THE FIVE C’S OF CHRISTIAN TEAMWORK:

By Rod Dempsey

THE FIVE C’S OF CHRISTIAN TEAMWORK:

COMMON VISION:

1. Vision is a clear mental image of a preferable future. The team needs clear vision, mission and goals.
2. A church or ministry needs one overarching vision/ mission statement, and all the other ministry vision/ mission statements need to support and reflect the main vision.
3. The early church had a clear vision and strategy and they worked together to accomplish miraculous things. Challenging goals motivate the team to attempt great things. Praying together is essential. Unity.
4. A clear and common vision enables a team to row in the same direction at the same time.
5. A clear and common vision also enables the church and the ministry teams to evaluate their effectiveness.

COMMUNICATION/ COMMITMENT:

1. This is one clear ministry principle that I operate under, “People are down on what they are not up on.”
2. Clear communication builds trust and improves morale.
3. Your ministry team needs to make sure that it is communicating up, down and across the board. We must communicate clearly and resolve conflicts when they arise.
4. Without clear communication, you will have ministry hic ups and personal conflicts.
5. Commitment is strengthened through conflict resolution. Do not let conflict destroy team dynamics.

COMPLEMENTARY GIFTS and TALENTS:

1. Every person knows and is using his or her spiritual gifts and is working together to accomplish the vision.
2. This is where prayer and walking in the Spirit is so important. If we are all walking with God and listening for the Shepherd’s directions, then we will be guided by one voice. We complement each other as we follow the Spirit’s leading.
3. If we are not listening to the Spirit, we will Edge God Out. EGO’s will destroy the body of Christ!
4. Great teams are not composed of a bunch of superstars and prima-Dona’s. Great teams are composed of different individuals who willingly submit their goals to the overall goal of winning for the team.
5. Coaching the individual to grow and develop to contribute to the team is the goal. Jesus is the example.

COMMUNITY:

1. Jesus told his disciples at the end of his time with them that He was not going to call them servants any longer, but friends. Coaching individuals like Jesus helps the team member to engage successfully.
2. The “One Another’s” are the blueprint to help us discover ways to serve and build up each other.
3. The gifts of the Spirit enable us to serve and equip each other so that we can “grow up” in all aspects into Christ.
4. We do not just work together, but we are friends. This is where we want to go.
5. Great teams are composed of friends who are willing to sacrifice to see the vision of the team accomplished. They are committed to the mission and to each other.

CONQUER:

1. Eventually the evidence that a team is functioning at optimum is that the team wins victories.
2. Setting goals and holding each other accountable for the accomplishment of the individual and team goals is critical here.
3. You must learn to generate short-term wins, before you can win the big games. Peak performances at the right time are very important here. Plan and pray ahead to generate victories!
4. After the win celebrate the win and recognize team member contributions.
5. After the win, evaluate the measurable metrics. Follow the maxim, “What gets measured gets managed.” Set new goals based upon the vision and the evaluations.

If Were Starting or Revitalizing a Church Today…

By Rod Dempsey

IF I WERE STARTING OR REVITALIZING A CHURCH TODAY…

I would:

