Recently, Michael Mata, former director of Bresee Institute for Metro Ministries and Urban Professor at Claremont School of Theology, shared with me a fascinating document written by Eric Swanson, citing web resources of 40 transforming ministries, a dozen current key books and major Scriptural resources. Though Swanson addresses the North America, scene his reach has application worldwide. He says:

A squall cloud is on the horizon . . . All over . . .there is a quiet movement of the Spirit of God that is causing believers to re-examine how they ‘do church.’ Churches . . . are throwing out the old measures of success. It’s no longer merely about size, seeker sensitivity, spiritual gifts, church health, nor the number of small groups. It’s about making a significant and sustainable difference in the lives of people around us---in our communities and in our cities. . . If we want to be the salt and light, we, as the church were created to be, we have to do something different. . . we have to be something different! Community transformation is not found in programs, strategies, campaigns or tactics. For most of us it will take nothing less than a shift of seismic proportions in what the church is to be in the 3rd millennium. A paradigm is a model consisting of shared assumptions regarding what works or what is true. A paradigm shift is that ‘aha!’ moment when one see things in such a new light that one can never go back to the old ways again. . . A new paradigm is the new wineskins that will be needed to hold the new assumptions about what is true. To maximize our impact on our communities . . .we need changes in at least ten of our paradigms of how we currently view church.

He goes on to list the following paradigmatic shifts. (A more complete discussion can be found at <www.leadnet.org/epubarchive.asp?id=32&db=archive_equipper>).

1. From building wall to building bridges: “You are the salt of the earth. . . You are the light of the world” (Mt. 5:13, 14).

2. From measuring attendance to measuring impact. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast. . . mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Mt. 13:33).

3. From encouraging the saints to attend the service to equipping the saints for works of service. “It is (God) who gave some to be . . . pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service” (Eph. 5:11,12).

4. From “serve us” to service---from inward to outward focus. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give . . .“ (Mk. 10:45).

5. From duplication of human services and ministries to partnering with existing services and ministries. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work” (Eccl. 4:9).

6. From fellowship to functional unity. “. . .make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose (Phil. 2:2).

7. From condemning the city to blessing the city and praying for it. “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jer. 29:7).

8. From being a minister in a congregation to being a minister in a parish. “As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it . . .” (Lk. 19:41).

9. From anecdote and speculation to valid information. The course of Nehemiah’s life (Neh. 1) was changed when he confronted two pieces of information: the walls and gates of Jerusalem were broken down; her people were in great distress.

10. From teacher to learner. “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak . . . (Js. 1:19).

Is your ministry making the shift?

by Fletcher Tink
executive director, Bresee Institute of Metro Ministries