As
readers of this blog have observed, I believe that ministry entrepreneurs are
serving a significant role in Kingdom work today and will continue to do so in
the future. I have had the chance to
meet such creative people and to learn from them. These gifted men and women have cast many of
the old paradigms aside and are taking advantage of the new resources in our
evolving context. They learn not only
from traditional Christian sources but from the marketplace as well.
In
a recent blog, Claire Diaz-Ortiz shared some insights she learned from her
involvement in the startup of Twitter that might be helpful to social
entrepreneurs. Let’s consider how these
might apply to ministry entrepreneurs.
First,
take risks. Diaz-Ortiz comments that “big
risks bring big rewards.” Every ministry
entrepreneur must assess risk from his or her own perspective, but it is
certain to involve some sense of skepticism and even rejection from religious
entities that cling to the concept “but we have always done it this way.” As a result, the ministry entrepreneur may
find himself or herself alienated from familiar support structures.
When
I began work with the Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, someone said,
“Well, I guess you have to find a whole new set of friends.” My response was, “No, those who were my
friends are still my friends. The others
were not really friends to begin with.”
Second,
collaboration is key. The ministry
entrepreneur must seek out spaces of collaboration in his or
her work. These may be groups or
individuals with similar interests, potential stakeholders, agencies and
institutions, not for profits, and some churches and judicatories. Although the entrepreneur has a vision,
there are others who may share that vision.
Once a ministry leader
clearly stakes out his or her calling, resources may come from the most
unexpected places. Robert Parham of
ethicsdaily.com has sought and found new partners and funding to further the
work of his organization, some from outside the Baptist world. This does not happen by chance but requires
initiative and persistence.
Third,
listen to others. One of the things that
I learned from the asset-based community development process is that you can
learn the most from those who will benefit from the ministry. Diaz- Ortiz says, “[T]he best social entrepreneurs go into communities to ask what
they need.”
Too often we offer
people help in such a way that they can not effectively use it. My friends
Emily and Eliot Roberts at Neverfail Community Church helped me to understand
that someone may be in need but they are not powerless. Their dignity must be respected, their
responsibility honored, and their personal resources accepted.
Fourth, balance is
essential. Diaz-Ortiz reminds her
readers, “All social entrepreneurs would do well
building balance and margin into their lives so they can tackle the challenges
to come.” For ministry entrepreneurs
this means not only giving priority to family and health needs but attending to
their spiritual health as well. Since
they often operate outside the doors of a traditional church, ministry
entrepreneurs can easily neglect their own involvement in the community of
faith as well as their spiritual development.
I have to admit that
this is not limited to entrepreneurs.
There are many pastors and other clergy who never really worship because
they are absorbed in leadership details.
Every person involved in ministry is tempted to shortchange their own
spiritual health.
Fifth, get your tribe
to evangelize for you. Ministry
entrepreneurs need to discover people who want to be part of the solution to
the problem they have identified and then encourage these stakeholders to share
the word. According to Diaz-Ortiz, “Influencers within your niche can often
help build your message even better than you can.”
State CBF
organizations have struggled in many situations because key leaders—including
many pastors—may believe in the vision that the organization embraces but they
have not taken a public stance of support.
The ones who do so make a difference and multiply the work of state
leadership. They become the evangelists.
Six,
marketing is storytelling. “Find your story, and tell it well,” Diaz-Ortiz says. Vision
can tend to be distant and abstract from the daily experiences of people. We
have to put a face on a ministry. When
we find simple, succinct examples of where a ministry has made a difference, we
need to tell that story. “Telling the
story” does not mean that we create something but that we talk about what we
have seen. We deal with specifics not
abstractions.
Wayne Smith, who directs Samaritan Ministry
in Knoxville, is very proficient in telling the stories of HIV-AIDS victims and
their families while respecting their privacy and personhood. He understands that we will not support
ministry to anyone until we see them as people made in the image of God.
A new ministry does not start in a
vacuum. There are both challenges and
opportunities in very situation. The ministry entrepreneur must carefully
identify both obstacles and resources. Starting
something new is not for the faint of heart, but it can produce great rewards
for the Kingdom of God.
Comments