Put it in Writing!

Some of us hate writing things down. Others of us love it and we have papers and files all over the place. But putting things in print is extremely important!

I was having some difficulty getting traction in a church with bringing new people into the church. I tried some special things on Sunday morning but they were met with little enthusiasm. It was only as I received a document the leadership had been working on that I finally realized what was going on. We were on completely different pages when it came to outreach. I thought it was great if people would invite and bring their unbelieving friends to church and we as a church could assist our members in reaching their friends for Jesus.

The document from the leadership clearly stated: Sunday morning is for believers.

Now I understood the resistance to some of the things that I had been planning and trying to do. They did not agree with me on how to use our Sunday morning time as a church.

If we put something in print, we have probably thought it through a bit. Maybe we have had a few rough copies. But the final thing we put in front of people can be clear and concise information about something. This removes guess work and makes sure everyone understands the same thing.

What do you put in writing?

A church should have a written Statement of Faith, whether it is on paper or online doesn't matter. The point is people should be able to access it. A church would also do well in including their Vision and Mission, what they think God's unique purpose is for their church. One of the things that is hard to do is a Values list. A Values list is helpful because it tells everyone what is important. A church might also want in writing some of the things that are always on the calendar every year.

A pastor would benefit from having a written Philosophy of Ministry. Basically, that just means a description of how they think ministry should happen and how and what God has called and prepared them for specifically. A pastor could also be clear about his own vision and mission. What is it that gives you the greatest sense of fulfillment? Put it in writing.

There may be other things that you think should be included, but the important thing is to communicate well with those who need to know. Put it in writing and people can check back with it from time to time. It can help keep everyone on the same page.

​Put it in Writing!!
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