What Are Our Views About Ministry?

There are many great programs and opportunities that there is no need for us to duplicate.  Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Habitat for Humanity, Teen Challenge, etc. are great organizations that are constantly looking for volunteers.   Rather than developing parallel programs (that require many hours of administration and leadership), we would rather network with these organizations, and encourage all of us to find some form of community ministry that we can participate in.  We would like to become one of the best friends of the helping organizations in our community.

How Church on the Ridge Views Ministry:

• God has made everyone unique, and we all have a unique contribution to make.
• Ministry is about being like Christ.  As God works in us, it results in His working through us.  We believe that ministry is the heart for the Christian life (Matthew 20:28)
• God is interested in people as whole people.  Therefore, we approach ministry holistically.   This means our objective is to serve the practical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others as an expression of Christ’s love.
• Function follows form in ministry.  How God made me determines what he intends for me to do.  God has uniquely shaped each individual for a specific ministry.  Everyone is a “10” in some area.
• The evidence that you have found the right ministry for you will be your fruitfulness and fulfillment.
• Just as no individual can do everything, so also no church can do everything.  We recognize the need for other churches and organizations, and their ministry emphasis.
• Great organizations already exist in our community.  We want to network with, and support them, rather than reinvent what they are already doing well.
• When someone from Church on the Ridge becomes involved in a local, national or international ministry they represent this church (and the Kingdom of God).  That personal involvement IS our church’s involvement in that ministry (we are the church).
• As God prompts people’s hearts to get involved somewhere in service, we want to recognize and foster that involvement as much as possible.
• There are seasons where we can do more and other seasons when we can do less, and that’s okay.
• Our “outreach” approach will be a blend of helping people in our community, planting outreach-oriented churches in the Seattle area, and helping people in our global community.
• As much as possible, we try to build ministry around people, rather than people around ministry.
• The Holy Spirit has provided our church with all the talented, gifted and skilled people needed to do everything He wants done.  Our task is to discover, enlist, train, and support these people in ministry.
• The mobilization of every member as a minister is the key to balanced growth of the church.
• We will try to invest the bulk of your ministry time into ministry that fits your design for ministry (i.e. Natural abilities, skills, spiritual gifts, personality and passions).
• All Christians need to at times do a ministry simply because it needs to be done – whether it fits their design or not.
• We see the church as family, not a business; an organism, not an organization.  Therefore we will continue to streamline the structure in order to maximize ministry and minimize maintenance.  We do not bury ministries under procedures.
• We expect to continually expand our ministry breadth as God brings new ministry ideas to our people.
• We want each ministry program (or approach) to live a natural life cycle and then be discontinued.
• The greater good of the whole church must take priority over the needs of the single ministry. 
• One mark of a maturing church is that the standards of leadership are raised every year.
• We value a team approach to ministry.  The pastor’s role is similar to a coach – helping people discover their roles and help “play them to their strengths”.
• Every leader is a learner.  The moment we stop learner we will stop leading.
• We believe we learn best by doing.  We delegate to develop people.
• Our goal is quality ministry, not just volume.  What we do, we want to do well, and we will not allow ourselves to get over-taxed and over-committed. Christians need to balance their lives to have time for family, relationships, work, rest, ministry, and community.
• We have unity without uniformity.  We believe diversity in ministries simply reflects the unique gifts of individuals.
• Every ministry must fulfill one or more of the strategies of the church.
•  We allow people to change ministries gracefully, without guilt.  We don’t lock people in permanently.
• Only official ministries of Church on the Ridge will be given publicity at Church on the Ridge.
• Your primary ministry commitment should be in the area you are gifted.  Your secondary ministry includes serving in any area of the church where you are needed.
• You are not ready for ministry until you are willing to serve anywhere.
• We expect excellence in ministry, not perfection.  Excellence is doing your best.  God deserves our best.
• We encourage creativity and innovation and so assume that mistakes will be made.  No mistakes means you are not trying anything new.  We have no “failures” in ministry at Church on the Ridge.  We learn from the process.
• A failed project does not mean a failed person.  There are no “wrong” people … only “right” people in the wrong ministry!