From Functional Atheism to Faithful Leadership: The Five P’s for Ministry
How to move from running ministry like a business to leading it in relationship with God and others.
Tuesday is the first day of my ministry week. Every Tuesday, I come into the office, boil the kettle to make a coffee, and open up my laptop, and the same twenty tasks pop up in my to-do list. These recurring tasks help to keep my day on track and remind me about each of the small, incremental, but essential things I can do to make the greatest difference in my ministry week.
As effective as this administrative system is, the shadow of systematising ministry is that I can run my ministry week as a “functional atheist”. This is “life over God”, to borrow Skye Jethani’s framework. To run our ministry like a business, with management tools and tricks, but forgetting to bring God into the picture.
There is a better way. A way that reshapes our ministry—yes, even our administrative work—as life “with” God. A way that keeps relational dynamics at the forefront: our relationship with God and our relationships with others.
Over the last two weeks on the Cross Formed Kidmin podcast, Hunter Williams and I have discussed the five P’s for improving your ministry leadership that attempt to keep the right thing the main thing. Below is the quick version, but check out the podcast episodes for the full discussion, including a side conversation on conflict management as a way of being present with your leaders.
Five P’s to Improve Your Leadership
Part 1 - Episode 117
Prayer: Yes, it’s the correct Christian answer. But the routine answer exists for a reason. It is only by bringing God into the plans and commitments you have for your week that you move from the functional atheism of life over God to a ministry leadership life with God.
Presence: The second most important relationship you have as a leader is with your volunteer leadership team, and then with those you minister to. Create space in your week to move out from behind the computer and into the real, incarnate and messy lives of those you are commissioned to minister to.
Part 2 - Episode 118
Perseverance: Church ministry can be both uniquely life giving, and uniquely wearying. Burn out is real and all too common. It is essential that we know ourselves, and proactively work in such a way that we can persevere in our ministry in season and out of season.
Protection: Perseverance will come as a direct result of how we protect our time, our calendar, our family commitments, and our own devotional lives. Scheduling time to reflect on ministry by yourself (balcony time) and with others (through supervision, mentoring, or spiritual direction), and also allowing natural rhythms to shape our year. (Top tip: you don’t have to be busy all year round!)
Planning: This is where all five P’s come together as you plan your day, week, month, season and year in such a way that you have time for prayer, presence, perseverance and protection. This is turn will draw you back to the top, as you commit your plans to God in prayer.
Have you got a topic of question about Children’s Ministry you would like us to discuss. Let us know in a comment below.