Toolkit For Churches

One of the missing elements in the retention of leaders with non-traditional ideas is the lack of simple affirmation. Pastors and missionaries tend to receive the majority of affirmation in the church, followed by elders and para-church ministry leaders, and lastly deacons. Few churches understand the power of affirming the missional work of the people in their congregations.

People with non-traditional ideas become accustomed to the look of confusion on a church leaders face, or hearing the words “well, we can’t really help you do that, but we can pray for you.” This toolkit is aimed to give general directives and encouragements, as well as a well-designed certificate that churches could use or build upon in order to affirm and encourage their people with missional ideas.

The toolkit is designed to be fairly elastic. It applies to churches who might want to place such people on a path toward formal ordination to an office such as elder or deacon, through which they might lead their initiative, as well as to churches that might simply create something of another missionary classification within their church for such leaders. It includes different paths a church might take as well as some helpful practices through which these leaders may be affirmed and recognized.