Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Seven Practices of Effective Ministry

Discover seven simple ways to revitalize your ministry through the parable of Ray Martin, the founding pastor of Meadowland Community Church. Busyness, pressures, and programs have blurred his original vision. But a night at a most remarkable baseball game changes everything! Pastors and church leaders will welcome this refreshing approach to ministry. 240 pages, hardcover from Multnomah.

There’s no scoreboard in the sanctuary, and the only plate is probably for the offering. But every church leader needs to know how to win, and every congregation needs to know when to cheer. This insightful book speaks to every church leader who yearns for a simpler, more effective approach to ministry. An engaging parable about one overwhelmed pastor is followed by an overview of seven successful team practices, each one developed and applied in a ministry setting. Reinforced by relevant discussion questions, these clear, easy, and strategic practices can turn any ministry into a winning team.
http://northpointresources.com/book_detail.aspx?ISBN=15905237337


Seven Practices of Effective Ministry By: Andy Stanley, Lane Jones, Reggie
http://www.practicallyspeaking.org/

Practice #1 - Clarify The Win: Even the best team can't score if it can't find home plate. In this conversation we'll discuss the importance of clearly defining a win at every level of your organization.

Practice #2 - Think Steps Not Programs: Before you start anything, make sure it takes you where you want to go. In this conversation we'll discuss the importance of a clear ministry strategy.

Practice #3 - Narrow The Focus: The longer a ministry operates, the more complex it can become. In order to maintain a winning organization, we must continually face the challenge of narrowing its focus.

Practice #4 - Teach Less For More People are bombarded by thousands of messages every week. If the local church is going to be effective, it must cut through the noise. It must learn to say only what needs to be said to the people who need to hear it.

Practice #5 - Listen To Outsiders: Why don’t the unchurched people in your area go to church? Could it be because you’re focusing on who you’re trying to keep instead of who you’re trying to reach?

Practice #6 - Replace Yourself :We are all replaced eventually. The wisest leaders will extend their influence by finding and mentoring their replacements.

Practice #7 - Work On It: All of us work in ministry every day, but is that enough? Working on your ministry requires time to evaluate your work and to celebrate your wins.