1. Understand that missiology determines methodology. Jesus on Mission determines what the church looks like. Focus on reaching your Jerusalem for Christ (Acts 1:8) with missional formats for every demographic/ people group in your context. John 20:21. Partner with other Kingdom Outposts to create a “City Reaching Movement”. Show and Share the Gospel!
   1. Christocentric Mission
   1. Gospel Net
   1. Joining Jesus on Mission
   1. Mission Informs Mission Chart
   1. City Reach Mission Statement with Steps
   1. City Reach Statements PowerPoint
   1. The ABC’s of suburban missions
   1. Apartment Life
   1. Community Groups
   1. Tampa Underground
2. Understand what the church is… what is the controlling metaphor? The church is His body with members. Each member is expected to play his or her part in the grand plan of God (Eph. 2:10)
   1. Rom. 12/ 1 Cor. 12/ Eph. 1 and 4/ Col. 1
   1. Healthy Church Systems chart
   1. Disciple Making Is Chapter 19 “Understanding the Importance of the Body”
   1. Chapter 4 Disciple Making Is
   1. Body Life- Ray Stedman
   1. “Body of Christ”
   1. Life in His Body- Bonhoeffer
3. Be clear on your job and do your job. My job is to bring glory to God by… developing healthy “missional disciples” who love God, love one another & love neighbor. Love is the goal of our instruction… 1 Tim. 1:5
   1. Connect People to Christ/ To One Another and to the Mission
   1. Venn Diagram
   1. Matthew 28- 1 command 3 participles/ 1 promise
   1. Eph. 4:11
   1. APEST
   1. Healthy Body Healthy Church
   1. Healthy Church Assessment
4. Create a Prayer Team that prays every morning. I would also teach everyone to pray Luke 10:2 twice a day
   1. Quotes on Prayer
   1. “Biblical Prayer Requests”
   1. How Much Prayer Chapter 22
   1. Neil Cole How to Pray for the Lost
   1. Dr. Falwell quotes and plan
   1. Small Groups become the praying arm of the church
5. Make sure the Preaching of the Gospel is connected to believing in and following Jesus!
   1. Bill Hull
   1. Gospel Questions
   1. Gospel Conversations
   1. Gospel Presentations
   1. Discipleship starts with believing in Jesus as savior and Lord. (Rom. 10:9-10) “
   1. Required Baptism class”
   1. Write out Testimony and follow the B.L.E.S.S. method for every member
6. Start small (create the DNA). “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.”
   1. I would meet for 10-12 months with a leadership team setting the DNA
   1. After/ during the 10-12 months each couple would recruit their own group of 10-12 people
   1. Then bring the 10-12 groups together on Sunday morning as a collection of missional groups
   1. Sunday morning would be exegetical, expositional teaching for the missionaries
   1. The focus would be growing from the “inside out” not the “outside in”
   1. Each week recognize and commission new groups being born and sent out to the mission
7. Organize around small groups (Follow Wesley’s system of Bands/ Classes/ Society)
   1. Every person in a group
   1. Every group to have gender specific “Growth Groups” (see pamphlet)
   1. Every group would have a mission
   1. Every member would be a missionary (Teach and practice B.L.E.S.S.)
   1. Every group would have an apprentice
   1. Every group would be expected to multiply within 18 months
8. Have a great Assimilation Process and connect Sunday morning to midweek- (Sermon Series Groups)
   1. Assimilation Process
   1. 7 Step Assimilation Process
   1. Strengthens the partnership
   1. Increase Women leadership
9. Have a required connect class and assimilation process with non-negotiable membership commitments.
   1. Why Should I Join a Church?
   1. “Church Membership” by Thom Rainer
   1. Rom. 12/ 1 Cor. 12/ Eph. 4-  
   1. Members of the Body must be fulfilling their part in the Body.
10. Have a “Jethro” coaching system for discipleship/ group leaders-
    1. Exodus 18
    1. (5 x 5 Model)
    1. “COACH” article
    1. What should I report to my Coach 25
    1. Joel Comiskey Coaching
11. Have a full blown training institute that focuses on “Ortho Praxy”-
    1. Triple Diamond and
    1. Clint Clifton-Residency Programs
    1. City Partnerships
12. Have a leadership/ teaching team from Eph. 4:11 (APEST) or I would try to reflect APEST.
    1. APEST
    1. Leadership Quotes
    1. Three Streams Chapter 17-19
    1. The 5 C’s
13. Focus on Eph. 4:16… the “proper working of each individual part” and
    1. Col. 1:28-29  “Every Person Focus”
14. Make sure the architecture and programming reflects the missional nature of the church… not “Come and See” but “Go and Be”. Places for food, clothing, education, life skills… AND Only hire/pay people who produce/ develop/ train missional disciples. Every paid person is personally involved in equipping, and discipling others for the Great Commission.
    1. With/ Of/ Is
    1. TAHO
    1. Organic
    1. ”Show and Share the Good News!”
    1. “Creating A Disciplng Culture.”
15. How Do you Measure Success?
    1. Health
    1. Multiplication
    1. 55 Metrics
    1. Focus on keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing… MAKE DISCIPLES and qualify for the Promise!

I would not:

1. Start large
2. Start in a church building
3. Start with a Sunday morning service

I would be careful about: (Performance based ministry)

1. Having a worship team… keep it simple… congregational singing
2. Having a children’s ministry that minimizes parental discipleship
3. Having a youth ministry that minimizes parental discipleship
4. Hiring traditional staff for Sunday morning
5. Focusing on the centrality of the pulpit (Venn Diagram)

FREE: Healthy Church Assessment (20 Areas):

Developed by Rod Dempsey

HEALTHY CHURCH ASSESSMENT: (Healthy Systems = Healthy Body)

Our church is a place: (To the left of the number rate from 1 (low) to 5 (great).

