Philosophy of Ministry: Community Bible Church of Northern Westchester

Community Bible Church of Northern Westchester
www.communitybiblechurch.org

CBC's Philosophy of Ministry

What Kind of Church is CBC? | CBC Leadership

The statement below offers an in-depth look at CBC's commitment to "every member" ministry. Also below are linked Bible passages that offer further reading about these ideas. [Download this as a PDF doc, 26Kb]

At Community Bible Church we believe in and make it our goal to practice the following principles of ministry:

A. The Foundation of Christian Ministry

Salvation in Jesus Christ automatically includes a call to ministry. Every believer is created, saved, called, gifted, authorized and commanded to minister. In other words, every believer is a minister.
[cf. 2 Corinthians 3:6]
Ministry is at the heart of the Christian life. Every believer is called to find their greatness as a servant of Jesus Christ and others.
[cf. Luke 9:23-24]
Function follows form in ministry. How God made us determines what He intends for us to do. God has uniquely shaped each individual for a specific ministry.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Peter 4:10]
God has given all his children gifts that can be developed and used in ministry. Everyone is a "10" in some area. Everyone has something to offer. When Christians develop and use their gifts it is an act of worship and of good stewardship.
[cf. Romans 12:1-6]
Believers discover their gifts through involvement in ministry and prayerful interaction with ministry leaders.
[cf. Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 4:14-15]
The evidence that a believer has found a good match between gifting and ministry is the fruitfulness and fulfillment that results from their obedience.
[cf. Colossians 1:9-12; John 15: 1-11; Romans 14:17]

B. Regarding the Body of Christ, the Church, and Ministry

God intends for our ministry to find its context for training, encouragement, guidance, feedback and resources in the Body of Christ, the Church.
[cf. Hebrews 10:25]
The Holy Spirit has provided the church universal and this local church body with all the spiritually gifted people needed to do everything He wants done. Our task as a church is to identify, enlist, train and support our members as ministers.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-13]
The local church is to operate on the basis of spiritual gifts; we enable people to be the ministers that God has called them to be.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 12:7]
The church is a body, not a business; an organism, not an organization. Therefore, we make it our aim to streamline the structure in order to maximize ministry and minimize maintenance. To change the metaphor, we cultivate and water the garden so that each flower can bloom fully.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9]
The mobilization of every member as a minister is the key to the balanced growth of the church.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 12:21-27]
The greater good of the whole Body must always take priority over the needs of any single ministry.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 14:1-5]

C. Regarding Church Leaders and Ministry

The equipping of the members for ministry is the number one priority of the pastors and teachers in this church. The people are the ministers and the pastors and teachers are the equippers. When this is taking place then the church moves towards unity and maturity in Christ.
[cf. Ephesians 4:11-12]
We value the individual more than the ministry, so our goal is not to fill ministry "slots," but instead, we make it our aim to give every member personal assistance in discovering a meaningful place of ministry.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 4:11-12]
Those involved in ministry are entitled to competent leadership. Therefore, every ministry is assigned a leader who is committed to the success of that ministry.
[cf. Romans 12: 8b]
Each leader is to provide training, encouragement, guidance, feedback and resources to the ministers under his or her care.
[cf. Luke 6:40; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 3:16]

D. Regarding Accountability and Ministry

We become that to which we are committed. Therefore, we make it our aim to be accountable to our commitment to Jesus Christ and His Church.
[cf. Luke 19:11-24; Romans 14:12]
Unless a leader has a strong and growing commitment to Jesus Christ, to His Church and to the ministry he or she is leading the ministry will not thrive. No ministry can exceed the commitment of those leading it. Every leader is asked to be accountable for their commitment to their ministry.
[cf. Romans 12:8b]
One mark of a maturing church is that the standards for leadership are raised every year and we hold ourselves accountable to do this.
[cf. Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2]
We make it our aim to be accountable through the periodic reviews of all ministries. These reviews help each leader to provide the needed training, encouragement, guidance, feedback and resources to those he or she leads.
[cf. Ephesians 4:15,29]

E. Regarding Training and Ministry

Every leader is a learner. The moment we stop learning, we stop growing; the moment we stop growing, we stop leading.
[cf. John 15:1-8; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Peter 3:18]
We make it our aim to provide on the job training with only a minimal amount of pre-service training. We believe that people learn best by doing.
[cf. Mark 13:14]
The Ministry Training Scholarship Fund is intended to be used to cover the cost of ministry training opportunities.
[cf. 1 Timothy 5:18]

F. About Diversity of Ministry

We promote the unity of the local church without uniformity. We believe that, like the human body, the diversity of the various parts is needed for the proper functioning of the whole.
[cf. 1 Corinthians 12]
Every ministry must fulfill one or more of the basic purposes of this church or we do not commit ourselves to that ministry.
[cf. Romans 8:28; 1 Corinthians 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:11]
Ministries have life cycles. If a ministry is not meeting a need anymore we will take appropriate steps to terminate the ministry.
[cf. John 15: 2b]
A member's primary ministry commitment should be in the area of the member's giftedness. But a member may also be called upon to serve temporarily in other areas where there is need.
[cf. John 13:2-5]

G. About Performance and Ministry

We expect excellence in ministry, not perfection. Excellence is doing your best in the power of the Holy Spirit.
[1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Timothy 4:7,8]
We encourage creativity and innovation in ministry, which assumes mistakes will be made. No mistakes means a person is not growing or trying anything new.
Experiments in ministry that do not work out do not mean a failed person.
[cf. Colossians 4:10]
All accountability steps and evaluations are intended to strengthen both the ministry and the individual[s] involved in that ministry.
[cf. Ephesians 4: 29]