“How is your ministry doing these days?” I get that question from time to time.

When I was nineteen, I moved to Newnan, Georgia and began working for as an engineering co-op with Georgia Power and also began helping lead the youth group at Newnan Presbyterian Church. That was thirty years ago. Over that time, whenever anyone asked how ministry was going, I only knew one way to answer: I would tell them how many people were coming to ministry events, if that number was increasing, and if it was, how fast it was increasing. As I grew in ministry, the size of the budget was also thrown into the mix. Everybody else I met in church leadership seemed to measure the health of their ministries in pretty much the same way.

Of course, there is a one glaring problem with those metrics: Jesus used a very different set. Jesus looked at the heart. He taught his disciples how to live. He modeled that life for them. He invited them to take part in what he was doing. Then he sent them out to do the same for others.   Let me restated it this way: he taught his disciples to walk closely with God (up), to love each other (in), and to meet needs in the world (out). Then he commissioned them to show others how to do the same. Jesus seemed to use each of those dimensions to measure the success of his ministry.  It had little to do with numbers and everything to do with how well they were getting it, how well they were imitating his life.

In terms of numbers, FCMC is a small ministry. About thirty-five people are involved directly in our ministries. But I am very excited that people walking closely with God, loving one another in community, and going forth to meet needs.  I’m all the more excited that I am working with some people who are eagerly learning tools for discipleship.  They want to help others do the same. When I measure things according to those up-in-out metrics, I get excited.  Groundwork is being laid for a ministry that reflects the character of Jesus and multiplies.

If you are one of our supporters, thank you.  Because of your gifts and prayers, people are walking with God, loving one another deeply, devoting themselves to service, and inviting others to do the same.

If you’d like to be one of our supporters, we’d be so honored.  You can donate to FCMC, click on the red button below.  It will take you to our secure, on-line donation site.  Thanks.

.