Strategy for Ministry

Big Idea: The church's mission is to glorify God by bonding as a family, growing in obedience, serving with gifts, and winning others to Christ, all through the gospel's transformative power.

Peter Drucker, a pioneer in the field of management, carried a profound question with him since he was 13. An inspiring teacher once asked his class, "What do you want to be remembered for?" Not a single student could answer. The teacher chuckled and replied, "I didn’t expect you to know yet. But if you still can’t answer by the time you’re 50, you will have wasted your life."

So, let me ask you that same question: What do you want to be remembered for? Your answer should reflect something of lasting value, something that endures beyond your life and positively impacts others. I challenge you to reflect deeply on this: What legacy will you leave behind?

This morning, I want to broaden the question: What does Park Lawn Baptist Church want to be remembered for? What contribution do we want to make? What impact do we believe God is calling us to have?

These questions are important because the gospel is society's hope, and the church has been given the responsibility to share it. Many place their hope in education, business, or government. Important as they are, they only address surface-level issues. They can allocate resources, raise awareness, and influence causes, but they cannot bring deep, lasting transformation. The gospel has the power to change a person's eternal fate, mend broken relationships, and build true character. It can turn a selfish heart into a servant heart and a hardened heart into a generous one. Through the gospel, we hold the answer to humanity’s greatest problem: sin.

But it's also important because of the church's calling. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

I used to think this verse described the gates of Hades attacking the church, with the church standing firm and not being conquered. But Jesus portrays a different vision: the church on the offensive, battling against the gates of Hell. His promise is clear: as the church advances against the powers of darkness, it will prevail. The gates of Hades cannot withstand the relentless advance of the church. This is our calling. It's an incredible, God-given calling.

God has chosen the church as his primary instrument to accomplish His purposes on earth. He has entrusted his mission to us, his people. Reflecting on Christ's sacrifice, we are called to fully commit to the work He has entrusted to us. This is his sovereign design: to work through his people to bring his mission to the world.

It's important for our church to have a lasting impact because I believe God has a specific purpose for us at Park Lawn. He has called us here for a reason, and I am confident that he can do great things in our midst.

This morning, I want to focus on what God desires our church to be. Everything I share is rooted in Scripture. We believe God has placed us here to glorify Him by bonding as his family, growing in obedience to his commandments, serving with our unique gifts, and winning others to Christ. This is our calling, and it’s all for his glory.

Our ultimate motivation in everything we do is the glory of God. We want him to be glorified in every aspect of our church’s life and ministry. At the heart of this is worship and prayer. These are not optional extras—they are the foundation of everything we do. We can make all the plans in the world, but without worship and prayer, they won’t amount to anything.

We also believe in pursuing excellence in all we do, because excellence honors an excellent God. This morning, I’d like to share our ministry strategy—how we plan to fulfill God's mission for us and what we want our church to be remembered for.

At the end of today, you’ll receive a copy of our strategy. We encourage you to read it and, in the months ahead, share your prayerful feedback. I want to introduce this strategy in today’s sermon by focusing on God’s goals for us.

Four Goals

God has four clear goals for every believer—four things he calls us to do with our lives here on earth. These goals also form the foundation for four teams we want to establish in our church. Each team will be responsible for one goal, helping us work together to fulfill God's mission.

The first goal is this:

God wants me to be a member of his family.

The Bible makes it clear that following Christ isn’t just about believing—it’s also about belonging. The Christian life is not a solo journey. God has given us the church as a spiritual family for our good and His glory. This is the heart behind what we call bond. Our mission to bond together as God’s family. Scripture calls us to cultivate loving, authentic relationships that permeate every aspect of church life. As Jesus said, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).

Unity is also essential. Paul urges us in Ephesians 4:3 to be "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." This unity is not optional. It's something we must actively protect and nurture.

Fellowship is one of the main reasons people come to church. Studies show that the more friendships someone has in a congregation, the less likely they are to leave. In one survey of 400 church dropouts, 75% said, “I didn’t feel anyone cared whether I was there or not.” We want every church member to join one of four teams, including the bonding or membership team.

The role of the bonding team is to help people connect and build meaningful relationships within the church. They’ll create opportunities for members to get to know one another through events, retreats, and small groups. They will keep communication open by regularly contacting members and providing support during crises.

God wants us to be part of His family, and at Park Lawn, the bonding team is essential to achieving that. Together, we can create a church where everyone feels known, loved, and supported.

There is a second goal for us as believers.

God wants me to be a model of his character.

