You Have 3 Ministries—Are You Neglecting Any?

Great church leaders are kingdom thinkers.
Do you challenge every staff member to think about their role in these realms? (iStock photo )

Healthy, growing churches are outwardly-focused, always thinking about how to communicate the gospel to a lost culture and bring the next unchurched person into a thriving relationship with God.

In the same way, a healthy church staff thinks about more than just how to accomplish the next team project. Great church leaders are kingdom-thinkers with a global vision for God's glory.

Since the earliest days of Saddleback Church, I've challenged every staff member to think about their role in at least three realms.

1. First, you have a ministry to the unchurched. You may have a role in church leadership related to kids ministry volunteers, creating graphics and videos, or expanding the church's small groups ministry, but your first ministry is always to those who are lost and far from God. Every church leader needs to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:5) and share the good news about Jesus with your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

As a matter of fact, the reason we strive to balance the five purposes and make more disciples is ultimately so that more disciples can be made. Every facet of church ministry fits together to create a healthy body that grows and reaches new, disconnected people. Whatever else you may do as part of a church's ministry team, you have a ministry to those who don't know Jesus yet.

2. Second, you have the ministry for which you were shaped and called. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as for the Lord and not for men(MEV). This verse applies to anyone, working any kind of a job. Whatever you do in life, do it for God's glory as though He is your boss, because He is!

At Saddleback, we tend to hire workaholics and then force them to calm down. We hire racehorses. Don't ever expect the people around you to carry the burden of motivating you to do the work of the ministry that God has assigned you.

If you can't seem to get motivated, it could be that your relationship with Jesus has suffered, you aren't in the role you're really shaped for, or you're physically or emotionally worn out. If you're feeling unmotivated, talk to someone about it and get to the bottom of it so you can be sure to serve in your sweet spot—the spot for which you are gifted and called.

3. Third, you have a ministry to your peers. Almost every church recognizes the first two areas of ministry, but some forget about this third realm. If you're part of a church's leadership, you have a third area of responsibility—to serve your peers in the kingdom. If you're a senior pastor, you should be pouring into and drawing strength from other senior pastors. If you're a church secretary, connect with other church secretaries. The same is true for youth ministry, kids ministry, small group ministry leaders, and every other area of church ministry.

Look around and learn from other churches. Share your knowledge and resources with other leaders. The kingdom benefits and churches grow when we're sharpening each other.

Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, one of America's largest and most influential churches. Warren is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.

For the original article, visit rickwarren.org.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.


Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.

Charisma Leader — Serving and empowering church leaders