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Trend Watch

Why do 20 percent of lay people always end up doing 80 percent of the work?

Because, says lay mobilization consultant Paul Ford, the 20 percent may not be letting the 80 percent do the work of the ministry.

Some of the 80 percent may even know their spiritual gifts. But there's a big difference between knowing and doing.

"People need more than knowledge," says Brad Smith, director of project development for Leadership Network, a private foundation that assists congregations and their leaders. "They need help--a lot of help--to get into ministry."

That philosophy is behind a new trend in the way churches mobilize people for ministry.

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL?


So how does this trend differ from the body-life and spiritual-gifts movements of the past? In three ways:

Systems Thinking. Instead of focusing on one area, such as helping people find their spiritual gifts, many churches are developing an entire process. Leadership Network studied churches successful at mobilizing lay people for ministry and found ...

March
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