I have found that the Lay Pastors Ministry can be remarkably effective in producing and developing other ministries within the church. I call it a “ministry engine.” It does not simply accomplish its own ministry; it often becomes the starting point for many other ministries.
One pastor once confessed to me that he had tried to teach his people and implement the principles of The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in the United States. However, it did not work in his church. Of course, there is a significant difference between applying a strategy developed in a church of 20,000 people and trying to apply it directly in a church of only 100 people.
Several months after beginning the PACE ministry, however, the pastor tried the Saddleback strategy again, this time through the lay pastors. Surprisingly, it worked!
Why did it work the second time? Through PACE training, the lay pastors had learned what the church is and what ministry is. They had learned how to care for people, how to take responsibility, and how to become involved in ministry. Therefore, when they encountered a new strategy, they could understand it, evaluate it, and see how it might be useful in their own church. The Lay Pastors Ministry had opened their eyes to new possibilities and new approaches. More importantly, it had helped them recognize the seriousness and importance of ministry.
One of our staff members expressed this idea very well: “This ministry helps open the door to other ministries.” When lay pastors learn how to begin and carry out ministry, they gain confidence. At the same time, the congregation sees that the ministry is actually working. As a result, people begin to think, “If we can do this, perhaps we can do something else, too.”
For example, when people experience a caring ministry, they may begin to recognize other needs within the congregation. They may notice that elderly people need special attention, that certain individuals require particular care, or that single adults could benefit from a ministry designed specifically for them. Once their eyes have been opened, they begin to discover new ministry opportunities all around them.
I have also seen another interesting effect of PACE training. After one church completed PACE training, a deaconess began coming to the church early every morning. She had a small baby in her arms, so the senior pastor wondered why she was coming to church every morning and then going out.
She explained that through PACE training, she had become deeply motivated to reach unbelievers and evangelize. Although PACE is fundamentally a caring ministry, God gave her a different burden and showed her another way to use what she had learned. The training opened her eyes to evangelism.
This is one of the surprising strengths of the Lay Pastors Ministry. We may begin with caring for people, but the results can go far beyond caring. People discover gifts, burdens, opportunities, and new ways of serving.
Many pastors say that church growth depends on developing various ministries. I believe that is true. Preaching and worship are essential, but they are not enough by themselves. A growing church needs people who are actively involved in ministry. The problem is that many churches want to develop ministries but do not know where to begin or how to mobilize their people.
The Lay Pastors Ministry gives them a place to begin. Through PACE, people learn what ministry is, how ministry is done, and how ordinary believers can become ministers to others. Once they experience ministry themselves, they begin to see other possibilities.
That is why I call the Lay Pastors Ministry a “ministry engine.” It does not merely create lay pastors. It creates people who are ready to serve—and once people begin serving, new ministries can emerge throughout the church.