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How to Develop a Sustainable Ministry for Building and Releasing Marketplace Leaders

by Andy Williams

Article Summary A group of American churches are innovating around the challenge of identifying, equipping and releasing marketplace leaders for significant ministry assignments—both inside and outside the church. In this paper you will explore essential elements for achieving a world-changing goal: Get marketplace leaders in the ministry game, and keep weaving values, people and systems together to ensure long- term viability.

Further Reading Moving From Sole Proprietorship to Unlimited Partnership: Creating a Church Culture that Releases Marketplace Leaders into Kingdom Work By Alexis Wilson

Four Models for Transforming Marketplace Leaders into Kingdom Leaders By Alexis Wilson

Permission Granted: Churches Giving Marketplace Leaders the Green Light for Kingdom Impact By Andy Williams and Dennis Welch Sean Clouse knew someone from his church marketplace leaders and tap into their wealth of would call. expertise and energy. “We just want to see our churches do something bigger and better for God As part of the Land and Buildings division of a and we have some fresh views on how to move national corporation, Sean was an expert in the church forward.” commercial real estate and construction. Since his church at the time was in the middle of a building Most church leaders would gladly enlist hundreds campaign, it would only make sense that someone of people like Sean—if they only knew how to there would solicit his advice along the way. engage leaders like him at the deepest level and unleash them to become peak performers. In The call never came. addition, these churches don’t want to go through that process with only a one-shot benefit. Most “I was in that church 20 years and no one asked church staff members realize the eternal impact my opinion even once about our building that would be released on their church and programs,” says Sean, now a member of Indian community if they could continually identify their Creek Community Church in Olathe, KS church’s most gifted and motivated marketplace (http://www.indiancreek.org). “As marketplace leaders, equip them in short order with the tools leaders who knew the business side, my needed for ministry success and turn them loose colleagues and I could see the money that was to create and lead life-changing projects and being wasted and the flaws in the project. It was programs. What they’re not sure about is how to frustrating to watch.” do it—and keep doing it—over the long haul.

Marketplace leaders in thousands of churches A small but growing number of innovative nationwide could echo Sean’s sentiment. These American churches are responding to the spiritually gifted and well-trained leaders desire challenge of identifying, equipping and releasing to do something for God’s kingdom and they want marketplace leaders for significant ministry a significant role in the ministry game. Most assignments—both inside and outside the walls of aren’t looking to quit their jobs and join the the church. Those churches are discovering that church staff. But they don’t want to merely sit on there are some essential elements for building a the sidelines as spectators or take on menial long-term, sustainable ministry and culture that tasks, while the “ministry professionals” tirelessly will tap into the ready-to-lead latent energy tackle more leadership challenges than they can residing in today’s churches. These church leaders handle. “We certainly don’t want to take anything have much wisdom to offer for congregations who over,” says Sean, who is part of a team helping are on the front end or in the thinking stages of Indian Creek’s leadership learn to identify this vital assignment: How do churches continually build and release some of the most high-capacity leaders in the church—whose vast gifts, skill sets, hearts and minds are lying dormant in a world of need and opportunity?

A variety of models are emerging with one common goal and theme: get marketplace leaders in the game, and keep weaving values, people and systems together to ensure long-term viability. This paper will explore some of those models in light of essential elements and must-have systems for building, growing and sustaining such a ministry. Bill Wellons of Fellowship Associates in Little Rock, A few innovative American churches are finding ways to tap AR (http://www.fellowshipassociates.com), a into the many spiritually gifted and well trained market place mobilizer of marketplace leaders puts it this way: leaders in their midst.

