(Post one is here.)
For the longest time, the greatest hinderance to making "elder visits" was finding a time to do it. My co-elder and I had the best of intentions, but we could only seem to muster a visit here and a visit there kind-of-thing.
At one of our FRPS meetings, a brother shared how his pastor organized these visits. It was quite simple - but revolutionary to me! We adapted his model to this:
1. We elders meet and plan a block of time where we will perform elder visits with members.
- we try to put this in a not-so-busy period (i.e. not during December and the Christmas rush!)
- and this "block of time" mentality means we know we will be out a lot of nights for several weeks, but not for an endless period of time... that really helps when you have small kids at home and it helps us to prepare for that time in prayer
2. We determine the specific nights or days (right down to the start and end times) of when we will be able to meet.
3. We either:
a) Carry around a sign-up sheet for members to sign up for one of these specific times, or
b) Have one of us call members and ask if they are available for any of these specific times.
- lately it has been the second option as we are trying to systematically get around to all of our members
4. We meet with the members!
The advantages to this type of organized visitation are many, some of which I have already listed. Other advantages include:
1. Your members know that you are "making the rounds" and that you will eventually get to them.
2. Members struggling with particular issues know they can request a meeting time and be offered a specific date and time.
3. You get to spend time with "non-issue people" - meaning those foundational folks that never squeak or swerve, are at every service, and would never think of adding to your duties by asking for a visit! Those folks still need close shepherding and this method makes a way for you to get with them in their homes one-on-one.
4. Your members see some of your shepherding and this can be very comforting to them, even if they are not the ones being visited this round.
There are more benefits, but I will leave off there.
Next time I will try to post on what we actually do in a visit.
Yeah but do you ever get "issue-members" exploiting the privilege of a visit ready to unharness their hobby horse or beef or complain?
ReplyDeleteHey Paul,
ReplyDeleteAs I thought it would be, this was very helpful to read. Keep these posts coming! I'm going to copy/paste/print them for the elders here at Binbrook Baptist to read/consider/be shaped by!
Can I be so bold as to answer Trish's comment? As a pastor, this seems like the perfect place to talk to a member who tends towards discontentment with their pastor or church. There are two elders present (the pastor and another elder), so attacks are less likely, and if they do come, there is some measure of accountability and protection for the one being attacked. Also, as a pastor I would rather hear from people who have problems, and discuss it in a setting such as this one, rather then have them boil below the surface, ready to explode unexpectedly at a later date! So although these kinds of meetings might be difficult, I think they are ideal!!
Paul, feel free to delete these comments of they are not helpful!
Ian.
Bless you for doing this. Though I have been a Christian for 12 years, I've never been visited except one time by a pastor in a format such as this. and then it was only that one time in 3 years of attending that church. I often wonder why Christians, especially pastors, do not have a burden for ministering spiritually to other Christians, or any thought (it would seem) as to how they are faring in their Christian life. Pastors don't seem to realize that people need ministering to even if they do not have any material needs. And the average person in the pew either does not or cannot minister to their fellow Christians. personally, I think such a ministry as this is vital.
ReplyDeleteI have never received such a visit, having attended several churches in the last few years, and I wish said churches actually had programs to do that. (Foth the msot part, they did not.)
ReplyDelete^That was my instinctual reaction to this post... and then I asked myself if I would have wanted a meeting, and, more to the point, would such a meeting have been helpful. For me, the answer was predominantly no, for varying reasons.
Meh. Just a random thought from a Christian blogsurfer.
Sincerely in Christ,
Hidden One.
Interesting from a top down ministerial approach.
ReplyDeleteHow have you implemented a vertical approach ie., members taking care of each other?
Also, what about a church that is growing fast enough that I am feeling good to get their names down?
Ron -
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting your comments.
I suppose we don't envision this model as top down at all. We feel this is one of the ways in the Bible that the Lord calls pastors to serve the flock.
In the last post I think I address your question about member-to-member ministry. Let me know if that misses your query though!
As for fast growth? Praise the Lord! And I trust the Lord will add elders as he adds people, so even if you cannot know every name, at least one elder will. Better than that, why not split off and plant a new church! :-)
Probably not ready to mother another church yet, but that is a definite possibility down the road. I would agree with your sympathies against mega churches, they can have many problems. Although they can function well if built on a good model of small groups. Churches within a church.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things our church has been trying to do is get away from the pastor does everything model. That does not take away from the pastor as shepherd model, but does take seriously the priesthood of believer model.
Thanks for the reply.