MINISTRY PRINCIPLES & PRAGMATICS

121s

  • You don’t need a mentor

    Mentors are great. The idea of an older wiser more mature Christian asking you if you’d like to sit down with them and read the bible and talk about life… that sounds awesome, right? Sounds like a “good thing”? Great. If… Continue reading

    You don’t need a mentor

  • Reblog: What MTS experience is worth having before college?

    After catching up with some Moore College students who just finished first year, I was reminded how the type of MTS experience you get is so important. College doesn’t teach you how to “do ministry”; it doesn’t teach methods, principles… Continue reading

    Reblog: What MTS experience is worth having before college?

  • Creative ways to build relationships in 1:1 ministry

    If you’ve ever had to do 121s with people you don’t know very well, it can be daunting to sit down and just read the bible. It might feel a bit odd or awkward if your don’t feel you know… Continue reading

    Creative ways to build relationships in 1:1 ministry

  • Regular 1:1s reduce trivial interruptions

    If you have “direct reports” (people who consider you their boss – even in a volunteer sense) then it’s worth scheduling in weekly 1:1 meetings. The point of these meetings is firstly just to give your directs some personal time… Continue reading

    Regular 1:1s reduce trivial interruptions

  • Sit in the best seat you can

    Notice that guys in the real world never sit directly across from each other, they sit side by side or at 90deg, looking at something else. It’s normally too intimate for guys to face each other – it’s more common… Continue reading

    Sit in the best seat you can

  • Is there something else?

    If you’re meeting up with someone, or you’ve been approached by someone, there’s a question you need to ask pretty regularly… “Is there something else you’d like to raise?” “Was there anything else you wanted to chat about?” “Is there… Continue reading

  • There are no ministry 1 to 1s

    I reckon the 1 to 1 conversation is pretty much at the core of pastoral ministry. But if it’s really pastoral ministry, you never really have ministry 1 to 1s. It might sound corny, but God’s always there. And even… Continue reading

  • Model self criticism

    As we train and equip young leaders, we want them to grow in the skill of self-criticism. That’s a pretty tough skill to learn – cause you have to have a go, make mistakes, grow the “eyes” to see the… Continue reading

  • Let the meeting preach the gospel

    Sometimes sermons don’t hit the spot, they don’t resonate, they don’t touch a nerve, they don’t point to our sin and Jesus’ grace, etc… So make sure the gospel is in your meetings. Use the gospel to explain why you… Continue reading