2 “Our best metrics as churches are not how many want to do, and not about IT’S ODD TO ME people are coming on Sunday, or how many small the people in our church group leaders we have, or the percentage of and what God is calling THAT THE CHURCH, people in small groups, or budget or staff them to do. In most THE BIGGEST numbers. It’s not even how many people we’ve churches, pastoral ideas are equipped. Our best metric has to be, how many the center of activity and PROMOTER OF people are being used by God to do something everything revolves around for Him?” that. We create hoops, FREEDOM IN THE guidelines and centrality WORLD, OFTEN that kills entrepreneurship bëëÉåíá~ä bibjbkqp çÑ pìëí~áå~Äáäáíó instead of fueling it.” RUNS MINISTRY LIKE A Catch-and-Release Culture Dave Piper believes he is fortunate to be part of a Churches that are leading A COMMUNIST “releasing” church. the way in mobilizing STATE AND WANTS gifted marketplace leaders Dave was a success in business and a committed are creating a new, TO CONTROL member of Pantano Christian Church in Tucson, paradigm-shattering “release AZ (http://www.pantanochristian.org), when God culture” that doesn’t try to EVERYTHING. began stirring him to do something with hold the gifts and passions more eternal return on investment. He of marketplace leaders knew he wasn’t alone. “In a church of a within existing ministry opportunities—or within few thousand people, I knew there had to the walls of the church. Fellowship Associates, for be hundreds who were going through the instance, is organizing everything it does around same experience and who wanted to do three focal points: Reach-Build-Release. “All something significant for God,” Dave says. three represent the concerns of God, and most “Especially guys like me who have been churches have centered on the first two for years,” says Bill Wellons. “But our message is very simple DAVE PIPER plugging away in business. At some point they wonder if that is all there is to life.” for people: ‘Come to church… and get a job.’ Our Release ministry is all about coming alongside Fortunately for Dave and other marketplace people to help them discover their God-given leaders at Pantano, the church was already design and find their best-fit serving role inside established as an outward-focused, mission- or outside the church.” These pioneering driven congregation. But it had another building congregations are forging a new way of doing block its leaders believe is vital to the process— ministry that they believe fleshes out Paul’s and rare in most churches. While most church admonition to church leaders in a dynamic way: staffs identify projects or programs they want to accomplish and then recruit volunteers to those “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the initiatives, Pantano’s leaders are developing a church: the apostles, the prophets, the unique “free enterprise” culture in which strong evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. marketplace leaders are reached for Christ and Their responsibility is to equip God’s people identified—but then they are quickly released to to do his work and build up the church, the do what God is calling them to do. Pantano’s body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12, NLT) leaders realize this is turning the norm upside- down, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. “It’s odd to me that the church, the biggest “We want to move from the staff being doers of promoter of freedom in the world, often runs the ministry to helping our people become the ministry like a Communist state and wants to doers of the ministry,” says Pantano’s Dave White. control everything,” says Pantano associate pastor “A church leader’s job is to build up people, and Dave White, himself a former marketplace leader. cut them loose to do the work. We want everyone “As a church staff, it’s so easy to revert into the thinking that way.” mode of thinking church is about us and what we

3 church leaders, ‘Do you hear what these guys are saying? This is what we want,’” Bill says. “We realize it will be a scary shift in most churches. But releasing marketplace leaders is our calling. We really don’t have a choice.”

Buy-in—And More—From the Top Pete Chambers thinks he may have the model senior pastor when it comes to trusting marketplace leaders with significant, often entrepreneurial, ministry. A business owner and

