Philosophy of
Ministry
Our philosophy of ministry is summarized below. We believe this
approach toward our life together is faithful to the Scriptures, dependent on
the power of God and sensitive to the needs of people in our culture. This
is certainly not the only valid model for ministry, but we believe it is the
best one for us in this time and place.
The following are examples of
different forms that churches have taken today. We have outlined them as
illustration of different philosophies of ministry in order to explain ours more
accurately. We recognize the value of each model, but still face the
practical necessity of choosing one.
Model
|
Emphasis
|
Role of pastor
|
Major expectation of member
|
| School model |
Bible knowledge |
Teach sound doctrine |
Comprehensive Bible knowledge |
| Relationship model |
Interpersonal relationships, inner healing |
Nurturer and facilitator |
Functional-emotional health |
| Power model |
Power encounter |
Draw members into the powerful life of the Spirit |
Spirit-filled zeal |
| Mission model |
Outreach |
Equipper |
Outreach to unbelievers |
| Body model |
Teaching, equipping ministry |
Instruct
and equip |
Godly living and ministry |
Our
philosophy of ministry is a blend of the mission model and the body model.
We believe we need to be stronger in the ministry area (mission model) because
we live in a post- Christian world. Our philosophy of ministry will be
explained below along with our reasons for believing that it is the best one for
our particular culture.
There are several aspects to our
philosophy of ministry. They support one another and are equally
important, like the legs of a stool. Each area must be reasonably
successful if the church is to meet its biblical requirements. They are
grouped together in the order of our church purpose, Upward, Inward and
Outward.
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