Momentum is a crazy thing. It’s kind of like what Craig Groeschel describes as It. When you see “it,” you know it – but it is hard to explain what “it” is! Momentum is the same way. When you see it, you know it but sometimes it is hard to explain.
We are in those days again at Faith Promise. I’ve experienced it 4 times since I have been on staff and each time it is new, refreshing, and overwhelming. Why is God choosing to bless His ministry at FPC so faithfully? We’re not doing everything right, but He is still at work transforming people’s lives.
Here are some things that I have seen about Momentum at FPC:
- It always comes at times when we are even more committed to Scripture. One of our core values is that our ministry will be biblically based. Yet, momentum has come when we were even more shameless about our stance on His Word being the authority in our church. People want to know where you stand and will unite around that.
- Overemphasizing times when people are “expecting.” Most churches just expect that people will show up and fill their services for Easter. We don’t expect it – we overemphasize, add multiple services and send our people out equipped to invite! And each year we see hundreds of people enter the church and experience life transformation during those times. If you just expect people will show up, you’ll keep getting what you are getting.
- Building an even greater staff team. Our staff continues to grow all of the time. However, our staff gets better and better each time we experience significant growth. People step up and have fresh new ideas. They lead at new levels. And, we add key staff positions that catapult us to new opportunities in ministry. If you don’t know who you are hiring next, you are way behind on helping your church reach new people and gain momentum.
- Focusing on the people AND the process. Often times in ministry we either focus on the people and forget the process or we focus on the process and forget the people. However, the ideal situation is that our process focuses the people on the mission of the church. When the two are working together, your church can have a greater impact.
- Renewing our passion for those that don’t know Christ. We are a church truly trying to reach people for Christ and grow them in Him. People often ask me what is unique about Faith Promise. That’s easy: it is the most socio-economically diverse church in relation to the area that we minister in. West Knoxville is an affluent area, but the people that worship at FPC represent the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich – all worshipping together each weekend. We have all different races in an area that is 98% white. Our passion is to reach EVERY person for Christ. We don’t care what they look like. We don’t care where they came from. We want them to be changed by HIM!
I could go on and on, but never forget: ultimately it is about HIM. We are just fortunate nobody’s that get to be a part of it and lead through it. If it’s not about Him, it’s in vain.
What have you seen create momentum in your ministry?
Pastor Josh,
great post…dont expect my response to be as well said haha.
My view of an increased momentum at FPC: as you know I’ve had the opportunity to serve with Matt Grimes in MSM for about 4 yrs now. but i doubt you were aware that i have been serving on our Fuel Team with MSM as well. This is MSM’s student leadership side of things. All this to say that we have went from just Matt and myself leading the whole thing to 6 committed and passionate adults that want to see our students developed into leaders in just the last 6 weeks.
This is huge to me because I have never had an adult “team” to work with…it was just Matt, myself and occasionally another adult that would show some interest. I’m excited to watch God take us to a new and deeper level with our students. I believe this is going to be an even better year for MSM.
Attendance is proof of momentum but to me, having 6 new adults to the Fuel Team, is proof of momentum on a deeper level.
This is not to say that students are not being developed into leaders within MSM’s regular small groups. but to say that the adults and students within small groups desire to take their relationships with Christ to a deeper level…and God is making a way for the opportunities to be greater.
Thank you for taking the time to read all of that.
Suggestion: It took me a while to identify where i was suppose to go to make a comment. I almost gave up. Its completely obvious to me now…large letters…top of post…but maybe it could be at the bottom of the post as well….or a link that just says “comment” at the bottom of a post. i lilke simple stuff ha!
Thank Josh! Praying for ya!
note: i was viewing your post from your home page…it is much easier if i had just clicked on the post then read it…you just start typing at the bottom. its just hard to navigate to the comment section strait from the home page. Anyway, I’m done critiquing.
So far in my short span of working in and learning about ministry, it seems like momentum really starts to pick up when the right people are put in the right places. Sometimes it takes time to find someone’s sweet spot, but once their in place, it’s easier to empower them to thrive.
That’s a good point, Chris.
Is that perhaps a way to measure the church’s relationship with Christ? Just as we all have an ebb and flow to our personal relationship with Christ, doesn’t the church as well? When our progress seems to have reached a plateau we go back and re-evaluate what we are doing and how to change things to be more in His will. Or maybe its God’s way of preparing us during the ‘lulls’ for the blessings he is about to pour out on us.
Lee, that is incredible about MSM and adult leadership. I think if you were to look in other ministries, you will see God moving in very big ways. I also know a number of people who are experiencing personal blessings and amazing changes in their faith journeys right now as well.
And Chris, it is all about people, and it is all about what we do with the people God leads to Faith Promise.
@Lee – Awesome word. The people you can impact is directly related to the number of leaders you have!
@Chris – Fit is a big deal. I love to see people who love to serve involved in ministry.
@Ralph – I hate to have to agree with Aaron, but Art has no chance against my structure