Run for Their Lives," a 5-kilometer race in Little Rock, AR to member of Christ Chapel Bible Church in Fort benefit inner-city children. Worth, TX (http://www.christchapelbc.org), Pete was tapped by senior pastor Dr. Ted Kitchens to After completing Pantano’s streamlined Kingdom lead Christ Chapel into uncharted waters. Ted Builders small group, a military leader in the wanted Pete to mobilize some of the church’s church who was facing retirement determined most gifted members for ministries that he and his God was calling him to be a teacher. So he got staff will freely bless, but may never get their another degree and moved into a public school hands on. “We were beginning to determine that system that is starved for authentic, spiritual a lot of men like Pete weren’t challenged by the leadership. At Fellowship Little Rock, an church, and we needed to take another oncologist and his wife began organizing the step,” Ted says. “It’s scary for some pastors “Run for Their Lives,” a 5-kilometer race to to turn significant ministry over to these benefit inner-city children. In 2007, the run very gifted, entrepreneurial people. But netted $700,000 and drew 2,000 runners. In we decided we didn’t want to be afraid to total, the couple has raised $1.25 million dollars let go. If we let go, we can see some through the run, funded 50 scholarships and sent remarkable things happen.” Innovative 1,100 inner-city kids to a Christian summer camp. church leaders who are releasing “Almost none of these things have Fellowship ministry to marketplace leaders can TOM BASSFORD Church’s name on them,” Bill says. “But that’s not understand the trepidation their peers important. What pastor anywhere doesn’t want may experience. “Some pastors are very that kind of thing to happen?” threatened by this and need to see it as, ‘the people in my church work for me,’” says Tom Leaders in this mode of catching and quickly Bassford, for 30 years a pastor and now the releasing marketplace leaders aren’t naïve to the director of Significant Matters, a non-profit group realities. They realize this approach represents a that partners with Kansas City-area churches to seismic shift in the way most churches operate— serve in the community. “This is new to most a shift that is going to require heart change at the pastors because you are tampering with their very top of the leadership structure, buy-in identity and how they are known. Some are not throughout and likely even structural staff able to manage it well, and think ‘I can’t get my changes. “This is a shift from a top-down to a job done with volunteers.’ But some are starting servant-leadership mentality,” Bill explains. “This to realize they are here to serve those in their is often a cultural and structural issue.” As Bill church who are moving out in ministry. We want and others lead seminars around the country to the church to own the church.” help church staff and marketplace leaders maneuver this cultural shift, he finds that this Christ Chapel launched its mobilization focus approach is striking a chord. “It’s not unusual for with a Success to Significance (S2S) Summit, and us to be in the middle of describing a culture challenged the market place leaders in the church where marketplace leaders are released for to discover and use their gifts in different levels of significant works of ministry, and one of the service. They also gave Pete the green light to marketplace people will stand up and say to their seek out other business leaders who were looking

4 for something more than current ministry saw in churches between church staff and opportunities might offer. While continuing to run marketplace leaders. “Marketplace people see his thriving business, Pete keeps his eyes and ears ministry people as soft and ineffective, and they open for marketplace leaders who have an hour don’t realize how difficult it is to lead a healthy, to give, all the way to a few “big fish” who could well-functioning organization such as the “impact an entire city.” Along with identifying church,” Mark says. “There is a danger that those marketplace leaders, Pete also is using his marketplace people can get in, thinking they own story to help them view their “charity work” could do it so much better. On the other side, differently. “Most motivated marketplace people ministry people have contempt for marketplace have enough charity work going on, but it’s people and can tend to think they are something important to help them think about it differently,” lesser spiritually.” Pete says. “I had a guy tell me, ‘I’m on eight different boards, but most of them mean nothing Heartland is doing its best to “defang” the A in the big picture. I would love to be on two team/B team culture by operating out of a laser- boards that really make an impact in the focused, gifts-based culture that most kingdom.’” Over time, Pete anticipates running marketplace leaders would recognize from into more Christ Chapel members such as the effective business settings: identify the best attorney who was captured by the church’s person for the job based on their gifts, abilities fledgling work in Brazil. While keeping his law and passions, regardless of title or position. Don’t practice active, this marketplace leader has presume a church staff person will lead launched headlong into helping build orphanages everything, but don’t preclude them from leading in that impoverished country. “Being in the if they are the best person for the job, either. This marketplace, I am in the perfect place to talk with has resulted in Heartland assembling a team of guys who say, ‘I’m not 103 full- or part-time staff members; only three finding fulfillment in have seminary or theological training. When the business like I used to.’ church was recently searching for a teaching That’s the perfect time,” pastor, leaders identified someone from outside Pete says. “When the its current staff for the position. “If we’re not timing is right, it’s like committed to these values of extreme trust and honey to them to hear humility, another staff member could have said, how this works.” ‘What am I? I’ve been here 8 years and you moved him into this over me?’” Mark says. “The However, Pete and culture here is that we give up territory where other church leaders God calls and where the most gifted person can A marketplace leader at Christ Chapel who are setting the step in and do the job.” helped build orphanages in an pace in mobilizing their impoverished country while remaining best and brightest This type of approach brings about another active in his law practice. know it takes buy-in— cultural shift—one in which church staff leaders and much more—from view marketplace leaders through different church staff and marketplace leaders. Mark lenses. “We must accept marketplace people as Bankord, a former stock broker who is the leaders—treat them as peers and not founder and “Directional Leader” of the rapidly subordinates,” says Pantano’s Dave White. “When growing Heartland Community Church in some initiative is identified, instead of going to Rockford, IL (http://www.heartland.cc), says this the staff person, we may need to give it to a type of mobilization will require a deep heart marketplace leader because they are the best change from both parties. “In most churches, leader, organizer or administrator for the there is clearly an ‘A’ team—the church staff that initiative. In that scenario, a staff person might be is doing ‘important’ ministry work—and a ‘B’ under the leadership and direction of a team—everybody else,” Mark says. He and a few marketplace person. But if they are the best others started Heartland in 1998, partly in person for the job, that’s the way it ought to be.” response to the “contempt” and lack of trust they Marketplace leaders in churches that are moving

