Resources

Podcast #1 - Jesus on Main Street with Dave Kresta.

One of the missing elements in the retention of leaders with non-traditional ideas is the lack of simple affirmation. Pastors and missionaries tend to receive the majority of affirmation in the church, followed by elders and para-church ministry leaders, and lastly deacons. Few churches understand the power of affirming the missional work of the people in their congregations.

People with non-traditional ideas become accustomed to the look of confusion on a church leaders face, or hearing the words “well, we can’t really help you do that, but we can pray for you.” This toolkit is aimed to give general directives and encouragements, as well as a well-designed certificate that churches could use or build upon in order to affirm and encourage their people with missional ideas.

The toolkit is designed to be fairly elastic. It applies to churches who might want to place such people on a path toward formal ordination to an office such as elder or deacon, through which they might lead their initiative, as well as to churches that might simply create something of another missionary classification within their church for such leaders. It includes different paths a church might take as well as some helpful practices through which these leaders may be affirmed and recognized.

Infuse is part of the Surge Network, which has developed a school-year-long leadership development curriculum that is meant to be participated in by groups that are tied to local churches. These groups gather weekly and then gather once per semester for a large group teaching and connection time along with other church’s groups in the city.

Surge’s four semesters all provide helpful content for the development of missional leaders. The first is a basic immersion in biblical theology, the second is an exploration of applying the gospel to our own lives and the lives of others, the third is a biblical theology of mission, and the fourth is an exploration of the Christian’s integration of their faith into their vocation. Each gathering for discussion throughout the week is called a “table.” The goal is to eat together, discuss the reading material, and then spurn one another on to good works using the BLESS rhythms (Bless, Listen, Eat, Speak, and Sabbath). Infuse plans to utilize the Surge materials and structure, while aiming the final time together to discuss specifics concerning each participant’s missional ideas and their implementation.

The “table” is not meant to be a complete discipleship program, as each member is entrusted to the care of their local church. The “table” is merely utilized to more fully develop the participants sense of the unity of the biblical narrative, ability to apply the gospel to the life, sense of connection between the people of God and God’s overarching mission, and ability to connect faith to practical vocation.

At the “table” participants will get to spend extended time developing their idea with people of a similar mind, which leads to the next service infuse would provide, that of encouragement sessions to further develop a sense of community between likeminded missional leaders.

Perhaps one element of missionary development that many have overlooked, is the gift of being with likeminded people. In a missionary agency, the missionary is surrounded by people with a similar sense of calling and with similar experiences. Pastors and elders have long experienced this when they gather in regional assemblies, but the church has not provided this well for missionaries, and it continues to struggle to do so for missional leaders with non traditional ideas. The church in its regional or national assemblies is unlikely to be equipped to develop such a community. This is where a group that exists to serve the church could step up and assist the local church without usurping it’s role.

Our leaders have personally experienced the need for such gatherings and the blessings of participating in them. I (Andy) have written about a similar experience among bi-vocational pastors in which such a time of community and mutual encouragement proved extremely valuable. “At the end of the weekend we all went around and shared one major takeaway… the rest of the group had a nearly unanimous response. The pastor from the manufacturing company said it first…”I don’t feel crazy.”

In all the other gatherings of church leaders these folks had been to, their church’s success was measured in “self-sufficiency.” If the leader worked another job, it was a sign that something was wrong. In this gathering though, all the leaders talked about and celebrated the ways God was working through their other jobs. Finally, we were around other people who understood that we actually liked doing more than just one thing.

If this is true of bi-vocational pastors, it must be true of people with non-traditional missional ideas. Affirmation and support from their local church will be valuable and critical, but it is also deeply impactful and encouraging to hear from and spend time with people pursuing similar aims. In this case, these leaders were sent to this gathering by their denomination. This illustrates the possibility of the existing church body supporting the broadening of the leaders community to involve encouraging and likeminded people.

Infuse’s goal with these sessions is to gather faithful men and women together to hear from those who have gone before them. In these sessions, stories will be shared as well as best practices, including participation with the local church. In such sessions previous participants, current participants, and potential participants will be invited to come and hear about the faithfulness of God and joy of serving Him through creative and groundbreaking methods. Today’s missional leaders will have a chance to encourage others to take risks involved in using their innovations and business acumen to serve the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ in the future.

The final role that infuse plans to play, in support of non-traditional missionaries of the church, is the provision of additional support structures and funding streams to leaders whose ideas are in need of further and more practical engagement. Many non-traditional ideas are held back by a lack of know-how and a lack of capital. A modern day Merten de Keyser (William Tyndale’s Printer) might have an idea to leverage a modern technology or their own artisan skill to support the mission of the Church, but be held back by their lack of knowledge, time, or resources. Many start-ups also burn out their founders, due to the sheer amount of hats an entrepreneur needs to wear to get an idea from concept to sustainability. If our aim is to see believers succeed in their missional objectives, we must take seriously the call to help them succeed.

To do this infuse will begin by offering administrative support and by stewarding start-up grants to approved applicants. The vast majority of this will be funded through grants from outside agencies, trusts, and through foundations as opposed to being funded by individuals within the church. Further support will come from churches that partner with infuse. Funds will be dispersed to participants whose missional ideas require further resourcing. Applications for grants will be gathered from participants and reviewed by an independent panel of Christian business leaders on infuse’s behalf.

Administrative support may someday be augmented by graphic and web design, bookkeeping, coaching, and co-working space. Just to reiterate, all of these participants will be affirmed members of their local churches, sent to do pursue this ministry by their church’s elders. Infuse’s goal is to come alongside and add what the church may not be able to.