The culture of Lay Pastors Ministry is created from the Pastor.
When I read those words, I felt affirmed in our Lay Pastors Ministry for it is grounded in Scriptures: the Mosaic model (Exodus 18), God’s instructions to pastor-teachers (Ephesians 4: 11, 12), and the mandate “tend the flock of God that is your charge” (I Peter 5:1-4). You should feel affirmed as well!
I believe we are all committed to continue our ministry in creative ways within the framework of Scripture’s eternal verities.
These five propositions, if believed and acted upon, will open a congregation to authentic and effective lay ministry.
GIFTS Since lay people are given gifts by the Spirit for ministry, and are called by God into ministry, they are authentic ministers.
CONTEXT Lay people will be called to ministry and be open to giving and receiving ministry from one another to the degree the whole congregation is nurtured in those Scriptures which deal with gifts for ministry.
EQUIPPING It is only by being equipped that lay people are able to use their gifts effectively in ministry.
STRUCTURE Ministry structures have to be created within which lay people can authentically and effectively minister.
CLERGY To the degree the professional clergy see their role as equipping the saints for ministry, lay ministry will be attractive, authentic and effective.●
Daekyung Jo, Korea, says
The Theme of LPM Korea Institute is pastoral care by lay people. Care is the vertical relationship to God, so we receive His care directly, and also share the care with one another horizontally. It is just like a mirror that reflected.
When we start relationship with God, we grow and make His image in our hearts, so as it shows to the others. In Latin word, pastoral care says ‘Cura Animarum’ which means ‘Cure of Soul’ which shows in the Scripture John 15:12-17. This passage is based on the Protestant Church ministry that Jesus left in this earthly world. So the Bible shows us that “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that man lay down his life for his friends…”
The word care means, according to dictionary, worry, caution, care, interest, and sometimes it means troublesome, so this ministry is the major paradigm of 21st century churches.
As we know recently there are a few kind of care….’wholistic care,’ ‘well-being care,’ so on…..many approaches are interested in our life and to the medical scientists. If so, what is the really Christian care? It is not only concern for our souls but also focus on our well doing. Christian care is not only any single one, for instance, ‘physical, spiritual, social, emotional..’ it cares for every aspects of human being.
Jesus was concerned for whole life of people in those days. We have to follow the model, our ultimate target. But sometime we have to be wise that which is more urgent to him or her right now. So we have do that first.■
COMMENTS
in relation to BELIEVE AND ACT
Byeong, Melvin University, says:
If you are a pastor, teach this to your congregation when you have chance, or at pulpit. If you are a layperson, believe this is from the Bible. Evaluate the meaning and character of each.
As you see it, the Mosaic model (Exodus 18), God’s instructions to pastor-teachers (Ephesians 4: 11, 12), and the mandate “tend the flock of God that is your charge” (I Peter 5:1-4), these are important to talk to your people that this ministry is very biblical basis.
Ephesians 4:11-12 (theology basis); John:15-17 (ministry basis); I Peter 5:1-4 (realistic base); Exodus Chapter 18 (sharing Basis). Focusing on the Scriptural basis and these are the core scriptures of this ministry.
What is the Lay Pastors Ministry?: This is the system of congregational care by lay people. This concept is in the Melvin’s PACE Training Manual. At introduction part, it says like that. It means this is not the program but kind of system. What is that mean?
Once we say system, we may recall a few things, but easily we might think computer system. When we talk about computer, we know how it works. Once we push the start button, our computer is on. That is the SYSTEM. This ministry is just like that. What and who does, and when and how it works. Church ministry should be like that. Pastor alone, laypeople alone, could not do that. If we look at Bible it says that we are one body, one church, also one God which means the leader has to think how his act, his talk will be effective to the lay people. If they have a caring heart, it goes to them directly; if they don’t have the mindset, then laypeople know that.
Lay people also need to know their church is the system, which their act will be effective to their peers directly. So the Bible says each one is the part of the whole body; hands, eyes, so on. As we see computer, every single part of our body, that is, every single of our members are connected directly and indirectly. That’s why Professor Paul Stevens stressed that to see the Pastor as a system leader. In his book, The Equipping Pastor, he explained more in detail.■
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
by BYEONG
Importance of Encountering : I think meeting each other is important in life. In my case, there are three meetings: one with the American Rev. Melvin. Meeting with Pastor Kim Sang-bok of Korea. Meeting with Pastor Ogillah of Kenya.
The meeting (with Rev. Melvin) began in 1998 with his book, Can The Pastor Do It Alone? (1987)1). After returning from Canada, I taught a course in the Sungkyul University, and since I had received Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in Canada, it was decided with the Sungkyul University to teach a course in the book on pastoral care.
So while looking for a book, I was introduced to Pastor Melvin’s English book by Professor Ruth Elsner of the Asian Union Theological University (then Chungjeong-ro, Seodaemun-gu in Seoul), and my relationship with Dr. Mevin began. Professor Elsner gave me the book and said, “This book and this ministry are necessary for the future of the Korean church,” and it was true, and for the next 20 years or so, the ministry blossomed under the theme of the lay pastors ministry. The content is that laypeople were called by the Lord just like pastors.
So, I contact with Rev. Melvin2) and received ministry to serve Korean churches, and eventually went to Kenya to establish Melvin University, and received approval from the Kenyan government to conduct the school as a foundation president.
The meeting (with Pastor Kim Sang-bok) was connected to the beginning of the Lay Pastors Institute in Bangbae-dong, Seoul, in 1999, and served as a ministry for almost 15 years. I faxed the English materials to Rev. Kim Sang-bok to form a theological committee in our Institute. He sent me a senior associate pastor in November, and I met him and ten church members went in the U.S. Conference, and in June, until he retired from his church, there were beautiful partners in history.
The meeting (with Reverend Kenya Ogilah) went back to 2017 and was funded by the Korea Institute under the same ministry theme. In May 2021, I sent him a lot of English resources. Then he responded, “it is possible to establish a university with this wonderful materials”. It started construction on December 4 of same year. Anyway, I think it’s an example of how precious encounter meeting each other.
Another encounter: It’s a meeting between Andrew Carnegie and Napoleon Hill. Carnegie was an American steel magnate, also known as Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, New York. Mr. Hill changed several jobs as an ordinary salaryman, and at the end of his career he set up a publishing company and published a magazine, decided to interview successful people and went to Carnegie. Here, the meeting between the two changed history.
Carnegie suggests to Hill as the two talks and suggested to Mr. Hill: “Find successful people around the world over the next 20 years and interview them. And let’s organize the successful contents and make a book. I’ll pay for all the expenses – family living expenses, hotel expenses, and flight expenses for 20 years or so.” He accepted Carnegie’s suggestion and interviewed them for 20 years to study and publish the material found, “The Law of Success” (p. 1928, 817).
I think these are true story that show how important it is to meet someone in our life.
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note)
1) It says, “Can The Pastor Do It Alone?” I have translated the book into Korean and was used formally in Korean churches for 15 years.
2) Rev. Melvin has been doing the Lay Pastors Ministry all over the United States for 25 years, so he developed a lot of materials and know-how, and continued to give help as a mentor. Rev. Melvin, 94 years old, went to heaven in 2017 at the call of the Lord.