A few weeks ago, Wendy and I visited the BodyWorlds exhibit at the Science Museum in St. Paul. It was a fascinating display of the intricate workings of the human body. The exhibit demonstrated how each of the various systems of the body (cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, nervous, etc.) functioned and what happens when injury or disease happens to those systems. The one thing I found most fascinating, though, was that as complex and detailed as each of these individual systems was, none of them could function completely on their own, separate from all the other systems. All the systems must work together to provide the necessary functions for the body to keep working correctly. For the body to function best, every part of each system must work together to do what it needs to do, and amazingly each system provides for all the other systems to do what they need to do.
In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul compares the Church to the human body by saying, “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Rom. 12:4-5). Each one of us is a part of “the body,” and a part of a system of the body. We don’t all have the same function, but together we are all linked together and dependent on one another – making us all one body in Christ.
At Unity Church, we desire to function as “a body.” The first words of our Vision statement are: “To be a body…” In order for us to pursue this vision, we need to set up ways to function more like a body. This is the primary purpose of our Ministry Team Training Day. We want to enable and equip each Ministry Team to maximize its ministry effectiveness, which will in turn strengthen all the other parts of “the body.” To do this, we want to practically provide opportunities for you to use the gifts God has given to you. We want to maximize your passions, your giftedness, your experiences, and your visions for what this church can be. We want you to find purpose and fulfillment in contributing to the lives of others, making a difference in our community, and being formed into the person God created you to be.
To accomplish this goal, we intend to begin working on the following items at this meeting:
1. Connect each ministry with our overall Mission & Vision
2. Clarify the specific responsibilities of each Ministry Team
3. Collaborate on each of the various aspects of ministry
4. Confer ownership of decisions, resources, and authority to each Ministry Team
5. “Chunk” aspects of ministry so that no one is overwhelmed with unattainable tasks
6. Cultivate relationships among those who serve together on each Ministry Team
7. Create fresh ways of doing ministry that are multi-generational and relevant
8. Communicate effectively between Ministry Teams and the congregation
We look forward to what God has in store for us when we function together as Christ’s body. Please make every effort to participate in this essential piece of our ministry at Unity Church. We would like everyone to take part in this meeting. Thank you for your willingness to serve the Lord and his people.
In Christ,
Pastor Jeff
