business speak.

While I was in the MBA program, it was surprising for me to learn that the preferred way to finance a company is through issue bonds, not stocks. Bond was considered “other people’s money”, it’s called “leverage”. It’s the borrow capitals you get from lenders, not your reinvest-earning or saving.

Consider Home Depot – it was surprising for me to learn that this giant was borrowing money up the wazoo from some 30-years bond in order to have enough capitals to keep building big boxes fast enough to saturate the market.

On the other spectrum, there is In-N-Out burger, (an excellent fast food chain which is limited to the four states on the Western US), because they didn’t want to incur debt for expansion. They just want to grow in accordance to their equity growth.

Now let’s talk churches.

Technically we could embrace rapid expansion (numerical growth) by borrowing (using what we don’t have). Put people into ministry so that they get involved and grow more and keep the church running in the process (which in turn will draw more new people to different programs and services the church has to offer).

Or we could grow the church (even numerically) by reinvest-earning (using what we have). Wait until people matured and reap the fruit of Christian service from them. But this would take way longer.

But there will be less burnt-out, more sustainable, and it would be healthier, and the experience with God would be more enjoyable.

What do you think?

By: bob

bob — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 22:05:09 +0000

I wonder if part of the struggle is in what we sometimes unintentionally communicate about discipleship and spiritual formation. There is a tendency to portray programs and projects as THE pathway to spiritual growth. While they help and are beneficial there is a subtle pull that more activity creates spiritual maturity-not necessarily the case. As staff and pastors we know this isn’t true but some of our people get energized about God and the church and want to do everything.

As a “Shepherds” God has given us responsibility to watch over our flock. (1 Peter 5:2) sometimes that means making them lie down in green pastures…and rest.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 17:55:02 +0000

I am someone who is currently having to take a step back from volunteer ministry because of burnout.

Here’s my take.

The role of the pastor is not to do ministry work but to train and equip and care for the volunteer saints who do ministry work.

If a pastor/teacher is not training or supporting a volunteer minister, then that pastor/teacher is not doing his job, imho.

I say that without judgment or criticism. Just my observation after years of service.

By: john

john — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 11:29:13 +0000

I think it goes back to what Tim calls a ‘span of care’. A leader needs to really know their teammates and what they are capable of achieving. What might be a burden for some would leave others feeling bored. An appropriate span of care allows a leader to know when the burden may be too much. It’s all about doing life together.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:54:49 +0000

I had to take 2 months off because I was doing so much. I just needed a break. I’m ready to come back now, but the point stands. I saw it in my father when he was worship leader/choir director/cantata director at our church… he worked harder at church than he did at work. It’s important to have great people serving with you, and a burden you can bear on your shoulders. When a church begins to depend soley on one person, be it my dad at his church, or a sole pastor in a small church, you’re heading for burn out.

By: Jenn Nahrstadt

Jenn Nahrstadt — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:40:48 +0000

Yes. While there are many great ministries that churches offer, the demand they can require of those same members can overload them without the leaders being aware of it. Ministries exist to help people begin their spiritual growth, but is the church to be there to equip or enable? Sometimes, I think churches often don’t have a good plan to help people move beyond the need for spiritual growth ministries and on to taking ownership for their own growth. I don’t want to see churches going to staffed ministries though, because we are supposed to be teaching others what we ourselves are learning.

Kudos to you for asking the question. Asking this same question of the people who volunteer under you will really provide you with the most insight though.

By: Heather Zempel

Heather Zempel — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:01:58 +0000

Wow. Great questions, Tony. I think we are definitely crushing some of our folks with the things we ask them to do.