Protecting Westminsters Means of Grace Ministry! Organization, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Supporting & Protecting Westminster’s Means of Grace Ministry!

Organization, Administration & Safety

• Scriptural importance
• Supporting and protecting
• Current status, future goals

Glorify God

• worshiping God with joyful reverence that embodies Biblical principles

by gathering and perfecting the saints

• seeking to grow in holiness and reach the lost through the Gospel

through the ordinary means of grace

• focusing on the authoritative Word of God in our preaching and teaching;
• emphasizing prayer throughout the church community and in our ministries; and
• faithfully administering the sacraments of Covenant Baptism and the Lord's

Supper

in the context of relational fellowship

• connecting and caring for one another through discipleship and intentional

fellowship

unto faith, repentance, and new obedience

• realizing our fallen condition and the unmerited redemption we have in Christ

through faith,

• we therefore endeavor to daily repent of our sins and pursue new heart
• bedience in Christ as we await our future rest in eternity with our Savior

I Corinthians 12:4-13, 27-31

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in

• everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is

given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. One Body with Many Members 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews

• r Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

… 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

I Corinthians 12:4-13, 27-31

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in

• everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is

given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. One Body with Many Members 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews

• r Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

… 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

I Corinthians 12:4-13, 27-31

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in

• everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is

given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. One Body with Many Members 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews

• r Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

… 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

I Corinthians 12:4-13, 27-31

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in

• everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is

given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. One Body with Many Members 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews

• r Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

… 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

Gifts of the Spirit (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4)

Prophecy Service Teaching Exhortation Giving Leadership Mercy Wisdom Knowledge Faith Healing Miracles

The person who has the spiritual gift of administration is

• ne who is able, by the grace of God, to understand the

purpose and goals of a congregation of God’s people and to devise the means of accomplishing those goals by carefully charting out a course for all to follow. –John Musselman

Tongues/Interpretation Apostle Helps Administration Evangelist Pastor

I Corinthians 12:14-26

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Organizational Goals

• f WPC
• Unity in vision and mission

that flows throughout

• Organizational clarity in

roles, ownership and structure

• Processes that facilitate

consistency and accountability

• Communication that helps

coordination and information

The Importance of Ministry Specific Philosophy of Ministries Example:

Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) – Youth Philosophy of Ministry

The purpose of youth ministry at Westminster Presbyterian Church is that our youth will:

• Believe in and grow in the Gospel and the Word in their own hearts and minds
• Embrace and reflect the same mission, values, and Biblical priorities of WPC itself
• Be prepared for spiritual challenges in their life as they mature

This philosophy of ministry for the youth therefore begins by identifying WPC’s overall vision and mission, describes how the youth ministry aligns with the church’s philosophy, identifies

• ur desires and goals for the youth as they mature in Christ, and concludes with how the

youth ministry accomplishes our philosophy and goals for our youth. WPC’s Vision and Mission WPC exists to gather and perfect the saints through the ordinary means of grace (Word, prayer and sacraments) in the context of relational fellowship to bring about continual repentance, faith, and new obedience. As part of this vision, WPC embraces the necessity of the church body (the covenant members) and the importance of being involved in the life and worship of the church. Crucial to this mission are corporate worship, cross-generational fellowship, peer fellowship, and missions & outreach. Corporate worship is the main avenue where the ordinary means of grace are applied to the life of believer. Through fellowship…

Youth Ministry Philosophy at WPC

WPC’s mission to youth includes the same components as its mission to every other member

• f our vision as a church: the desire to gather and perfect the saints through the ordinary

means of grace in the context of relational fellowship. Since our youth are still maturing spiritually and emotionally we tailor the way the church teaches, delivers and applies Biblical instruction to them. This is the reason for particular youth ministry. In addition, the Scriptures instruct a vital difference between ministry to adults and ministry to youth: believing parents are the main means of gathering and perfecting their children and accordingly are responsible to supervise the broader church’s ministry to them. Therefore, we encourage the spiritual leaders of households to be the main educators and disciplers of their

• children. The youth ministry’s goal is to supplement that process and not replace it. As a

result, WPC does not believe that a youth ministry should pull children out and away from their families for the purpose of creating an independent community. Instead, we welcome parental involvement in the youth ministry as it seeks to assist parents in their role of discipling their children. In addition, we affirm that even though God has laid out the nuclear family as the key context through which God ordinarily works, involvement in the broader church family is important for

• ur youth and is part of WPC’s broader vision. This includes:
• 1. Corporate Worship: Corporate worship is the principle part of WPC’s ministry, and so we

encourage the youth to worship with their families in the worship services.

