An Environment for Kingdom Results

An environment for Kingdom results is one of the most important and difficult environments to create in an Association. With the pressures on pastors and church leaders to be focused on their churches and the needs of their members Kingdom-thinking is often pushed to the back burner in the mind and lives of these leaders. The tyranny of the urgent keeps many pastors running from one emergency to another. This accounts for the lack of planning and engagement in Kingdom focused ministry in many churches. It also means that most churches are going to need a change of mindset at the basic level to begin to focus on Kingdom expansion and extension.

So, how do you change the culture to enable churches to look beyond themselves? What are the key issues that must be addressed to begin this change? Finally, what are the steps an association can take to help create this culture of Kingdom focused results? Along the way, I will attempt to address some of the primary barriers and negotiating this difficult terrain.

Some guru of change has made the observation that we can be forced to change what we do for a period of time, but if we do not change the way we think about an issue we will eventually revert to our old actions. No area of church life is more susceptible to this truth than Kingdom focus. Most churches are under the impression that they are the Kingdom of God and therefore anything they do is automatically Kingdom focused. On the one hand, this attitude should contain a considerable amount of truth. On the other hand, most congregations spend the greatest amount of their time, talent, and treasure on work that has a direct and immediate impact on activities inside the walls of the church with the congregation as the focus. This is not a bad thing until the congregation reaches the point where they are maintaining their own comfort and institution ahead of all other needs. Church buildings, staffing, and other fixed expenses absorb the attention of most budgets, and therefore most of the resources of the churches.

The obvious initial strategy here is to begin to pray and ask God to soften the hearts and open the eyes of pastors and key church leaders in the area of Kingdom concern for the work of the Great Commission. Prayer times at Pastor’s fellowships, meetings etc. focused on the task of reaching the world and letting God keep the scorecard can begin this process in changing thinking. Introducing specific opportunities for service through newsletters and the use of the established mission seasons can also be very beneficial to help church leaders see the greater Kingdom purpose for their church’s ministry.

Helping a church think critically about the needs of its community and the world balanced with their own needs is the issue. Some churches are committed to such a debt load and such a saturated budget that they literally cannot assist another ministry with financial means. In many ways that is good because that leaves only the issue of time and talent. A congregation with even one person who is passionate about missional activity can make a huge difference in the involvement of that church in Kingdom activity. Looking at the community can reveal opportunities next door, down the block, across town, in a neighboring community, or around the world or …?

My observations are however, that distance for many churches with regard to their first missional partnership may be a good thing. The distance needs not be great enough to cause concern that the people of the church would have considerable difficulty getting there; however, in many churches I have noted a tendency to go out of their geographical area on their first Kingdom partnership. There remains in us enough catholocism to make most churches think of their church field as geographically defined and therefore if anyone in their area is to be reached they should come directly into the church. The obvious blind spot here is the diversity that exists within the claimed field of most churches in America be they rural or urban.

Teaming up with another church who is already involved in Kingdom focused ministry is another way to activate the passionate in a congregation without placing undue stress on the rest of the system. Sending one or two people on a mission event can get the seed planted in any congregation that given time can take firm root and help change the thinking of the church to be more positive with regard Kingdom kinds of ministry. When a few have gotten the vision, others will follow in time. Remember the effort here is to be a catalyst for the change of the mindset of the congregation.

Promoting these mission partnerships in an association can pay great dividends in Kingdom results. After prayer there is no more important vehicle for Kingdom focused ministry than telling the stories of churches that are making an impact through Kingdom partnerships. Helping churches see the possibilities by telling their stories through associational news letters, recognizing those congregations in annual meetings for their work, and personally encouraging churches to network with active Kingdom focused congregations will create a climate that moves churches to look outside their walls.

Being consistently supportive of missional activity within and outside the area of the association is your best tool as a Director of Missions or associational missionary to move your churches toward a Kingdom focused climate. Allowing God time to work in the hearts and lives of the pastors and key leaders takes patience and commitment. Modeling missional focus in the association by attempting to keep some partnerships going at the associational level can also engage church leaders in initial Kingdom activities. Undergirding all these actions with prayer will help your association turn the corner in missional Kingdom action. Stay with it! Climate change is slow. Be committed for the long haul! Trust God!

Tell the people! You can do this!

Eddie Miller, DoM
Sierra Baptist Association
Western Nevada