Is the key message of the New Testament that we are sent? Or is it a deeper concept that we need to go locally and globally to communities and people groups so they might receive the gospel message?
Consider this example: Often when congregations have limited parking related to its attendance, the church uses volunteers to direct cars to available parking places.
Parking lot volunteers are sent — they have a mission to get people efficiently in and out of parking places so they can get to worship or small group gatherings.
But these volunteers are doing so much more than directing traffic. They create a welcoming atmosphere where God can speak into the lives of the people as they arrive. These volunteers realize the worship and disciple-making experience begins before people enter the church facilities.
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While the New Testament contains many sending mandates, it also places a high priority on those who receive the good news of the gospel and actions of Christian love. Thus, there is an important connection between those being sent and those who receive the message. Scripture often recounts the success of those who are sent by telling us how their message is received by the people (see Acts 4 as an example).
Both strong and soaring congregations go and serve. But soaring congregations understand the correlation between being sent and being received. A key difference is in the attitude of those who are sent.
First impressions
Mary Ann Sibley, a ministry expert on congregational volunteers and first impressions, shares this story.
One day a car pulled into a church parking lot and was directed to an available space. An obviously pregnant woman got out of an older model car. One of the volunteers realized her left rear tire was flat and approached her. The woman broke down crying. She was a military wife. Her husband was deployed internationally and was not likely to be home before the baby was born. She did not have family nearby and was trying to hold her life together. She thought coming to church might help.
Several volunteers huddled with her. They all had on church T-shirts and name tags that identified them as being with the congregation. They comforted her and said they would be glad to change her tire while she was at worship. She agreed and gave them her keys.
As she walked away, they opened her trunk and discovered her spare tire was flat. They remembered a nearby big box store was open on Sunday mornings. They could buy a tire and put it on the car.
Caring ministry
They went to the store, picked out a tire and asked to talk with a manager. They told the manager the story and were given the tire for free. They returned to the parking lot and replaced the tire.
When the woman returned following worship, she was emotional and grateful. She received an unexpected level of caring ministry. This team’s ministry was well received because they focused on the person’s needs, not just checking off their ministry assignment of managing the parking lot.
Soaring congregations know ministry is always about making a difference in the life of others — not just feeling proud your congregation went on a mission. Soaring congregations emphasize the people who need to receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord, those who need a word or action of deep compassion and empathy.
This shifts the focus from the messenger’s effort to the messenger’s genuine display of Christlike compassion — to the gift rather than the giver.
EDITOR’S NOTE — George Bullard spent five decades in Baptist congregational and denominational ministry. His ministry roles included three churches, three associations, three state conventions and one national entity. He began as a columnist for TAB Media Group’s publication The Baptist Paper in 2022. Bullard now serves as a strategic thinking mentor for Christian leaders through his ForthTelling Innovation ministry. TAB Media Group published his new book “Soaring with Faith: The Difference Maker for Congregations” — available on Amazon.
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