A Rhythm Beyond Random
I have had this conversation with many pastors over the last couple of years. It goes like this:
“we started our church in outreach to the community using a kind of shotgun approach to service. We took on lots of different projects to get our name out there and to build a better attitude about the community, but now we are having a hard time shifting from the random approach to a more focused and sustained effort.”
The random approach to community is kind of the default for many modern churches. We know that we are supposed to do something, so we do…something. That something takes us places where we have never been before, but it is primary a series of unrelated service EVENTS. That is, one time, one-off try somethings. One obvious benefit of this approach is clearly marketing. It does get out name out there in a new way. But there are some real dangers in starting a new church this way, or using this approach to get a church growing toward mssional. Here are some pitfalls:
Can we become Ubiquitous? A random service approach is based on the idea that if we do enough free stuff, everyone will know who we are, and think good thoughts about us and our church. The reality of this approach is that few if any of us can in fact do enough service to be “everywhere,” become really ubiquitous like say, the golden arches, or Starbucks. Those folks have the money and marketing to really be everywhere. We are really at the level of a bake sale kind of presence. it looks and feels homespun and it pops up here and there. Sorry, people don’t take it seriously, its really THEIR charity when they participate with us, not the other way around.
Is random really Jesus’s style? Does a random approach follow the God of unique purpose and creative design? If he placed us in the community, and gave us gifts and resources, would we be better served (and the Gospel), if we intentionally used those gifts and talents in a meaningful way? That’s why we do needs assessment, to line up gifts with needs and find purposeful focus. Service ought to be an expression of the mission AND purpose of God in our lives and in our fellowship. Do people who really NEED our help wonder why we are spending so much time on things that seem irrelevant? Did Jesus do useless things that didn’t meet the special need of those around him? He was able to peer into and focus on the special needs of everyone he met; there was nothing random about Jesus.
Are we teaching people that serving is fruitless? If we take people out into community events time and after time, and they see that theses events, this community ministry isn’t really a fruit producer, what are we teaching them? Would we just wander around a mission field doing random things, or would we intentionally invest ourselves and our time into building relationships through which the gospel can be transmitted?
How do we build relationships in a series of uncoordinated and never repeated events? The answer is–we don’t. We simply build a team that is more comfortable with each other. If the currency of ministry is relationships and trust, then we have to serve in a way that builds those relationship among community members by serving them with real meaning.
You can improve the value of some of these random approaches by doing two things: 1) do a needs assessment and find a ministry focus as soon as possible and 2) purposely turn your one-off events into mini-series or seasons of service. Show up at the school 10 weeks in a row. Clean up trash after football for the whole season. Provide “day-off” daycare for every school holiday for an entire year.
As you think about community service, and think about moving from Random to Rhythm. Purposeful, prayerful, consistent meaningful rhythm. Exploring God’s unique purpose for you and your team in repeat offenses–of service. Its being there so people can count on you, allowing them to get to know the Jesus who lives in you. In community service, this is one of the big transitions you have to either make or avoid if you want to grow and sustain community impact that leads to transformed disciples and communities.
If you have a story about this transition from Random to Rhythm in your service, please email me at dmills@compassionbydesign.org.
3 Responses to “A Rhythm Beyond Random”
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Dave,
Great post and I couldn’t agree more. I would add that if every church in the community took this approach then needs would get met. I believe that the Holy Spirit is much more organized than we give Him credit for. While we may not be able to randomly meet every need in the community we can intentionally follow the leading of the Spirit to meet the need in the community that we are uniquely equipped for. If every church took this approach, I believe the needs of the community would all be and the rhythm would be a beautiful witness.
[...] A Rhythm Beyond Random [...]
You see this randomness especially in after school programs. It does so sadden me. I had three very large ministries who had served children in afterschool care each for over thirty years tell me that they had little to show for their 30 years. Each one told me almost the exact same thing.
Then came the question - “Can you help us?”
When I said I could and told them what they needed to do they refused. It took too much effort.
There is a lot of activity - but we aren’t going to be judged on our activity. Jeremiah 17: 9&10
The rhythm you speak of has a cost. May the Lord awaken His Church and bring us to the place where we love Him enough we are willing to pay the cost.
God bless.