Thursday, August 30, 2007

Reactive v Proactive Ministry

Now my colleague Ken is back from sabbatical it is time to spend a bit more of my diary on things I feel charged to do and less on responding to need. This has had the inevitable effect, after setting up an autumn Alpha course, a small monthly film club and an 18+ group all of which necessitate evenings, of leaving me unavailable after dinner/supper/tea until Christmas, with a few exceptions.

I know this can't be helped but it feels quite constrictive so you may see me in the cinema in the afternoons every now and again. I've also made sure gig tickets were purchased well in advance and the dates are in the diary for entertainment. Anyone can work hard during the evenings if they have the live experiences of Marcus Brigstocke, Ross Noble, Bill Bailey, Jose Gonzales and Maps to look forward to.

The thing with reactive ministry is that it is often do-able in daytime. The sick, the bereaved and those just wanting an appointment to chat about something can be invited to come, or visited, during the day. A totally reactive ministry is easier, almost certainly makes people like you (for being seen as a good pastor) and spectacularly fails to grow the church.

Lizzy is away tonight at Travelodge heaven and it was going to be a free night (do you think she's trying to tell me something?) so I'm going to eat meat. Please stop distracting me.

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