Empower for Gospel Workers

Both theory and practice are fundamental to all learning.  Theory refers to the intellectual understanding of a topic – the studying. Practice refers to actually doing what you are studying about.   This begs the question:  what’s most important, theory or practice?  Studying or doing?  

The Bible has an answer to this question.   We read in the book of James:  "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." (James 1:22-24)  It is quite obvious, isn't it?  Both theory and practice are important.  When you are taught something, from a teacher or a book, including God's Word, then you need to put it into practice.  The real benefit or blessing from learning something is when you actually do it.   As Jesus reminds us:   "Blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice." (Luke 11:28)  

This idea of actually doing what you have learned is the final and critical step in the sixfold strategy of raising gospel workers.   In this current series of articles we have discussing what we as a denomination and churches need to do if we are going to raise up the next generation of gospel workers.¹  The cycle of raising gospel workers is not complete until people actually do the work for which they have been prayed for, taught, trained, mentored, and seen modelled in others.  People need to be empowered to do the work of ministry.

I think back to my teenage years when I was invited by my church to join a group that was studying how we can make a gospel impact in our community.  At 15 years of age, there was so much to learn.  And I began to understand a lot about what we needed to do as a church to reach the lost for Christ.  But then my pastor and other church leaders asked me to start a youth group with two other young women.   They also invited me to join a ministry to unchurched young boys, which we called Boy's Alive.  My church empowered me to do the work of ministry, which including leading in my ministry roles.  I had bible talks and studies to prepare.   I organized events.  I shared the gospel with the unsaved.   They provided me with two married couples who apprenticed me in my roles, and who helped me continue to learn through encouragement and correction.  And these ministries began to grow and impact the lives of people.

If we truly desire to raise up the next generation of gospel workers, including the scores of men needed for ordained ministry in our churches, in addition to everything else we do, we must empower these people to do the work of ministry.   To empower someone is more than simply giving someone something to do.  It means giving them responsibility and authority to engage in ministry.  When you empower someone you are encouraging them to lead in their ministry roles.  You give them space to come up with new ideas.  You give them the resources to do their ministry.  You let them figure out their way of doing things in ministry.  You give them the responsibility of making sure they accomplish their ministry tasks.   If they succeed and do well, you acknowledge and praise them.  If they do not succeed, then you hold them accountable and help them figure out how to fix it and/or make improvements.  As people are empowered they are more likely to engage in ongoing ministry.   And some of them will sense, as I did, a call to full-time gospel ministry.

In my current home church I witnessed how empowering people does lead to raising up the next gen of gospel workers.  Many years ago a young man in our church began to study with our pastor how to preach.  But then he was empowered to actually start preaching.  I still remember his first sermon.  And then he would preach some more.  It did not take long before he headed off to bible college and when our pastor, John Hoogenhout, retired, this young man, Adam Schoenmaker became the lead pastor of Bray Park (soon to known as Oasis).  In fact, all three of our current pastors became full-time gospel workers in this way.  They were given both authority and responsibility to engage in ministry long before they headed off to bible college to formalize further study.

What is more important?  Theory or practice?  Study or doing?  If we are serious about raising up the future leaders needed in the CRCA, then we cannot just provide theory or study.   We need to empower people to actually put into practice what they have learned.  The real benefit of all the theory and study is in the doing.  People need to be empowered.

 ¹ Check out the previous articles on praying, teaching, training, mentoring, and modelling, all part of the sixfold strategy to raise up gospel workers.