The Twelve Laws of Building a Healthy Growing Ministry The Law of Liberation

Growing churches train their members to discover and deploy their spiritual gifts and passion both within and outside the church. Text – Romans 12:4-8 Growing churches train their members to discover and deploy their spiritual gifts and passion both within and outside the church. Text – Romans 12:4-8

I. Objective of this Session

Teach pastors the significance of spiritual gifts in the life of the body of Christ and the need to teach and deploy those in the church into ministry according to their gifts.

II. Major Teaching Points

Romans 12:4-8 exegesis

4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-8 (NIV)

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:4-8 (NIV)

II.Major Teaching Points a.God has made and gifted people in your church to ‘play’ a special position. b.Gifts are given by God’s grace, to align with the purpose for which we were created. c.People should focus their energies around the area where God has gifted them. d.The impact on the local body when ministries and church life grow out of gifts instead of filling slots and running programs. a.God has made and gifted people in your church to ‘play’ a special position. b.Gifts are given by God’s grace, to align with the purpose for which we were created. c.People should focus their energies around the area where God has gifted them. d.The impact on the local body when ministries and church life grow out of gifts instead of filling slots and running programs.

II.Major Teaching Points e.If you don’t have a leader gifted for the task with a team to support him/her, don’t start the ministry. f.Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14, 1 Peter 4:10 e.If you don’t have a leader gifted for the task with a team to support him/her, don’t start the ministry. f.Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14, 1 Peter 4:10

II.Major Teaching Points g.How to use the concept of liberating people to grow the church: –See the pastoral role as coach rather than star player. –Allow people with the God-given dream, passion, gifting and team to initiate and champion ministries. g.How to use the concept of liberating people to grow the church: –See the pastoral role as coach rather than star player. –Allow people with the God-given dream, passion, gifting and team to initiate and champion ministries.

II.Major Teaching Points g.How to use the concept of liberating people to grow the church: –Recruit and unleash gifted people that are smarter, better, more experienced and have more leadership than you. –Help every believer discover their spiritual gifts. –Create ways where it is easy for people to get involved in ministry. g.How to use the concept of liberating people to grow the church: –Recruit and unleash gifted people that are smarter, better, more experienced and have more leadership than you. –Help every believer discover their spiritual gifts. –Create ways where it is easy for people to get involved in ministry.

III. Research

Growing churches provide on-going training to help people discover their gifts and provide specific ways for them to be developed in ministry according to their gifts. This is one of the highest correlations between churches that grow versus those that do not.

IV. Practical Implementation

a.Introduce the concept of DIVINE DESIGN. b.Provide specific instruction on how to develop a networking or exploration process in the church so that people can learn to teach and discover their spiritual gifts. c.Have SECURITY in your role as pastor. Allow people to flourish in their spiritual gifts rather than feel threatened. a.Introduce the concept of DIVINE DESIGN. b.Provide specific instruction on how to develop a networking or exploration process in the church so that people can learn to teach and discover their spiritual gifts. c.Have SECURITY in your role as pastor. Allow people to flourish in their spiritual gifts rather than feel threatened.

IV. Practical Implementation d. DEPLOYING people according to their spiritual gifts demands that pastors overcome fears of not controlling ministries but instead balance that with healthy accountability where people are given the freedom to do significant ministry. e.Big jobs demand big people with big gifts. Most of us as pastors are asking lay people to help us instead of us EMPOWERING and deploying them to do great ministry. d. DEPLOYING people according to their spiritual gifts demands that pastors overcome fears of not controlling ministries but instead balance that with healthy accountability where people are given the freedom to do significant ministry. e.Big jobs demand big people with big gifts. Most of us as pastors are asking lay people to help us instead of us EMPOWERING and deploying them to do great ministry.

V. Key Questions

1.What area of your responsibilities are you presently feeling thoroughly overwhelmed in or ungifted for? 2.Could it be that God has uniquely gifted and developed someone within your church who could own and solve this problem? 3.Who are the underutilized pillar people in your church? 1.What area of your responsibilities are you presently feeling thoroughly overwhelmed in or ungifted for? 2.Could it be that God has uniquely gifted and developed someone within your church who could own and solve this problem? 3.Who are the underutilized pillar people in your church?

VI. Helpful Resources/Tools

Networking by Willow Creek Association Discovering Your SHAPE by Saddleback Your Divine Design, small group DVD material from Walk Thru the Bible Networking by Willow Creek Association Discovering Your SHAPE by Saddleback Your Divine Design, small group DVD material from Walk Thru the Bible

VII.Questions and Answers