5 this direction agree. “You have to plan, prepare Heartland’s streamlined approach to engaging and implement ideas that come from all realms— people in ministry illustrates a benchmark of not just from the pastors and not just the things innovators in mobilizing marketplace leaders: they can pull off without involving marketplace these churches have a strategy for mobilizing leaders at a deep level,” says Sean Clouse, a people, and they make it as easy as possible to software developer and business entrepreneur. be deployed. These church leaders understand “Don’t be afraid to grab some marketplace that most marketplace leaders don’t need weeks leaders and let them give the church guidance in of training; they just need to get their hands strategy, leadership and accountability. These are dirty in ministry—as quickly and with as little the worlds we deal in every day.” red tape as possible. Along with its four-hour seminar, Heartland has created a “My Life” A Streamlined Mobilization Strategy strategy to identify and release marketplace It doesn’t take long to get in the game at leaders into serving roles as a vital part Heartland Community Church. of their spiritual development. RiverTree Christian Church in Massillon, OH, New members or attendees who are ready to get (http://www.rivertreechristian.com/massillon) involved at Heartland learn about their spiritual invites candidates searching for greater gifts during a 4-hour workshop—but they leave significance to a weekend retreat for an intense with much more than knowledge. “We tell them study of their spiritual gifts, abilities and passions. at the beginning of the workshop, ‘When you During the weekend participants develop a leave here tonight, you will leave with a place to personal mission statement and identify a mentor serve,’” says Gordy Smith, Heartland’s pastor of to give them direction and hold them accountable adult ministries. Every ministry leader gives a very for next steps. RiverTree has created a new brief presentation at the workshop and ministry called “TrueNorth” around the task of participants are given the opportunity to talk and mobilizing leaders into ongoing ministry roles— sign up for a ministry. The church experiences a complete with a logo and golf shirts that team 95% “engagement rate”—people who leave that members wear to spark interest. “Creating an night with a ministry task and team. “For some the identity has been helpful,” says RiverTree’s Cliff more you know about spiritual gifts, the more Price. “It triggers a lot of conversation about hurdles there are to actually using them and helping people discover what God has called serving,” Mark Bankord says. “The path to true them to do.” Pantano reduced Fellowship Little understanding is a serving path, not a learning Rock’s Kingdom Builders curriculum to 13 weeks, path. You have to get in the game to sense God’s and also offers a 5-session small group and one- presence in your service.” time events designed to identify marketplace leaders and get them going. “The purpose of all this is to launch marketplace people into ministry,” says Pantano’s Dave Piper. “If you create a bunch of hoops that marketplace leaders have to jump through, they will recognize it right away and run.”

Many churches are finding that one-time service or educational events with guest speakers are often the catalyst for identifying and deploying marketplace leaders into significant ministry roles. Indian Creek in Olathe, KS (http://www.indiancreek.org), has partnered with Significant Matters, a local non-profit agency that connects people with serving opportunities to Heartland Community Church offers a 4-hour workshop for new ignite them to action. Along with regular local members to recognize their spiritual gifts and identify a place and global projects that get marketplace leaders of service.

