“These Are Your Grandbabies!” 

Enjoy the last three paragraphs in the Introduction to my upcoming book (September 2001) Equipping Counselors for Your Church: The 4E Ministry Training Strategy. 

Sister Ellen Barney is the First Lady (Sr. Pastor’s wife) of a large, predominantly African American church near Baltimore, Maryland. She has implemented the 4E Ministry Training Strategy for over a decade to equip over 1,000 women in her LEAD (Life Encouragers And Disciplers) Ministry.

They do it up big! Their graduation ceremonies are better than many colleges. I remember the first time Sister Ellen invited me to be their commencement speaker. As she introduced me, she looked over the crowd of over 50 graduates, and said, “These are your grandbabies Dr. Kellemen! You trained me and I trained them!” Now, years later, as Sister Ellen has trained trainers who train others, she tells me, “Dr. Kellemen, these are your great-great-grandbabies!”

Do you want to be a spiritual grandparent—discipling disciple-makers? Do you want to pass the baton of ministry? Do you want to change lives? Then equip God’s people to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth.

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Who are your spiritual grandbabies? Do you know who your spiritual grandparent is?

Tags: 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Biblical Counseling, Equipping, Equipping Counselors for Your Church

REST: How to Lead Meetings That People Want to Attend

“Meetings.” Just the mention of the word causes most of us to cringe.

Is there any way to lead a meeting that makes people cheer instead of boo?

Try the “REST” principle of meetings. In church and para-church settings I’ve always lead meeting with the following focus.

R: Relationship Building

Start every meeting with a time of relationship building. We always start first with a time of building our relationship with Christ—some aspect of group worship.

We next used various creative yet simple means to build relationships with one another—fellowship. It can be as simple yet powerful as praying for each other.

E: Equipping One Another

Having worked to deepen our connection to Christ and the Body of Christ, I next always include a time of discipleship—of mutual equipping. Doesn’t have to be the leader who does so—someone in the group can be designated ahead of time to lead a time of building up the group in ministry equipping.

S: Scriptural Strategizing

Strengthened in Christ and in the Body of Christ, empowered to serve others for Christ, next we spend time in big picture scriptural strategy sessions. Why are we here? Where does Christ want us to go from here? What does God’s Word say about our the specific mission/vision of our unique group in our special community?

T: Taking Action

This is where most groups start and end. They spend all of their time on the details of “business.” This is typically the groups agenda and “to-do” list. I always save this for last. Doesn’t mean it’s not important. But it does put it in its proper place and perspective. We can’t “to-do” anything if we do it in our own strength. Instead, our “to-do” list becomes a “to-glorify-God” list and a “to-enjoy” list when we prioritize it correctly. First, relationship with God and one another. Second, a disciple group. Third, a biblically focused purpose. Fourth, working together to plan how the group members will complete its MAP: Ministry Action Plan.

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Be honest, when you hear, “It’s time for our next meeting,” what comes to mind? How could the REST model change your attitude about meetings?

Tags: Church Leadership, Discipleship, Equipping, Leadership, Meetings

What’s a Pastor to Do?

The Big Idea: What is God’s vision for the “division of labor” in the church? To learn what God’s people are to do, visit yesterday’s post It Takes a Congregation. To learn what pastors are to do, read Want to Change Lives? To learn God’s grand calling for His Church, keep reading.

God’s Grand Vision for His Church: Ephesians 4:11-16

In Ephesians 4:11-16, the Apostle Paul highlights the Bible’s most powerful, focused vision statement for the Church. This passage offers God’s ministry description both for pastors and for every member. By distilling the essence of God’s call, His vision captures our imagination and motivates the shift in ministry mindset that changes everything.

The Résumé of Pastors

Most pastoral search committees would be thrilled to read a candidate’s résumé that demonstrated the ability to preach, counsel, and administrate. Most seminaries would be delighted if graduate exit interviews indicated that pastoral ministry students perceived that their seminary training equipped them for preaching, counseling, and administrating. Being equipped to do the work of the ministry seems to be everyone’s ideal goal for the pastor.

Everyone but Christ. His pastoral ministry description demands the ability to equip others to do the work of the ministry. If seminaries followed Christ’s vision for pastoral ministry, they would focus on training trainers. If pastoral search committees desired in a pastor what Christ desires, they would throw out every résumé that failed to emphasize experience in and passion for equipping the saints.