• 2. Cross-Generational Fellowship: Cross-generational fellowship involves both families being

in fellowship with other families but also with youth being in fellowship with those of all ages in the church from the youngest of children to the oldest of our saints. These relationships are to be ones of giving and receiving to one another as we believe that other generations in the church having something to give to the youth and that the youth have something to give to these other generations.

• 3. Peer Fellowship: We recognize that peer fellowship at the youth level has unique

challenges because the youth culture in our country is often destructive and undermines the Christian faith. However, peer fellowship in the context of discipleship or where youth support and challenge one another can be a valuable tool for navigating the complexities of adolescent and youth culture and in preparing them for life long peer fellowship. While we recognize the risks and the attacks against the youth from the youth culture, we trust the Lord’s sovereignty in all things including sanctifying and preserving the youth who are his. Thus, we want to proactively equip and encourage youth to faithfully pursue enduring relationships with their peers, so that they can be a light to their fellow believing and non- believing friends.

Goals for our Youth Our desire for our youth as they approach adulthood is that they would know and embrace the Gospel as demonstrated by growing in faith, understanding, and holiness. We desire that they would have a deep love for God and His Church, keeping His Word in their hearts and equipping their memories with Scripture. We hope for them to cultivate a Biblical world and life view that prepares them for college, work, and missions so that they can handle

• pposition to their faith and withstand the trials and temptations of life.

Finally, we desire our youth to have hearts for service and missions so that they may be salt and light in the world sharing their faith and ministering in various ways that demonstrate their faith and hope in the Gospel. Youth Ministry Approach at WPC With this philosophy and these goals in mind, our youth ministry desires to provide teaching,

• pportunities and events that support WPC’s vision, that supports our youth and youth

families, and prepares our youth as they grow and mature, including:

• Youth Sunday School with a primary purpose of studying the Word and prayer.
• Youth Group gatherings that provide peer-fellowship as well as further teaching in the

Word, prayer, discipleship, evangelism training, and equipping them to defend the faith

• Youth events and retreats that foster both peer and cross-generational fellowship to

support the work of the church or the goals for the sanctification of our youth.

• Service and outreach activities that provide opportunities for our youth and families to

serve the church, the city, the world, and also to share their faith for the gathering of the saints

WPC administration notables…

• Budget process update
• Facility use guidelines and processes
• Administration notebook

Hurdles to administrative maturity

• Processes are sometimes difficult to establish and maintain
• WPC #1 Priority: Means of Grace
• Churches move at glacial speeds
• Priorities, time, resources, available staff &volunteers

Safety! Protecting the WPC Flock

• Spiritual
• Physical
• Emotional
• Legal – and liability

Acts 20:28

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his

• wn blood.

Nehemiah 4:15-23

The Work Resumes 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” 21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

Nehemiah 4:15-23

The Work Resumes 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, 17 who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. 18 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. 19 And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. 20 In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” 21 So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. 22 I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” 23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

Safety: Progress over the last 3-4 years

• Police officer presence - traffic
• Initial ministry policies and background

checks

• Examination and Inquiry into Beliefs
• Limiting accessibility to the church during

the service

• Posted approved access
• Insurance carrier update - aligned with

ministry values

Security & Safety Audit: Church Security 360

• Policies & procedures
• Facility & access
• Compliance & regulations
• Emergency preparedness
• Risk & exposure
• 84 prioritized recommendations

Follow up actions:

• Formed safety committee
• Engaged Church Security 360 for initial help

Safety Committee!

• Andrew McRae, Brad Beach, Courtney Gunter, Erik Veerman,

Karen Lemon, Stephen Gentry Recognizing our ultimate dependence on the Lord for the safety and security of our church, its members and its facilities, the Safety Committee exists to perform the following functions: 1.) Be a point of contact for church staff, members, and volunteers with regards to safety and security matters... 2.) Assess the observations and recommendations presented by Church Security 360... 3.) Periodically review the safety and security policies, handbooks and training materials... 4.) Monitor the church’s compliance with its policies, including the training of staff and volunteers.

Help from Church Security 360

Action Plans and Procedures Emergencies action Plans (EAP) Children/Youth emergencies Blood borne pathogen Fire prevention and safety Shutoff procedures Evacuation plans and maps Abuse prevention Children and youth abuse prevention Abuse reporting and acknowledgement Expanded background checks Training and Acknowledgement Abuse prevention training Blood borne pathogen training Georgia’s mandated reporting training Emergency response training Handbook Volunteer handbooks Crisis management handbook Safety ministry handbook

Other Areas of Growth

• Gathering of the saints (outreach)…
• Perfecting of the saints (discipleship)…
• Relational fellowship (assimilation)…

Q&A?