6 involved and often move them into ongoing business plan. Some others who attended the ministry activity, the group mobilized 650 event started a coffee company in Nashville to volunteers to build the walls for five houses in 3 ½ serve the Hispanic community. Another pair in hours. The homes were then shipped to the Gulf the group formed the Brothers Pizza company, coast to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. with a dream of donating 25% of profits to fund “People were amazed to see what they could local ministries. “The biggest thing we’re seeing accomplish in just a few hours,” says Significant is that the Locker Room gives spiritual Matters director Tom Bassford. “They wanted to entrepreneurs a forum to hear, ‘You’re not crazy. know what the next project was going to be.” It’s legal to do this, and we give you permission,’” says Fellowship Bible member Dick Gygi, the Many leading churches are planning “ShareFest” organizer of the Locker Room. community service events to bless the community, and to identify and release the latent The national “Halftime” ministries, spawned by energy of marketplace leaders. “These people are the efforts of Leadership Network founder Bob often like thoroughbreds in the stall, saying ‘Use Buford in response to his book Halftime, has me,’” says Heartland’s Gordy Smith. With a launched The Strategic Church Initiative1—an ShareFest leadership team of eight people—only invitation-only, strategic alliance between the one full-time staff person—35 people were leadership of Halftime and no more than 10 enlisted as team leaders for a group of 2,180 churches. The participating churches must have people who served an incredible 14,683 total senior pastor/key leadership buy-in, lay hours. With a ShareFest budget of $175,000, leadership involvement, a commitment to an Heartland members renovated two elementary external focus beyond their church programs and schools, and refurbished the library and a willingness to implement strategies developed classrooms in a deteriorating neighborhood high in concert with Halftime to discover and deploy school all in one week. “This wasn’t a project leaders into service. Through the Strategic Church where people think, ‘I hope you appreciate how Strategy, churches: much I did for you,’” Gordy says. “Their response has been, ‘Thank you for letting me serve. It’s • Develop a sustainable ministry to identify changing my life.’” and launch leaders into service • Deliver high quality events and curriculum Leaders of Fellowship Bible Church in Brentwood, designed to move leaders towards service TN (http://www.fellowshipnashville.org) are en- • Discover proven methods for releasing gaging a specific segment of marketplace leaders into service leaders—“Halftime” business people who are interested in exploring large-scale, entre- • Deploy at least four leaders into service preneurial ventures that will eventually fund within the first year of implementation ministries. “Pre-game” events with guest speakers have been designed to generate interest in an Whatever methods the innovators are using, they ongoing small group known as “The Locker are in agreement that one size doesn’t fit all. It Room.” The group has hosted such speakers as requires a variety of approaches to help identify John Sage, the founder of Pura Vida Coffee, and marketplace leaders, point them in the right businessman Dale Dawson, who is spearheading direction for serving and let them run. “There self-funding and self-sustaining community have to be multiple pathways to discovery and ministries in Rwanda. Sage is a nationally known deployment,” Dave says. “Try this, read this book, entrepreneur who launched his Pura Vida coffee let’s go to breakfast and talk about it one-on- company to fund charity work. Several hundred one… You name it, we’ll try it if it will help get people have attended pre-game events, including our marketplace leaders going.” One Pantano a large group of college students from Belmont member attended the church’s Kingdom Builders College’s social entrepreneurship program. As a small group, but he wasn’t all that enthused about result of the John Sage event, two Belmont it. “He said as he walked in the door, ‘I don’t students are helping a local ministry develop a know why I’m here, but I will give it a shot. I have

