03/17/2009
Author: John Powell
When I was growing up in the 1950’s my neighbor had a sandbox. We were free to create a world where dump trucks and “steam” shovels made that sand come to life. Working for the Road Commission, we “owned” and developed it.
Serving God is like that sandbox. God’s Kingdom has sides to define it but tremendous freedom within those walls.
The four sides of the Sandbox. We all have three sides in common. But our Ministry Focus is unique to each ministry area. The first wall is defined by our Mission—making disciples. The Principles and Guidelines for ministry form another wall. A third wall is Spiritual Health. It keeps us from hurting each other and burning ourselves out. The fourth wall is our Ministry Focus. It is the ministry “trademark” God gives us as we bear fruit. Leaders among the people of God invite us to bring our gifts and build the Kingdom of God inside His “sandbox”.
You are invited into the FEFC Sandbox. Do you realize you are invited into the sandbox called First EFC? “Come on over!” Do you feel free inside that sandbox? My joy is full when I see healthy people, confident in their mission, gaining understanding of ministry principles, “truck” in hand doing the work of God. It is every leader’s role to encourage this. It is my deep desire that, whatever your age, you have the sandbox walls in place so you feel secure, but that you also feel free to roam around inside, dreaming and creating to your heart’s content.
Ministry Focus! Over the last year we have been refining the First EFC “Sandbox”. We have a Ministry focus, unique among the churches in Las Cruces. We emphasize community, hospitality, intercultural, personal spiritual growth, accountability, education and University.
Additionally, each board has a specific Ministry Focus. It is what makes it unique among FEFC boards. The deacons “oversee the spiritual health of the congregation.” Each deacon has a more refined focus for 2009. Tim Linn will focus on evangelism and assimilation. He’ll be a resource for the mission board and the church as a whole. He’ll be a catalyst to stimulate evangelism, not the “church evangelizer”.
When each ministry “sandbox is aligned with the main FEFC “Sandbox”, we have freedom without the “silo” effect -- everyone dong their own thing in separate, unrelated sandboxes.
We share three sides of the sandbox! Only our ministry focus is different!