Discipleship aims for us to grow together by obeying Christ's commandments in our daily lives. God’s desire is for every believer to mature spiritually, becoming more like Christ in character. This is the biblical definition of spiritual maturity. Jesus has set the pattern for us to follow:

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21).

In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul elaborates on how we should reflect Christ's character in specific areas. "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." Our speech, our conduct, our love, our faith, and our purity must all point to Jesus.

It’s important to note that spiritual maturity is not measured by how much we know, but by how we live. It’s possible to be well-versed in Scripture and still lack maturity. True growth is seen in a transformed lifestyle that reflects Christ.

We believe that God transforms us through the Spirit as we participate in the means of grace: the Bible, prayer, the ordinances, and church fellowship. These practices are divinely ordained methods for nurturing and guiding the growth of his people. To support this, we propose forming a growing or maturity team. This team will promote spiritual growth in the congregation by teaching classes on Bible reading, prayer, and church involvement. They will also coordinate Christian education, ensuring that both knowledge and obedience are cultivated. The goal is to help each member grow to resemble Christ and live their faith daily.

There's another goal that God has for us.

God wants me to be a minister of his grace.

A third responsibility of every Christian is the personalized calling to serve others through ministry. God calls us to use the gifts, talents, and opportunities he has entrusted to us for the benefit of others.

Peter writes:

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

Ministry is essential to the Christian life; it's not optional. When you give your life to Christ, you are committing to serve in his name for the rest of your life. This is what God created you for.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10).

Our mission is to servie God by using the unique gifts he has given us. The church should serve as a united community, with everyone using their spiritual gifts for the benefit of all. To support this, we propose forming a serving or ministry team. This team will help members discover their spiritual gifts and provide hands-on training to equip them for ministry. Their goal is for every member to serve, fulfill God's purpose for their lives, and contribute to the church's health and mission.

The fourth goal that God has for us is this:

God wants me to be a messenger of his love.

Every believer and church shares the responsibility of spreading the good bews once we are born again. Paul captures this beautifully in Acts 20:24:

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Our mission is clear: to win others for Christ. Paul also reminds us in 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 that we are Christ’s ambassadors, entrusted with the message of reconciliation. We are called to plead with unbelievers to receive God’s love and be reconciled to Him.

Have you ever wondered why God leaves us here on earth, with all its pain, sorrow, and brokenness, after we accept Christ? Why doesn’t He take us straight to heaven, where we can worship, fellowship, pray, sing, and hear His Word in perfection? The answer lies in what we can only do here on earth: sin—or witness to unbelievers. Which of these do you think Christ has left us here to do?

We each have a mission on earth, and a vital part of that mission is sharing Christ with others. Lost people matter deeply to God, and they must matter to the church as well.

To fulfill this calling, we propose forming a missions or winning team. This team will focus on making evangelism a lifestyle and a central priority for the church. They will train members in evangelism, organize outreach events to invite friends, and manage the church’s outreach and advertising. Together, we can faithfully carry out the mission God has entrusted to us.

Let me summarize. God has entrusted us with an important mission, and we are confident that, through His power, we can fulfill it. This mission can be captured in four key words: bond, grow, serve, and win. To accomplish these goals, we’re asking every person to commit to one of these four areas. The church will be divided into four teams: bonding, growing, serving, and winning. Each team will focus on answering one question: What can we do right now to make the greatest impact in achieving our goal?

As you leave today, there’s a paper available for you to take. At the annual meeting on February 2nd, we’ll discuss the first three pages together. In the months ahead, we’ll also seek your input as we continue to refine and implement this mission. Together, with God’s help, we can make a lasting difference.

This is our calling. It's an incredible, God-given calling. God has chosen the church as his primary instrument to accomplish his purposes on earth. He has entrusted his mission to us, his people. Reflecting on Christ's sacrifice, we are called to fully commit to the work he has entrusted to us. This is his sovereign design: to work through his people to bring his mission to the world.

And at the heart of this mission is the gospel itself: the good news of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. The gospel is not just a message we proclaim, it’s the foundation of everything we do. It reminds us that we are saved by grace, not by our own efforts, and that this grace compels us to live for God’s glory. The gospel transforms us, unites us, and sends us out to love and serve others.

Let us be remembered as a church focused on the gospel, dedicated to sharing it, and committed to applying it in all aspects of life. May it be said that we honored God by bonding as his family, growing as we obey his word, serving with our gifts, and winning others to Christ. This is our legacy, and it’s all for his glory.