7 no idea what my passions are and I have never opportunities. As part of the model, there is a done anything for God in my life,’” Dave says. By “commencement” ceremony following the retreat the end of the small-group experience, the man— weekend and a reunion at the six-month point for a Spanish speaker from Peru—knew his gifts and retreat participants to reconvene, catch up on had been connected with a team spearheading what God has been doing and celebrate the ministry efforts in Peru. “Now he’s passionate successes. At the commencement ceremony, about Peru and is leading our mission efforts participants outline what they think God is there,” Dave says. “Our lesson was, whatever calling them to do and action steps to get there. tools you use, they are just that—tools for The group records commencement speeches, and launching people.” sends participants a “What we heard you say” package to keep the fire burning. At the reunions, Celebrating the Success Stories participants give a synopsis of their progress. RiverTree Christian Church leaders think their “There is an element of celebration and biblical efforts to mobilize marketplace leaders will goal-setting involved—driving a good feeling into produce an occasional John Sage story. But what action,” Cliff says. “We always have stories, and they really want to see is a full cache of “Rosalyn we want to celebrate every one.” Cook” stories. Rosalyn is a former PTA parent who turned her hobby of clay modeling into a One lady at RiverTree decided to hand-make passion for sculpting. That passion is now reaping greeting cards, pray over them and give them to benefits for the kingdom, as Rosalyn sells people in need. She has started selling the cards sculptures and donates the proceeds, or and donates the proceeds to kingdom causes. “It’s contributes them to auctions that fund charitable lighting her fire,” Cliff says. Another woman, a causes. “A lot of stories you hear about nurse, uses her skills on regular mission trips. marketplace leaders in ministry are about big Another woman initiated and led a Thanksgiving things happening all over the world,” says food drive that fed 500 people. Another RiverTree’s Cliff Price. “That’s great and we’re all negotiated a four-day work week so she could for it. But one of the things we decided as a team work at a local hospice. One of the original is that everything doesn’t have to be big. We want participants in RiverTree’s mobilization retreat to celebrate all of it.” now takes 10 weeks off work every year to lead international trips for Child Reach Ministries. RiverTree has established a retreat model for “Somewhere in the mix of all those ‘small’ things, getting successful marketplace leaders away for a there is going to be a Pura Vida story or someone weekend to focus on spiritual gifting and who builds a medical clinic in the Dominican,” passions, and align those with ministry Cliff says. “We’re going to hit some of those, but we want to celebrate all of them—the big and the seemingly small. We want to link people with God and what He is calling them to do, so they will both be happy.”

Churches who are out front in this type of ministry are employing a variety of ways to elevate the “real heroes”—including Sunday morning face time, video segments of ministry success, celebration banquets and networks of encouragement and accountability similar to RiverTree’s. “If we don’t celebrate these stories, people will not know who the heroes are and why we exist as a church,” says Fellowship Little Rock’s Bill Wellons. “You take one experience that God blesses, tell that story and light a flame RiverTree strives to celebrate both the big and small ministry one story at a time.” Fellowship highlights endeavors that take place.

8 ministry stories through “Around the Church in 80 me to do,’” Dave says. “If you don’t tell the Seconds” video segments. The church also stories, people just sit. When you release people regularly updates a bulletin board that shows all and tell their stories, other people want to join in of the open ministry positions in the church and the fun.” the core capacities required for that task. “When you highlight stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, people think, ‘I could do pvpqbjp Ñçê pìëí~áå~Äáäáíó that,’” Bill says. “It gives them confidence.” Churches that are leading the charge in mobilizing marketplace leaders are discovering Storytelling and celebration are a major that ongoing, reproducible SYSTEMS need to be motivational tool for churches that are mobilizing in place for this type of ministry to sustain itself their best and brightest—even those who might over the long haul—particularly: become a “missionary go-for,” as with a man at Pantano named Eric. After Eric determined his 1) Staff members who are able to relate to spiritual gifts are helps and encouragement and marketplace leaders and rally them to that he has a passion for the downtrodden, he did ministry assignments; some “seismic testing” of his gifts at a local 2) Assessment tools that will help marketplace homeless shelter. Eventually, through hearing leaders discover and deploy their spiritual stories about a Pantano team that works in gifts; Mexico, Eric is now “joined at the hip” with the leaders of that ministry, says Pantano’s Dave 3) Curriculum that will give them the spiritual White. “He runs all over town for those guys,” foundation they need; and Dave says. Among many other things, Eric 4) Opportunities to get in the game and prepares the ministry trailer for trips, sorts exercise their gifts. equipment, does the banking—all behind the scenes. He eventually left his job to devote full 1) STRATEGIC STAFFING time to being a “missionary go-for.” “He’s a good Placement and empowerment of market- #2 guy, and he is having the time of his life,” Dave place leaders on a church staff—both paid says. The key, according to Dave, is telling the and volunteer stories and celebrating the successes. Not only do Churches that are leading the charge in people in similar life stages with comparable mobilizing marketplace people are taking gifts, abilities and passions get on board when varied approaches to building a team to lead they hear about the successes; additional ministry their efforts. While a few have created a new opportunities are created by leaders who step up release pastor position that is gaining to launch new initiatives. “Storytelling is huge credibility around the country, others are because other people say, ‘I’m a doctor, too. I committed to utilizing volunteer marketplace could do that. Maybe that’s what God is telling leaders who can model the way. Still others are committed to filling their staffs with gifted people who have developed their leadership in the corporate world. Pantano, for instance, hired Associate Pastor Dave White and Halftime Ministries Director Dave Piper out of the marketplace—and want to duplicate that model many times over as its staff grows. “A seminary education can be irrelevant when it comes to leading and mobilizing strong marketplace leaders,” says Dave White, who has experience in both worlds. “Nothing against seminary trained staff, but balancing them with marketplace leaders on a staff is a very healthy thing.” A team from Pantano Christian Church in Mexico.

