12/03/2013
THE BUSINESS OF CHURCH - JESUS AT HIS STAFF MEETING - DO YOU THINK HE PRAYED BEFORE HIS STAFF MEETINGS? A must read. Funny and mostly thought provoking.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said and his disciples did.
Some time later, eating around the campfire debating with the disciples how many lumens the moon produced, Jesus had an epiphany. This would be a remarkable way to get his message out to the world.
“You will be my executive disciple team,” he said.
“Peter, I’m making you my executive pastor, and on this staff structure I will build my church. Peter, keep the vision and cast it often. Make sure the other disciple leaders align and build their ministries around it.” Then, in the sand, Jesus wrote his mission, vision, and values statements. Judas took lots of notes.
Jesus looked at Matthew. “I’m making you the business administrator of my ministry. We’ll be launching a building program soon for satellite campuses all around the world to maximize our impact.”
“Judas, please file our 501(c)3 paperwork. We need to be compliant so that disciples who give to our ministry receive their tax deductions. We all know this is key to sacrificial giving.”
“Phillip, please start a missions department. Once people begin attending our regular gatherings they can go and serve.” Then he added to everyone, “Service is important, people. Make sure you give back.”
“Nathaniel, I’ve saved the most important job for you. You’ll be the youth pastor. There isn’t anything more important to my ministry than youth ministry (remember what I’ve said about millstones?). When we gather, take the kids away from the adults so they can be noisy. We all know that they have unique needs and the ministry must be age appropriate.
“Remember this,” Jesus affirmed, “the Gospel has levels of age appropriateness.”
“Nathaniel, I want you to look to the current trends in youth ministry in the temple and the marketplace and adapt them. Weigh the pros and cons of attractional versus missional ministry. Look at the statistics, surveys, experts, and best practices of others to shape our youth ministry. Coordinate with Phillip on youth missions trips. Stay compliant with Matthew’s policy for keeping food and drinks out of the upper room.”
Jesus continued, “When it comes to the ministry’s donkey, you’ll find it………….. Nathaniel? Was your hat on backward when we started this conversation?”
“The name’s Nate, yo!”
“Since when?”
“I need an assistant.”
“I just gave you the job. How do you need an assistant?”
“Look, you want me to hang out with the kids, that’s my job. Every youth ministry expert tells me it’s my job. I’m a relational guy. It’s my gift! I can barely return a phone call, let alone organize a ministry. I need an assistant.”
“You have a $300 smart-phone”
“It’s all about relationships, Jesus!”
“Were you just saying my name, or swearing?”
“Um…”
Jesus turned to his executive leadership team.
“Remember, team. You are leaders. Cast vision. Go into all the world and bring them back here to our services so I can save them. Amen?”
“Amen.”
Jesus could tell they were getting excited about the vision, so he continued. “We’re here to make disciples.”
Peter held up his sword and yelled, “Yes we are!”
Jesus frowned and said, “That’s the wrong great commission, Pete. We’ll not compel them to belief with swords for at least a few hundred years.”
Dejected, Peter put his sword away, hung his head and kicked a little dirt with his sandal.
Jesus continued with his energized speech. “We’ll need a worship leader. Who’s up for that?”
“I am,” said a voice.
“Who are you?” asked Jesus.
“I’m Bartholomew. I’m one of your disciples,” said Bartholomew.
Jesus looked puzzled.
“You told me to follow you?”
Jesus, saving face said, “Sorry, I meet a lot of people, it’s hard to remember everyone’s name. You know how it is. Right?”
“Sure, I guess,” whispered Bartholomew.
Jesus turned to the other executive team members. “Who’s responsible for assimilation? I need a way to keep track of all these new faces!”
Bartholomew chimes in, “I play the electric lyre and I’m pretty good.”
“Ok,” Jesus concedes. “Meet with Matthew for all the appropriate personality testing to see if you are a good fit to be on the executive disciple team, then we’ll have a try out to see if you can play well enough to lead.”
Bartholomew looked confused.
Jesus continued, “You don’t talk a lot while you lead worship do you? I have a pet peeve regarding worship leaders who chit-chat when they have a mic.”
“We should coordinate our calendars,” Matthew suggested, changing the subject. “We don’t want all the stuff we are planning to overlap.”
Jesus sat back and watched with pride as Matthew led the staff meeting with efficiency, never varying from the agenda.
Jesus ended this first staff meeting with a prayer. “Father, help us change the world. There are people out there who are hurting, wounded and in need of you. Guide our ministry so we can impact the world with your good news. I pray that people come to our service this week. That you’d be preparing their hearts, even now, to come to our new building. I pray that they would become tithing disciples who give to us so we can fulfill the ministry you have given to us. May you expand our territory so we can impact this evil culture for you.”
Amen.
