Our first Ministry Think Tank meeting for 2021-22 was held last Saturday 21st August, 2021.
The main agenda item was to review the Meeting Jesus step on the Waitara Path, our church’s framework for ministry (Meeting Jesus > Trusting Jesus > Growing more like Jesus> Going out to serve Jesus).
1. McIntosh and Arn’s rules for evangelism [square brackets = how these rules compare with where our church is at]
- 60% of leaders/20% of church members should have a “Great commission conscience”. Do a survey. [?]
- Focus on receptive people [we have focused on youth and children – note Bernard Salt’s graph re: receptivity to faith according to age]
- Offer at least 9 entry events (or is it 4?) [3 or 4 in non-COVID years]
- Build two side door ministries per year [had three, now nil]
- Each worshipper should have 9 or more unchurched friends [?]
- 10% of people should be trained in friendship evangelism [nothing recently]
- Expect 12% of contacts to come to Christ. [?]
2. What is already in the pipeline?
– Late Nov 2021, Toys and Tucker appeal in Westfield Hornsby in conjunction with other local churches. Some training beforehand to ready our people for possible evangelistic interactions during that appeal.
3. Brainstormed some ideas about how to engage with those outside the faith over the next few months.
– Christmas is always an opportune time.
– HSC study camps have been effective for snr high school students. Tried ‘Study Hall’ before Friday youth, but only an hour so not worth it.
– A good question is: what are people taking up during this COVID season which they are likely to maintain? Some possible answers: exercise, bush walking, mental Health care, wellness.
– Offer a ministry for prayer, a next step towards faith. When church goes back offer prayer after the service.
– Put a letter box up and offer people the chance to drop off a prayer request. Complement this with a QR code.
– Event fatigue is a very real thing, so our calendar needs to be managed.
4. The result of the discussion was a decision to act with the following steps:
(a) We will erect a post box out the front of the church, inviting neighbours to leave prayer requests via a note or QR code.
(b) We will encourage Growth Groups to undertake evangelism training in Term 4, plus run a one-off group for this training.
(c) We will run an online “meeting Jesus” course in Term 4 and Term 1.
(d) When church services resume, we will offer a ministry of personal prayer after services, COVID-19 restrictions permitting.
Actions (b) and (c) are designed to complement a ministry which was already being planned for the end of November when we will set up a Toys and Tucker stall in Hornsby Westfield and seek to use that ministry to engage with our wider community. We have the space booked for Thurs 25th – Sunday 28th November. Hopefully vaccination rates will be high enough to enable us to proceed. The Rectors of St Stephen’s Normanhurst, St Peter’s Hornsby and St Luke’s Hornsby Heights have all indicated a willingness to partner with us in this.
Five further Ministry Think Tank Meetings are scheduled for Sept 11th, Oct 16th, Dec 4th, Jan 22nd, Feb 19th.
If you would like the Ministry Think Tank to address a particular issue, please email Marty on rector@waitaraanglican.com.au
