THE ORIGINAL SOURCE FOR WOMEN'S LEADERS SINCE 2001
working toward a people focused church generation and not an event based church generation
The Need for Simplicity in Ministry
Julia Bettencourt
March 27, 2019
When I was young and first started working in ministry and helping various churches with their events, there was a trend to not try very hard at how things looked or to plan out any type of program in an organized fashion. This always bothered me because after all, Christians are to represent Christ. We should do our best.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Colossians 3:23 (KJV)
Now, fast-forward thirty-five years plus, and ministry within the local church has gone in the opposite direction. It seems everything is all about the event, whether it is women’s retreats, vacation Bible schools, Bible conferences, or any type of church function. We have gone past the idea of just making things nice and pleasing to over the top, and the biblical focus and the love for people is lost in the shuffle of décor and activity.
Sadly, I fear that we have forgotten the people and are focusing on the event.
People are what we are encouraged to focus on in the Bible. Specifically, we are to tune in to our love for people. Jesus was all about the people and all about the Scriptures. Look what He told Martha when she was rushing about preparing a meal and Mary was learning at the feet of Jesus.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:41-42 (KJV)
We have to stop being “cumbered” and worrying needlessly about so many things when it comes to ministry. We just need to focus on the Bible and on people.
In regard to women's ministry, are you as a leader spending more time concentrating on what you are planning for the year, what favor you will give out at your next retreat, or what special speaker you will invite to speak more than concentrating on the actual women within your church? If the answer is "yes", there might be a problem.
I want so much for women's leaders to connect with the women in their local churches. It's what Jesus did. He connected with people everywhere He went.
We have to look at those needs of our women and not the needs of the women's ministry program. We have to start looking at people and not things or programs. When we actually concentrate on finding out what the daily lives of our church women really entail, surely that will help us focus better on reality and the need to simplify everything in ministry across the board.
We have women from all walks of life. Many are abused, hurt by past experiences, have mental or physical health issues, have loved ones that require much of their time for caretaking. And what about their family which may consume them? And yes, many of our church women have found their plot in life living in dysfunctional families. There are women whose lives have been disrupted with divorce. There are widows. There are those with abuse issues, and much more.
When will we start seeing the faces of these women? When will that become more important that what we want to plan as leaders? We can say we are doing it all for them, but are we really? Wouldn't it be more prudent to see how we can love these women in ways that don't always require so much planning, so much effort, and so much time?
Something wonderful happens when we just start loving people like Jesus encouraged us to do. Showing love and attention to a hurting woman can work more wonders than just busyness and event holding will ever do in women's ministry programs. I'm not saying we can't have any activities or events, but all that should go to the background and be simplified. We need to put people in the foreground and make them the focus. And as women's ministry leaders, we need to specifically put our women in the foreground and focus on them.
Ladies, I think we can do better because there is a need for a lot more simplicity in ministry. Let's just get back to that discipling and loving people thing that Jesus taught us. Shall we?
My plea is that women's ministry leaders and all church leaders start working toward a people focused church generation and not an event-based church generation.
Copyright ©2019 Julia Bettencourt
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