You would think that we would listen to the Head of the Church. Paul spends the chapters and verses leading up to Ephesians 4:11-16 showing why Christ has the right to write the pastor’s ministry description.

• He is our Redeemer in whom our full salvation is complete (1:1-14). We should surrender to His will for His redeemed people.

• He is seated at God’s right hand ruling over everything with all authority, appointed the Head over everything for the Church which is His Body (1:15-23). We should follow His directives for the Church.

• We are His workmanship, created in Christ to do the beautiful work prepared for us from all eternity (2:1-10). We should want to know what He prepared pastors and people for.

• He is the chief cornerstone upon whom the whole building (the church) is being built (2:12-22). We should follow His architectural drawings for the Church.

• He is the revelation of God’s grace toward which all time and eternity have been moving (3:1-14). We should yield to His infinite wisdom for His people.

• His love for us surpasses all knowledge (3:15-21). We should submit to His calling on our lives.

• He ascended higher than all the heavens in order to fill the whole universe (4:1-10). We should listen to the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe.

The Pastoral Ministry Mindset Shift That Changes Everything: Every Pastor an Equipper of Equippers

Instead, we listen to modern church culture that screams, “The pastor is the preacher, care-giver, and CEO!” It’s time to listen to the Head of the Church. “It was he who gave some to be … pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service…” (Ephesians 4:11-12a). Christ’s grand plan for His Church is for pastors/teachers to focus on equipping every member to do the work of the ministry.

Under the Spirit’s inspiration, Paul launches verse 12 with a tiny Greek word (pros) translated by an even smaller English word (“to”) with giant meaning: with the conscious purpose of, in order for, for the sake of, with a view to. The word indicates the future aim and ultimate goal of a current action. That is, by definition a vision statement—Christ’s grand vision statement for every pastor/teacher.

What is the future view, the future vision to which Christ sovereignly gave His Church pastors and teachers? Paul says it succinctly: “To prepare God’s people for works of service.” These eight words must be every pastor’s reason for existence.

One central word—“prepare”—must capture every leader’s passion for ministry. “Prepare” comes from the word for artist, craftsman. Local church leader—your special craft, your opus is people, equipped people, disciple-makers. Your spiritual craft or gift is to help others to scout out their spiritual gift, identify that area of ministry, and empower them to use that gift.

In Paul’s day, people commonly used “prepare” in the context of conditioning an athlete. Local church leader—you are a spiritual conditioning coach. Your job is not to play all the positions on the team, but to coach every player on the team, to strengthen their spiritual condition so they are able to do works of service. This fits perfectly with how Paul uses the word prepare—to train someone so they are fully fit and mature enough to complete their calling. The pastor’s calling is to help God’s people to fulfill their calling.

These weren’t just words for Paul. He made making disciple-makers his personal ministry description—Colossians 1:28-29. He made equipping equippers his personal ministry practice—Acts 20:13-38. Christ’s grand vision so captured Paul’s ministry mindset that at the end of his life he passed onto Timothy the vision of equipping equippers of equippers—2 Timothy 2:2. The baton of equipping passed from Christ’s hands, to Paul’s hands, to Timothy’s hands, to the hands of reliable disciple-makers who passed it on yet again.

Let’s not drop the baton. Let’s keep Christ’s grand vision alive and moving into the future.

Yes, But

Some may ask, “Are you saying that pastors should not preach the Word, counsel, and administrate?” Not at all. Christ, the Head of the Church, has written the primary ministry description for all pastors. Pastors should equip equippers for the work of the ministry. Within this overriding calling, pastors can preach, counsel, and administrate.

When I was Sr. Pastor, every time I preached, I asked myself, “How does this message further my calling to be a catalyst for equipping the saints for the work of ministry?” As a player-coach, when I counseled, I had trainees in the room with me. When I visited the hospital, I took apprentices with me. My goal wasn’t to be the church’s primary care-giver, but to equip a church of care-givers. In my administrative role, I sought to oversee the equipping of every member. Yes, I preached, counseled, and administrated—always within the context of Christ’s grand vision for the Church—the pastor as the equipper of equippers.

Others may be thinking, “I’m with you 100%, but I’m not an ordained pastor, although I am a recognized, active ministry leader in my church. How should I apply these truths?” Ephesians 4:11-12 provides the ministry description for all those raised up for local church leadership. If you’re the Women’s Ministry Director, ask yourself, “How can I fulfill Christ’s call for me to equip women to equip others?” If you’re the Small Group Director, ask, “How can I oversee that all our small group leaders and members are being discipled to speak the truth in love?”

