Above all, we need to develop the mindset that laypeople are equal partners with pastors in the ministry of Christ. They, too, have been given spiritual gifts, abilities, and competence by God.
I once read an article describing how things were different many years ago. In a small village, perhaps only the pastor had graduated from a four-year college or theological school. Naturally, people respected him greatly, and in some ways, he was considered the most educated and influential person in the community.
However, that was perhaps a hundred years ago. Today, the situation is very different. Most laypeople have graduated from colleges or universities, although some people in remote areas may not have had such opportunities. The pastor is no longer the only educated person or the only one capable of leadership.
When we speak about ordination, we should remember that it represents a different function of ministry, not necessarily a higher status or office above everyone else. If we read Dr. Melvin’s second book, we can find more detailed discussion about this issue.
If we place too much emphasis on ordination as a matter of status, we may still be thinking with an Old Testament mindset. In the Old Testament, there was a clear distinction between the chief priests and ordinary people. Only certain people could approach God in particular ways. But we are living in the New Testament era. The New Testament teaches the priesthood of all believers and calls all God’s people to participate in His ministry.
That is why many new paradigms of ministry today emphasize becoming a true New Testament Church. Unfortunately, even in the twenty-first century, some people still approach ministry with an Old Testament mentality.
A New Mindset Requires a Change in Leadership
If we begin to think in this new way, our leadership will naturally begin to change. However, changing our leadership style is not easy.
I still remember someone saying that change can feel like having a gun pointed at your mouth. In other words, change can feel threatening—as if we are risking something very important in our lives. But I believe that the greater the risk we are willing to take for healthy change, the greater the benefits we may receive.
There is an old saying: “No pain, no gain.” Growth often requires difficulty, sacrifice, and risk. The same is true in leadership and ministry.
Dr. Melvin also said:
“No change means death; radical and sudden change also means death. Balance is the key.”
We need to remember this important principle. Change is necessary, but wisdom and balance are also necessary.
One famous and experienced pastor once told us:
“If we give one thing to laypeople, they will give two things back to us.”
What a meaningful principle! When we take the risk of giving ownership and responsibility to laypeople, there will be many benefits for everyone. The pastor benefits, the laypeople benefit, and the church benefits.
We Grow Through Challenges and Risks
Through this process, both pastors and laypeople can grow. But how do we grow?
As we have all experienced, we often grow the most through difficulties, challenges, and risks. Therefore, perhaps the better question is not, “Why are laypeople not growing?” but rather, “Why are they not being given opportunities to grow?”
Many pastors complain about their people, saying, “They are not growing.” But why are they not growing?
One possible reason is that they are not facing enough challenges in ministry. They may not have opportunities to strive, struggle, take responsibility, or solve problems for God and for the church. Without challenges, there is little opportunity for growth.
When people become involved in meaningful ministry, they encounter difficulties. Then they must think, pray, struggle, and work to overcome those difficulties. Through that process, they learn and grow.
If pastors themselves are willing to change, laypeople will see it. And when leaders model openness to change, others are more likely to accept change as well.
Pastors Must Continue to Prepare Themselves
Therefore, pastors must continually prepare themselves. They need to study not only the Bible and theology but also other disciplines that can provide useful insights for ministry.
Many pastors read books, but sometimes their reading is limited to a narrow field. We need to broaden our perspectives. We need to learn from a variety of resources and disciplines.
For example, Peter Drucker, often called the father of modern management, has influenced many churches and ministry leaders. Why? Because his ideas contain valuable insights about leadership, organization, responsibility, effectiveness, and management.
Peter Drucker was not a pastor. He was an ordinary layperson. Yet many church leaders and pastors learned from him. I was very interested to learn that pastors of megachurches invited him to speak and listened carefully to his ideas. Drucker even taught groups of megachurch pastors.
This teaches us an important lesson: pastors can learn from many people and many disciplines. Through continuous study, our perspectives can change, and our leadership can grow.
Change the Way We Train People
A change in leadership also requires a change in our training style.
Traditional methods of training may not be enough for today’s ministry. For many years, we have trained people mainly through textbooks, training manuals, and classroom instruction. Of course, written materials are important. However, knowledge alone does not automatically produce effective ministry.
People may know many things, but they may still not become actively involved in ministry.
Therefore, one of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to involve people in practical action.
When people actually participate in ministry, they experience difficulties. They encounter real problems. Then they must wrestle with those problems and find ways to overcome them. Through that process, they are learning and growing.
Training, therefore, should not consist only of studying a written manual in a classroom. Training must also include practice and actual ministry experience.
We need to develop a training process that includes:
- Learning
- Practicing
- Experiencing
- Facing difficulties
- Receiving guidance
- Reflecting
- Trying again
Without such a process, our ministry may not work effectively, and people may not grow.
That is one of the most important responsibilities of leadership: Let people do the ministry.
Leaders should not do everything themselves. They should prepare, equip, guide, encourage, and then give people opportunities to serve.
Feedback Is Also Essential
Feedback is another necessity in the process of training and growth.
Without feedback, people may not know whether what they are doing is appropriate or effective. People naturally want to know, “Am I doing this correctly?”
Feedback helps them understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
I experienced this personally when I participated in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). We submitted papers, and the supervisors gave us feedback. Some supervisors wrote many comments and detailed observations, while others simply checked the paper and wrote brief comments such as, “Good,” or “Done.”
Even when the feedback was brief, it was still helpful. As students and learners, we wanted to know that someone had read our work and was responding to what we had done.
Feedback encourages people. It also helps them learn, improve, and continue growing.
Therefore, effective ministry training should never end with simply giving people information. We must involve them in ministry, allow them to experience challenges, support them as they learn, and provide meaningful feedback.
When we give laypeople ownership, responsibility, opportunities, and encouragement, we should not be afraid of losing something.
Instead, we may discover that we gain much more.
If we give one to laypeople, they may give two back to us.
When pastors and laypeople work together as partners in the ministry of Christ, there will be many benefits for everyone—and, most importantly, the whole church will grow stronger.
The Importance of Regular Lay Pastors Meetings
In the Lay Pastors Ministry, lay pastors meet regularly. These regular meetings of all the lay pastors are very important. They provide an opportunity for us to share our experiences and listen to the experiences of others.
We learn a great deal from these meetings because there are many challenges and difficulties in carrying out this ministry. Naturally, we want to learn how others deal with similar problems and overcome them. Even Dr. Melvin Steinbron wrote about the difficulties of ministry in one of the Training Manuals.
Through sharing practical experiences, we learn from one another and continue to grow. Sometimes, another person’s experience may give us a new idea or help us find a solution to a problem we have been struggling with.
Therefore, leaders need to provide regular opportunities for lay pastors to come together, share, listen, learn, and encourage one another. Leaders should also continue to develop new ideas and creative ways to make these meetings more meaningful and helpful.
Through learning from one another’s experiences, we become stronger and more effective in ministry.