In 2008, the International Coalition of Workplace Ministries in the USA proposed ten paradigm shifts for the Church.
An important one was that, if
churchgoers were not given the opportunity to minister -- as was often the case -- they would drop off in
time. Therefore:
“Lay people are asked to serve in five or six capacities:
• Teach a Sunday School class
• Work in the nursery
• Lead a home Bible study or small group
• Sing in the choir
• Be an usher or greeter
• Serve on a board or committee.”
The Coalition suggested that one could add “ministering to the needs of a community”. But why such a short list? There would seem to be big gaps here. There’s a multiplicity of things that churchgoers can do besides: leading the prayers, giving spiritual messages, welcoming guest speakers, introducing hymns, preaching the sermon, and so on. OBSERVATION: I myself have facilitated this unfailingly, in fairly “traditional” contexts.
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