Join the Conversation

If you’re a pastor, how can you more completely fulfill God’s calling on your life to equip others?

If you’re not a pastor, how can you assist your pastor to more completely fulfill God’s calling to equip others?

Tags: 4E Ministry, 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Discipleship, Equipping, Pastors

It Takes a Congregation

The Big Idea: Learn Christ’s vision for your life in and through the church.

Sadly, in far too many churches, the people of God are second-class citizens when it comes to the work of the ministry. If a “lay” person makes a hospital visit, that’s okay, but we want to know, “where’s my pastor!”

Christ’s vision is so different. Pastors serve the people so God’s people can serve the congregation and community. Far too many “lay” people are recruited to fill a position and to fill a need—make the coffee, cover the nursery during the service—but not to fulfill a calling.

The Résumé of the People of God

Paul’s phrase “works of service” in Ephesians 4:12 elevates the ministry of God’s people. “Works” has a sense of divine calling and meaningful purpose. We could translate it as vocation and mission. The Bible uses it to describe God’s creative work. God the Creator commissions us for creative, zealous, purposeful work—work that glorifies Him as we serve one another.

Paul’s word for “service” is distinct from serving for wages, serving as a slave, and serving publicly. The basic nuance is personal service. It involves love in action through sacrificial ministry modeled after Christ’s own sacrifice.

Christ calls pastors to equip God’s people. Christ calls His people to creative, purposeful, meaningful, sacrificial, personal ministry to one another in His name. In the context of Ephesians 4:11-16, that work is nothing less than making disciple-makers through the personal ministry of the Word.

The Member Ministry Mindset Shift That Changes Everything: Every Member a Disciple-Maker

When pastors and members fulfill their purposes together then the Body of Christ builds itself up in two specific, cohesive ways: doctrinal unity and personal maturity (Ephesians 4:12-13). When a congregation knows the truth not just academically, but personally, then their love abounds in knowledge and depth of insight (Philippians 1:9-11).

We often miss the vital real-life, “how-to” application of every member disciple-making that Paul embeds in this text. How does the church come to unity and maturity? Exactly what are pastors equipping people to do? Specifically how do members do the work of the ministry?

Paul answers: “By speaking the truth in love” we grow up in Christ (Ephesians 4:15). Every word in this passage funnels toward this remarkable phrase “speaking the truth in love.” Christ’s grand plan for His Church is for every member to be a disciple-maker by speaking and living Gospel truth to one another in love.

Paul selects an unusual Greek word which we often translate as “speaking the truth.” Actually, we should translate it both as speaking and living the truth. We might even coin the phrase “truthing.” Paul likely had in mind Psalm 15 where the Psalmist asks the question, ‘Who may dwell in your sanctuary?” He answers: “He whose walk is blameless; he who does what is righteous; he who speaks the truth from his heart” (Psalm 15:2). Who can serve in God’s sanctuary, the church—the one who embodies the truth in relationships.

The word Paul uses means transparent, truthfulness as a core character quality, genuine, authentic, reliable, real, sincere. It describes the person who ministers from a heart of integrity and Christ-like, grace-oriented love. It pictures the person whose relational style is transparent and trustworthy, authentic and genuine. The tense and context indicates that the Body of Christ should continually, actively, and collectively be truthing in love as it walks together in intimate, vulnerable connection. In one word, Paul combines content, character, and competence shared in community!

While the word means more than speaking, it does not mean less than speaking. And while it means more than sheer factual content, it does not mean less than the Gospel. Paul uses the identical word in Galatians 4:16. There he’s clearly speaking of preaching, teaching, and communicating the truth of the Gospel of Christ’s grace applied to daily growth in Christ (sanctification, growth in grace).

Combine Galatians 4:16 with Ephesians 4:16, both in context, and we find an amazing description of Gospel-centered biblical counseling—of the personal ministry of the Word. “Speaking the truth” means communicating Gospel truth about grace-focused sanctification in word, thought, and action through one another relationships that have integrity, genuineness, authenticity, transparency, and reliability, done in love to promote the unity and maturity of the Body of Christ for the ultimate purpose of displaying the glory of Christ’s grace.

