Religious studies

Ecologies of Faith in a Digital Age (book) chapters 5-8
The Teaching Ministry of the Church (book) chapter 1

ANSWER

Biblical Theology of Ministry

Introduction

It is the responsibility of ministries and ministers to establish an environment in which both new and old Christians can grow spiritually. As a result, the building of this atmosphere must be thoroughly and reverently studied, with scriptural models from antiquity as well as examples from persons who are succeeding in ministry today in mind.

Beyond that, there is a component to creating a growing environment that must be accessed and appraised through prayer and supplication to the One who has called the minister and the ministry into being. Spiritual progress is the purpose of all ministry, and the most amicable way to achieve it is through mutual contribution to complete spiritual formation. The congregation, as a whole and on an individual basis, evolves in this system, as does the minister and the ministry itself.

Treatment of Theological Terms

The first hurdle to overcome on the road to mutual holistic spiritual formation is a ministry’s handling of theological concepts. Because of the way theological concepts are often presented, there is a dislike for them. Theological terminology is, in some ways, considered inaccessible to laypeople. They are only used in discussions of a higher scholastic order, therefore only the spiritual elite or most educated members of a congregation can engage in such discussions. This is a risky position to be in for a ministry (and the Church as a whole). Only insofar as they are seen as such, theological words are inaccessible. Furthermore, limiting these discussions to the elite presupposes that a Christian must first acquire a particular degree of awareness before forming opinions concerning religious beliefs.

This is hazardous for a variety of reasons, but most notably because it forces a new believer to embrace the theology of a Christian who is perceived to be more mature than they are. As a result, there is a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be a Christian. Allowing this to continue stifles spiritual growth and can be compared to scattering seed on shallow soil. “Some [seed] fell on rocky areas where there was little soil. Because the soil was shallow, it grew swiftly. The plants, however, were burnt when the sun rose, and they withered since they had no root.” (Matthew 13:5-6 NIV)

The remedy to this problem is to introduce theological words early in a believer’s spiritual journey, and to do it in a way that removes the stigma associated with the phrases. “Therefore, let us go beyond the fundamental teachings about Christ and be brought forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God.” (Hebrews 6:1 NIV) One solution would be to eliminate one of the most significant barriers to having these conversations: language. By withholding the phrase and providing the definition, Christians can have a discourse and grow in a nonthreatening and non-intimidating manner. In many aspects, this resembles the Early Church’s spiritual development, which involved conversational evangelism and spiritual formation. Instead of addressing Soteriology (“Literally, “the study of salvation.”)[1] and introducing the topic with that name, a minister can simply explain the concept of salvation and teach the congregation or disciple about it through dialogue. The term can be introduced and the stigma associated with it can be reduced once a basic knowledge has been obtained.

Spiritual Formation

Spiritual formation must be holistic in nature. This means that the whole person must be considered, and then the instructional activities around that person must be tailored to meet the individual’s needs. The danger of ignoring a believer’s holistic needs is that the spiritual development path that worked for one person may not work for another. Consider the spiritual formation paths of a middle-aged married man with two children against a teen girl battling with body image issues and contemplating suicide. These might seem to be extreme examples, but the reality is that ministries must cater their care and education to accommodate the needs of both of these individuals in a dynamic and holistic manner.

The reason for this holistic understanding lies within the context of scripture. In the same way that two plants may require different care in the framework of ecology, two people may require distinct care in ministry. “God made his creation to thrive and flourish within the verdant bounds of a natural ecosystem intended to enhance growth and encourage reproduction abilities,” says the ecological motif. [2]Individuals encountering God today must do so in their own environment and at their own pace, just as Adam and Eve had different relationships with God than Abraham and David. Ministers are responsible for the complete spiritual growth of their flock, just as a gardener is responsible for the entire produce, not just the size of the leaves or the thickness of the stem.

Theology and Formation

Given the foregoing, ministries must take a practical approach to theological training and the holistic formation of individuals within their mission. Instruction must avoid scaring new believers while simultaneously pushing those who have reached a point of stagnation in their spiritual development.

Ministries must provide a variety of growth opportunities so that a wide range of people can find comfort in their spiritual journeys at their own speed. “Brothers, I don’t think I’ve made it my own yet. But there is one thing I do: forgetting what has gone before and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV) All of this sounds great in theory, but putting it into practice can be overwhelming and difficult in ways that many ministries are not equipped to handle. Understanding the needs of those whom the ministry serves is the only way to address their needs[3]. Knowing who the ministry serves is the only way to understand who the ministry serves. The only way to learn about the people who are served by the ministry is to ask them.

In reality, the only thing missing from all of the preceding is a system to make it a reality. The minister must therefore understand that a system and process for understanding the needs of his or her community, how these needs affect individuals and then how to respond effectively to those requirements must be developed from the ground up.

What many ministries lack is a means to support their community’s believers in a way that stimulates growth in a predictable and reliable way. This is because ministries need to have a documented system to do so. This is only achieved by testing and error and monitoring the results. It needs people to be nurtured through the ministry and then employed and refined in order to become more efficient with each subsequent person affected by the ministry. This builds trust and builds a community of like-minded people focused on mutual contribution by integral spiritual formation.

Conclusion

Ministerial offices are a challenge because the aim is to take people from one stage of spiritual formation to the next and beyond. Human beings are fundamentally breached, and leaders who lead people can create spiritual growth only where they give themselves entirely to the Father. Humility and the removal of the ego are required to try, fail, retry, fail and repeat until successful strategic measures can be found. The beauty of ministry is provided by the grace for the people and the growth of the people affected.

The living incarnation of the Gospel and the fulfillment of the grand commission are to see God working in a ministry. The ministries will carry Jesus’ message to the end of the planet, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and beautifully complete the spiritual formation of all humanity. Amen.

Bibliography

Grenz, Stanley J., David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling. Pocket dictionary of theological terms. InterVarsity Press, 2010.

Lowe, Stephen D., and Mary E. Lowe. Ecologies of faith in a digital age: Spiritual growth through online education. InterVarsity Press, 2018.

Valentine, John H. “” Theology that Actually Works”: An Analysis of Those Aspects of Theological Formation Which Best Equip Church Planters for Their Work.” PhD diss., Asbury Theological Seminary, 2020.

[1] Grenz, Stanley J., David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling. Pocket dictionary of theological terms. InterVarsity Press, 2010.

[2] Lowe, Stephen D., and Mary E. Lowe. Ecologies of faith in a digital age: Spiritual growth through online education. InterVarsity Press, 2018.

[3] Valentine, John H. “” Theology that Actually Works”: An Analysis of Those Aspects of Theological Formation Which Best Equip Church Planters for Their Work.” PhD diss., Asbury Theological Seminary, 2020.