RevWrites - May 31

Taking some leave has several benefits. One is rest. It is good to rest, at least according to the Scriptures. Another benefit is recreation, meaning re-creation. A third benefit is you get away from the day-to-day issues and concerns.

The third benefit gives you time and space to think about the big picture. In the back of my mind the big picture kept niggling away. The big picture at NAC just kept popping up.

The big picture is making disciples. We spelt it out last year in the Makeover. Starting with the great commission of Jesus we want to make and grow fully devoted disciples of Jesus.

Now NAC is good at the second part of that big picture. More and more, the members of NAC are keen to help each other grow in godliness. We have developed a ministry staff to help us grow each other. Good things are happening as we learn to help each other become more effective disciples of Jesus.

But there’s another part of the big picture. We’re good at growing disciples but not as good at calling people to become disciples. We’re not as good at mission!

Have you noticed how the Bible paints both ministry and mission as the big picture? We see it in our Bible colleges. Even the name of Sydney Missionary and Bible College declares both sides of the big picture. Moore College teaches both ministry and mission.

At NAC we’re becoming much more aware of mission. Sending a team to Africa, commissioning the Berthons, preparing Team India and raising support for Indian pastors we don’t even know reveals a developing awareness of mission. Individual NACers who are involved in pastoral care and personal ministry are expressing more and more concern for mission.

Which brings me back to the niggling big picture while I was on leave. We employ people to help us develop our ministry skills at growing disciples. We call them ministers. We employ people to help our ministry side of things run smoothly. And we expect those same people to keep an eye on mission at the same time.

But the growing awareness of mission, the growing interest in mission, the growing involvement in mission makes me ask: Shouldn’t we employ people to help us with mission?

Is one reason why so many churches are good at pastoral ministry because they have ministers or pastors? Would we be better at mission if we had Mission Directors?

So, do we need to employ people to head up Mission, both local and oversees? Should we change the name of some staff member/s to reflect both sides of the big picture? Instead of Assistant Minister should we have Director of Mission?

Now you need to know that there hasn’t been a Parish Leadership Team meeting since I returned. There’s one next Tuesday. So if you see some of them looking very anxious as they read this then treat them gently.

Neil