What happens when pastors focus their calling on equipping God’s people to make disciple-makers through the personal ministry of the Word by speaking and living the truth in love? In Ephesians 4:16, Paul shows us what happens through picturing the Body in robust health as it is joined together, growing and building itself up in love as each part does its work.

The normal agenda and priority of every Christian is to make disciple-makers. Christ’s training strategy for disciple-making involves pastors equipping every member to embody the truth in love through the personal ministry of the Word (“biblical counseling”).

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How will this ministry mindset shift change your purpose in the church?

Tags: 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Biblical Counseling, Church, Discipleship, Equipping

Leaving a Legacy of Loving Leaders

Note: You’re reading Part Two of a three part blog mini-series introducing four how-to’s of equipping. Read Part One, Want to Change Lives? Read Part Two, The 4E Ministry Training Strategy.

The Big Picture: Passing the Baton of Ministry

I dread seeing great effort expended on “programs” that don’t launch or don’t last. So for the past quarter-century I’ve focused on answering the questions, “How do we effectively disciple the Body of Christ for one another ministry in the church and to the community?” “How do we pass the baton of ministry?”

To paint for you the big picture of the ministry skills we need for “4E Ministry,” imagine with me passing the baton in a four-lap relay.

Lap One: Envisioning God’s Ministry—Core Values

Here’s what we learn in lap one—envisioning God’s ministry: How to jointly create a church-wide or ministry-specific Mission, Vision, Passion, and Commission Statement (MVP-C) that nourishes the compassion, conviction, and connection needed to launch flourishing training ministries. To continue the relay race metaphor, we learn to discern if we’re running in the right direction—core values. It does no good to equip people for the wrong purposes for your church and community. That’s why we need clarity about God’s calling.

I understand that some of you have spent countless hours in relatively unproductive “vision catching/casting” training. Learn why such sessions often fall flat and fall short of producing real congregational change. More importantly, learn how to facilitate relationship-building gatherings that excite people about mutually discovering and co-creating a powerful MVP-C Statement that results in a practical MAP—Ministry Action Plan. 

Lap Two: Enlisting God’s Ministers for Ministry—Committed People

Here’s what we learn in lap two—enlisting God’s ministers for ministry: How to mobilize ministers by birthing a family and building a team recruited to the MVP-C statement, prepared for change, and skilled in conflict resolution. Learn to discern if the right people are running the right lap in the relay race—committed people. It does no good to launch a ministry if your people are not passionately onboard. That’s why we need communication with the congregation.

I understand that some of you have spent endless hours in relatively non-relational “recruiting.” Learn how to move from “panic recruiting of warm bodies to a program,” to relational enlisting of like-minded, committed servant-leaders to a captivating vision. Of course, even the best laid plans can face bumps in the road and even the best prepared runners can stumble when jostled by other participants. So learn something else—something vital that far too many training curriculums omit—strategic change management and biblical conflict resolution.

Lap Three: Equipping Godly Ministers for Ministry—Coached People

Here’s what we learn in lap three—equipping godly ministers for ministry: How to apply transformational training strategies that comprehensively address the “4Cs” of biblical Content, Christlike Character, relational Competence, and Christian Community. Learn to discern how to ensure that every race participant is a skilled runner—coached people. It does no good, and potentially much harm, to send ill-equipped people into the personal ministry of the Word. That’s why we need comprehensive equipping.

I understand that some of you have spent wasted hours in relatively boring and haphazard training. Instead, learn how to creatively and biblically unite the “4Cs” of one another ministry equipping. Learn how to train the head (truth), the heart (love), and the hands (skills) in the context of the home (relationship).

Lap Four: Employing/Empowering Godly Ministers for Ministry—Comprehensive Strategy

Here’s what we learn in lap four—employing/empowering godly ministers for ministry: How to oversee the ongoing “organizing of the organism” by leading ministries that are built to last, that grow from good to great, and that leave a legacy of loving leaders. Learn to discern if the runners are running on all cylinders—comprehensive strategy. It does no good, and wastes boatloads of time, to envision, enlist, and equip, only to stop short of the ongoing “ad-ministering of the ministry.”

I understand that some of you experience a spontaneously negative reaction to words like “organizing,” “administrating,” and “programs”—because it all sounds, and often is, so un-relational. I get it. That’s why we need to learn how to organize the organism, ad-ministrate the ministry, and personalize the programs. Learn relational leadership that leaves a legacy of loving leaders. You have all of these train folks, now what do you do with them? How do you equip people in a caring way that builds community? How do you be a community as you impact your community?