1. Where passionate prayer is continually being offered up for the lost and for laborers through all the ministries and during special prayer meetings.
2. Where the gospel is being proclaimed by word and deed. People are being saved weekly. “We are showing and sharing the Gospel to our community.”
3. Where new believers are baptized on a weekly basis.
4. Where worship occurs at the individual level throughout the week and it is powerfully manifested when the body gathers together.
5. Where the Sunday morning messages are Biblical, powerful, practical and applicable.
6. Where new believers are intentionally and individually nurtured and developed.
7. Where believers are willingly and sacrificially investing their financial resources in the Kingdom of God.
8. Where the “new members of the Body” are being assimilated into the church and volunteering to serve, get in groups and sacrificially give.
9. Where the leaders in every department see their role as equipping and empowering the saints.
10. Where a majority of the saints are growing in maturity (connecting them to Jesus through the disciplines).
11. Where the saints are growing in unity and love for one another.
12. Where the saints are encouraged to discover, know and use their Spiritual gifts.
13. Where a majority of the saints are using their gifts “properly” (according to God’s design).
14. Where relational groups are intentionally developed and growing in their love for one another (the one another’s are happening).
15. Where relational groups are lovingly sharing their lives and the gospel with unbelievers (living on mission in community).
16. Where leaders for the Great Commission are intentionally being developed.
17. Where relational groups are multiplying new leaders and new groups.
18. Where the poor and “least of these” is intentionally being ministered to in our community.
19. Where the mission of Christ is being accomplished locally, regionally, nationally, and globally by members from within the local body and we are experiencing the favor/ blessing of Jesus.
20. Where new churches are being planted/ partnering because of effective discipleship and effective leadership development.

DISCUSS:

• What are the strongest areas?

• What are the weakest areas?

• What are some ways to strengthen the weak areas?

What does it take to be a Healthy Church?

Written by Rod Dempsey:

HEALTHY SYSTEMS= HEALTHY BODY

The church is the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27/ Eph. 5:30). In the natural world we know whether or not a body is healthy or not by taking an assessment of certain baseline measurements that indicate health. If we are disinterested or lazy about growing and maintaining our systems, they will not produce the results we want. In other words, slack equals lack. When we become slack in taking care of our systems, we experience lack, and a weak system or a system that has decreased function will not be healthy and an unhealthy body will not be a good representation of Christ and will not reproduce.

HUMAN BODY SYSTEMS:

1. SKELETAL (Support)
2. RESPIRATORY (Breathing)
3. NERVOUS (Signaling)
4. MUSCULAR (Movement)
5. DIGESTIVE (Energy)
6. CARDIOVASCULAR (Circulation)
7. IMMUNE (Defense)
8. REPRODUCTIVE (Life Giving)

CHURCH/ BODY OF CHRIST SYSTEMS:

1. THE PRAYER SYSTEM (Dependence on Christ in all SYSTEMS)
2. THE EVANGELISM SYSTEM (Attractional and Missional)
3. THE WEEKEND SERVICE SYSTEM (Worship and Preaching)
4. THE ASSIMILATION SYSTEM (Discipleship- Small Groups)
5. THE MOBILIZATION SYSTEM (Discipleship- Ministry Teams)
6. THE STEWARDSHIP SYSTEM (Discipleship- Giving)
7. THE LEADERSHIP SYSTEM (Great Commission Leaders)
8. THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM (Missions and Church Planting)

QUESTIONS:

1. What are the strongest 2 systems in your church?
2. What are the weakest 2 systems in your church?
3. What is your strategic plan to create healthy systems for a healthy body?

THE KEYS:

1. Identification of the Systems
2. Measuring the health of the Systems (body). (#’s/ percentages/ ratios)
3. Creating a plan for improving the health of a system(s). (Personnel/ Strategic Planning/ Accountability= Annual Department Ministry Plan).

4 QUADRANTS:

1. Good People/ Good Systems= Maximized Results
2. Good Systems/ Bad People= Better than average Results
3. Good People/ Bad Systems= Frustrated people
4. Bad Systems/ Bad People= Out of business

Are Pastors Under Attack?

