Urban Ministry Live And Unplugged: Poaching

Saturday, November 30, 2024

Poaching

In general, Christian Churches are very good about not poaching from one another. It would seem to me that they often discourage what is called “transfer growth”. On the other hand, there are sometimes deliberate poachers. During my ministry, a new Church hired a venue next to another local Church (call it Church A), and started Sunday services fifteen minutes after services at Church A ended. Then they sent envoys right into Church A, inviting people over to their Church for a fuller spiritual experience! OBSERVATION: But I find that poachers have very little influence on established Churches.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hi there,

They must have hired a top notch church growth expert to have come up with that one :).

As a question, how does a church approach a situation where they sincerely believe a neighboring church is in apostasy. Is there ever a case for aggressive proselytizing? What should that look like?; September 10, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Thomas O. Scarborough said...: The trouble is, the whole world is in apostasy, so would special attention be warranted for an apostate Church? Perhaps there would be a case, if the Holy Spirit so leads. But there are different notions of "apostate", too. I did visit a Church in the midst of a situation of apostasy. They believed they should not inform their members of the issues, to avoid any possibility of confrontation. This did not seem to me an appropriate approach.; September 10, 2009 at 10:09 AM

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About This Blog

I have spent ten years in suburban ministry, twenty-two years (total) in urban ministry, and seven years in country ministry. My involvements in ministry continue, now reduced.

There are a few reasons for this blog: 1. To help people form a picture of what ministry is about -- in particular urban ministry -- not least seminary students who may be destined for urban ministry. I have found that the image and the reality may be far apart in academia. 2. My experience in ministry may be (and, in fact, often has been) an encouragement to other ministers -- alternatively, a cautionary tale, as the case may be! Many notes of thanks have been recorded on this blog. And 3. Friends have simply told me how interesting reports of ministry are.

This is not a "parochial" blog. Only a tenth or so of readers are local (in South Africa). Outside of my home country, this blog is most read in Europe and North America. Russia is no. 4 on the list, and there is some interest in Muslim nations. At one point, this was the most authoritative Religion blog in Southern Africa (I now do not know how it is ranked).

With all of the above in mind, the purpose of this blog is simply to record urban ministry "live and unplugged", in the form of accounts. This blog is not a "church blog", but a "ministry blog". For the most part, I don't intend to share my views. The emphasis is the experience of ministry and the various events that surround it.

A definition of “live” is “actually being performed at the time of viewing”. A definition of “unplugged” is “without amplification or modification”. However, see my Posting Policy below.

Posting Policy

This blog may be unique with regard to its degree of transparency about urban ministry. Many people have written to me to say how they cherish the help they have received through this. However, this means that special attention needs to be given to confidentiality in particular. I use the following guidelines for posting on this blog:

I apply the following questions to posts: Are they posted in good faith? Are they balanced? Are they compassionate? Are they informative about ministry? Do they help one better understand a problem or issue?

I consider a post to be unproblematic if a person's identity is unknowable in the post, if the facts are public knowledge, or if a change of particulars (name, place, date, and so on) will truly protect privacy. If I consider that anyone who was not involved in an incident would recognise those who were, then I do not post. If a post could compromise the safety of those I blog about, then I make a post safe, or I do not post.

I believe that these measures should enable me to continue to be "open" about urban ministry while not compromising privacy.

In 2013, ninety percent of the posts on this blog were removed. I then put the question of the freedom of the blog to the South African Human Rights Commission. The position is this: if a post is legal, it is legal. Essentially, all of my posts were OK. There is freedom of expression in South Africa.

Having said this, if any post should even cause discomfort, it will be removed from this blog immediately. This has always been the position. One does need to contact me for that, best through an e-mail or a blog comment, and I prefer to see a name on it. The post will be put back up only if there would seem to be compelling reason for it. It is hoped that there will be the assumption that I wish to address any discomfort satisfactorily, compassionately, and efficiently.