“These Are Your Grandbabies!”

Sister Ellen Barney is the “First Lady” (Sr. Pastor’s wife) of a large, predominantly African American church just outside of Baltimore, Maryland. She has implemented the 4E Ministry Training Strategy for over a decade to equip over 500 women in her “LEAD” (Lay Encouragers And Disciplers”) Ministry.

They do it up big! Their graduation ceremonies are better than many colleges. I remember one of the first times I was invited to be their commencement speaker. As Sister Ellen introduced me, she looked over the crowd of over 50 graduates, and she said, with a wave of her hand, “These are your grandbabies Dr. Kellemen! You trained me and I trained them!” Now, years later, as Sister Ellen has trained trainers who train others, I’m told, “Dr. Kellemen, these are your great-great-great-grandbabies!”

Do you want to be a spiritual grandparent—equipping equippers? Learn more about the 4E Ministry Training Strategy.

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Which of the “four laps” do you want to learn more about?

Tags: 4E Equipping, 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Discipleship, Equipping

The 4E Ministry Training Strategy

Note: You’re reading Part Two of a three part blog mini-series introducing four how-to’s of equipping. Read Part One, Want to Change Lives?

Everyone Wants to Change Lives

The pastors, para-church ministry leaders, and lay leaders I consult with and equip are hungry for a comprehensive, practical approach to equipping God’s people for one another ministry. They want to empower others for the personal ministry of the Word—whether as lay counselors, care-givers, spiritual friends, spiritual directors, elders, deacons, small group leaders, care group shepherds, disciplers, or mentors.

Leaders want to change lives. However, for most leaders the training process can seem overwhelming—vision casting confusion, change management struggles, enlisting support disappointments, quality of care matters, training material questions, supervisory difficulties, legal issues, and many other legitimate, complex concerns often derail the equipping process.

As I speak in churches about one another ministry, lay people share with me their rejection of the old model where the pastoral staff hoards the ministry. They’re clamoring to be unleashed and mobilized for the personal ministry of the Word.

Lay people want to change lives. They care, but they feel ill-equipped to care like Christ. They want to know what to do after the hug. They know the Bible says they’re competent (Romans 15:14), but they also understand their biblical need to be equipped to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Been There, Done That!

The 4E Ministry Training Strategy offers a 21st Century best-practices manual for Christ-centered, church-based, comprehensive, culturally-informed mobilization of the priesthood of all believers. It assists churches to become places not simply with one another ministry, but of one another ministry; not simply with small groups or lay biblical counseling ministries, but of small groups and of biblical counseling. The goal is not the production of yet another program or yet another ministry on the sidelines. The goal is the promotion of a congregation-saturated mindset of every member passionate about and equipped for one another ministry.

It’s a “nice” goal, right? But we both know that you’ve “been there, done that.” You’ve heard the promises before. Lots of theoretical talk, but little practical, real-world, biblical help. You’re tired of equipping approaches that promise much but deliver little.

Some equipping “models” are like straight-jackets with a one-size-fits-all approach. The 4E Ministry Training Strategy has been implemented in mega-churches and small churches; it’s been employed in rural, suburban, and urban churches; and it’s been used in a wide diversity of ethic and multi-ethnic churches. It provides practical principles to be personally, relationally, and uniquely applied in your specific ministry setting.

Some equipping “models” offer piece-meal advice that address aspects of lay equipping, but lack a comprehensive strategy to move from launch to leaving a legacy of loving leaders. The 4E Ministry Training Strategy moves through the four stages that every ministry launch must address to establish ministries built to last and to grow ministries from good to great. Its Christ-centered, church-based, comprehensive, and culturally-informed focus will empower you to:

 Envision God’s Ministry

 Enlist God’s Ministers for Ministry

 Equip Godly Ministers for Ministry

 Employ/Empower Godly Ministers for Ministry

The Rest of the Story

Sorry…today is just the “tease.” Come back tomorrow for the rest of the story. We’ll paint the big picture of “Passing the Baton of Ministry.” You’ll learn how to run the four laps in the relay that results in leaving a legacy of loving leaders.

Join the Conversation

What have been some of your frustrations in trying to become equipped to equip others?

Tags: 4E Ministry Training Strategy, Discipleship, Equipping