Recently I have been hearing first-hand about Pastors leaving the ministry. Which causes me to wonder are they under attack? The short answer is “yes… of course… they are always under attack.” The tactics of the enemy do not change. Most often it is the “usual” suspects: 1. The lust of the Flesh, 2. The lust of the eyes and 3. The pride of life. Between seeing “that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise”,,,, many ministry leaders have gotten ensnared by the forbidden. These tactics have ruined many a person, a family and a ministry. But one of the less recognized, but equally destructive tactic of the enemy is something called the “Moses or Diotrephes Syndrome.” This trap is when the Pastor of the church or the leader of the ministry… tries to do everything and the people sit back and watch. The tactic is extremely widespread, and the structure of the church and the attitude of the people feed this flawed and unbiblical model. Over time the Pastor “wears out” and “burns out”.

Here are the cold hard facts about Pastors and what is taking place.

• 42% of pastors are thinking of quitting the ministry, 51% from mainline denominations.  (November 29, 2021)
  • Of the 38%, almost half (46%) are under age 45. 50% of pastors are age 56 and above
• 90% of the pastors report working between 55 to 75 hours per week. 
• 84% of pastors feel they are on call 24/7.
• 80% believe pastoral ministry has negatively affected their families. Many pastor’s children do not attend church now because of what the church has done to their parents.
• 52% of pastors feel overworked and cannot meet their church’s unrealistic expectations. 
• 54% of pastors find the role of a pastor overwhelming.
• 53% of pastors report that the seminary did not prepare them for the ministry.
• 90% of pastors report the ministry was completely different than what they thought it would be like before they entered the ministry.

Yikes… this is not good news for the followers of Jesus. Yet we have the best news available anywhere. The Good News that Jesus loves us, came to the earth as the perfect God/ man… died on the cross to pay for our sins and rose again, proving that He was who He said He was. And the Good News continues… his death on the cross is for every person who will believe in their heart and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father (Romans 10:9-10). So, the question is, if we have such good news why are so many Pastors thinking about quitting this most glorious calling? The answer, in my opinion, is that Pastors… may be suffering from the Moses or Diotrephes syndrome.

What is the Moses syndrome? Very simply put, it is trying to do too much in the ministry and not equipping the saints to do the works of service. Put another way it is trying to be the main person and either consciously or subconsciously, wanting everyone around you to be dependent on you. This will inevitably lead to physical, spiritual, and emotional exhaustion. See Exodus 18:13-23

“It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. 14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws. 17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good. 18 You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.”

¹⁹ Now listen to me: I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You be the people’s representative before God, and you bring the disputes to God, ²⁰ then teach them the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they are to walk and the work they are to do. ²¹ Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. ²² Let them judge the people at all times; and let it be that every major dispute they will bring to you, but every minor dispute they themselves will judge. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. ²³ If you do this thing and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people also will go to their place in peace.

Pastors who try to be the focal point in the work of God, fall into the “Moses Syndrome.” Simply put trying to do too much and be at the center of everything. Moses’ father-in-law observes what Moses is doing and has one of the best rhetorical questions in the Bible, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people?” Paraphrasing might sound like this… what kind of system have you developed here that you are the only person that people are coming to? My paraphrase, “what in the world are you doing? This is dumb.” Notice what Moses said in answer to the question, “because the people come to me” and when a dispute arises, “it comes to me” and “I judge between a man and his neighbor.” Again, paraphrasing what Moses said, may sound like this… “I am doing this because the people come to me, and I don’t know if you have heard but I am a big deal in God’s plan…I know Greek and Hebrew.” Pride has led to many a fall.

Again, with one of the best comebacks in Scripture, without missing a beat, Moses father-in-law responds with “The thing you are doing is not good.” Zing, pow, wham and bam. This system you have come up with is broke. Bad plan, try again, and this is what the advice consists of… “train some trustworthy men and share the load.” This is similar to the plan in Eph. 4:11-16. Gifted people in the Body (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers) “equip the saints and the saint do the work.” Don’t try to be Jesus, you don’t have all the gifts. Let me break it down (sorry) for you… Equip the people to connect to Jesus and let Jesus, who is the Head, lead His church (Eph. 4:11-16).

Equipping means that we connect people to Jesus through the Gospel and then connect them to one another in Biblical community where they intentionally study and apply God’s principles to their lives, and then as a Biblical community they use their spiritual gifts to become the hands, feet and voice of Jesus where they live, work, play and go to school. Do not come between Jesus and His people. Let Jesus lead the church by intentionally connecting people to the Head (see John 15:5 and John 10:27). Eph. 4:11-16 is the Biblical pattern for maturing and mobilizing the members of the Body of Christ for ministry and mission (discipleship). It is also the antidote for the Moses Syndrome and in the New Testament it is the antidote to the “Diotrephes Syndrome” (3 John 1:9). Look it up!