EVOKING COMMUNITIES

OF GREATER MINISTRY

Obstacles to Authentic Evocative Leadership Professionalism

Doing to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.

Leading others in ways that are not authentic to you

Treating others as objects, instruments, for another end

Anxiously looking for quick-fix

Obstacles to Authentic Evocative Leadership Professionalism

Obligational Christianity: the tyranny of the ‘should’

Obstacles to Authentic Evocative Leadership Professionalism Obligational Christianity

Congregation as indivisible wholeAlternative: congregation as

multiple communities

Do YOU love me?John 21:Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Love Ministry“Let all your words and actions evidence the spirit whereby you are animated!”

J Wesley, “Of the Church,” #30

2 types of ecclesial leadership Directive: provides content & focus

Evocative: points to and calls out the divine calling○ Exploration into the uncharted territory○ Immersion: helps people see God at work and

abide in God more fully○ Incarnation: calls out their response to God’s call

Directive LeadershipProvides content and Focus

1. Proclamation: Clarify Reality - God in you; you in God

John 15:4 – “Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me”

God is ministering through you. How? God is calling you to greater ministry. What? Listen, follow, abide more fully. How?

Convictions Church members already ministering. Everyone is gifted: I Cor 12:7: ‘to each is

given a manifestation of the Spirit …’

Congregations change best through covenantal small groups.

Directive Leadership2. Organizes people to share their ministries more fully

Share persons’ ministries throughout congregation○ Worship services○ Small Groups○ Classes○ Excursions into the community

Highlight and Celebrate

Directive Leadership

Persons Groups

Congregation

Organize the parts into a interactive WHOLE

Directive Leadership3. Provides resources for Contemplative Exploration of God’s call

Share the benefits of a Contemplative/Meditative lifestyle Provide resources for individuals and groups Share your practices of contemplative living

Spiritual Transparency

Evocative LeadershipEvocative: points to and calls out the divine calling

○ Initiate Holy Conversations○ Ask gently probing questions about their

ministry and spiritual vitality○ Do not give answers; do not organize○ Ask the baptismal questions: more,

deeper, better, wider…

Evoking Communities of Greater Ministry

(Sources: John Wesley, Community Organizing, and Church Planting)

4 STEPS:1. One to One holy conversations 2. Convene small affinity groups of exploration3. Help them Identify common commitments and

spiritual practices4. Help them Self-Organize in communities for

productive, effective missional ministry.5. More, Better, Deeper, Wider….

Holy Conversation

Holy Conversation

Holy Conversation

Holy Conversation

Evocative leadership through Holy ConversationsAims: to ask probing questions about spirituality

(connecting spirituality to ministry) to evoke greater spiritual engagement

through ministry to help people organize their own

communities of ministry

ResourcesBlock, Community: The Structure of Belonging

Brown: Building Powerful Community Organizations

Evoking Holy Conversations Step 1: One to One Holy Conversations

1. Investigate your congregation; teach yourself. Ask questions about what folks are doing. Listen carefully. How are they in ministry now?

2. Help the people recognize their ministry and hear their call more clearly.

3. Who might they invite, who might they join?4. How to: more, better, deeper, wider?

Step 2: Convening small affinity groups

Purpose: to share mutual interests, to see if a common interest emerges, to evoke commitment to hearing and

following one’s calling. Facilitate, not direct.

Evoking Holy Conversations

Example Questions: How and when do you serve others? How and when do you contribute most to

the community? What is Christian ministry? How is that

reflected in your daily life? How can this group support you? How might we join you? Who else might join you?

Evoking Holy Conversations – indigenous ministry

Steps 3 and 4Step 3: Identify common commitments and spiritual practices to support

Step 4: Self-Organize in communities of productive missional practice.

Step 5

Baptismal Intensification

The purpose of it all ------That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.