A Revolution in the Works

In her book, Reclaiming the “C” Word- Daring to be Church Again,
Kelly Fryer talks about the church (the body of Christ) as people who
spend almost all of their time “out there shaping the world and being
shaped by the God they meet out there. And for the most part they
are having to make it up as they go. They need courage, creativity
and confidence to do what God calls them to do. When we know this
is true, then our congregations will do absolutely everything they can
to get them ready …” (p.72)

After a month in the synod office, I had seventeen names to contact
when our synod’s lay ministry certificate in ministry program is up and
running. These people were ready to register immediately. They were
yearning for opportunities to learn to equip others and to be equipped
themselves for the ministries God was calling them to do. I was a bit
overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and their determination.

I think there is a revolution in the works. I think lay people are ready to take on the tasks of ministry. They may see that we are in need of more rostered leadership, that there are more congregations than pastors available to serve. So someone has to fill the gap of leadership.

Perhaps they see that the world is need of the message of Christ and that as Christians we are all called to bring that message of hope and healing to the world. Or maybe lay people see inadequacies and non confidence in their ability to proclaim the Word so they are seeking ways to address that inadequacy or confidence issue.

Jesus said that we are “sent into the world” (John 17:18). This means laity and rostered ministers alike are called to go “out there”, that one’s work, is really a Christian vocation, a way to serve God in the world. What are we doing to equip and teach our people to be “workers in their world”, the world they walk into each day? People are daily faced with moral and ethical dilemmas, broken relationships, conflict, etc. What are we teaching them that gives them hope and gives them opportunity to reflect their faith in how they deal with these kinds of issues of life?

Teaching and equipping is not always through formal education. Sometimes it is modeled. Sometimes it is in teachable moments. Whatever the format, the end result is that we take seriously that laypeople need equipping to serve in the world and it may well change how we do ministry. I think the church is up to the challenge of changing the way we equip. It might mean changes to the rostered minister’s role in the congregation. It might mean releasing control of tasks for ministry. The early church scholar, Tertullian wrote that Christians are made not born. We need to be intentional about the task of being made Christian together.