It’s day one of your new pastorate. You’ve inherited a church with meaningless membership.[1] What in the world are you to do? What membership practices should you implement?
As a new pastor, there’s a type of triage required of you. Not a triage of what’s urgent (like the triage unit at your local emergency room), but a triage of what’s wise. There are things you should do immediately and things you should do eventually. It’s your job to triage toward that end.
Let me give you an idea of how this might look.
Things to Do Immediately
1. Make Corporate Applications in Your Sermons
As you give yourself to Christ-centered expositional preaching, help your people connect the dots between the gospel and its implications for the corporate life of the church. Point them frequently from the text to the “why” of your church’s philosophy of ministry. If the Lord produces change in your church, it won’t be through the force of your personality; only the Spirit of God through the Word of God produces lasting change.
2. Pray Publicly about Healthy Membership Practices
Praying publicly for your church’s body life sets a tone of priorities. Utilize your pastoral prayer. The
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