9 Churches such as Christ Chapel in Fort Worth, has developed a group of young leaders—a on the other hand, find great value in dozen or so 20-something staff members that elevating marketplace leaders who will stay he has entrusted with vital initiatives in the in business and mobilize others from that church. The group meets weekly to discuss vantage point. Lay leader Pete Chambers has their initiatives, challenge and encourage continued to run his own business while each other in open, honest dialogue. devoting several hours per week to engaging Heartland even empowered a group of high- businesspeople for possible ministry school students to pursue their idea of assignments. “Someone like Pete has a planning “A Night to Remember,” a prom for powerful story,” says Christ Chapel Executive special-needs high schoolers who otherwise Pastor Bill Egner. “He didn’t sell the company likely wouldn’t attend such an event. and walk away. That position is allowing him Volunteers for the event helped the special- to do ministry, and that is a powerful message.” needs teens prepare for the big night— Pete sees the ideal staff person for this role complete with donated tuxedos, prom being a layperson who is able to give 20 to 40 dresses, manicures, a limousine ride and red- hours per week, and who isn’t creating a strain carpet walk. The church’s high school on the church’s budget. “That’s the ultimate students were paired with a special-needs platform, and it provides tremendous value,” teen—with some surprising results. “We Pete says. “That person is not coming from a thought our high-schoolers might gravitate staff position, but they are practicing what toward each other and leave our special they’re preaching to the fullest.” guests alone at some point in the night,” Mark says. “But they were incredible—stayed with Some churches, though, are choosing to go them all night and made sure they had the the full-time staff route, with the new position time of their lives.” of Release Pastor gaining some steam. “We need a platform to enable people to launch Some leading Marketplace Success/Kingdom into the areas where God is calling them,” Significance churches also are discovering says RiverTree’s Cliff Price. “We are eager to that engaging marketplace leaders can’t be staff a Release Pastor, and believe that could only a good ole’ boys’ club. Fellowship Little take things to a whole new level.” Only a few Rock has hired a full-time female staff U.S. churches to date are known to have member to walk through the discovery and hired a Release Pastor, but many more are release process with gifted women leaders. leaning that direction as church leaders “This journey is often too intimate for a man consider how best to identify and release to walk through it all the way with a woman,” marketplace leaders who are ready to roll. says Fellowship’s Bill Wellons. “A man might be able to get them started, but at some point Whichever direction a church goes for it’s going to go too deep.” staffing, front-edge churches are clear that this ministry won’t go far without a dedicated group of leaders who make it a top priority. Those same churches also caution against locking into one profile of a marketplace leader and staffing only to that profile. “We let everybody in the game at all levels,” says Heartland’s Mark Bankord. “We aren’t just thinking about the CEO who is in career crisis. Wherever marketplace leaders are, from ready to quit their job to 10 hours of margin to give, marketplace engagement for us is broad and wide and deep.”

On this front, Heartland regularly puts its money and effort where its mouth is. Mark Heartland Community Church developed a group of young leaders to take initiative in planning community events.

10 2) SPIRITUAL GIFTS ASSESSMENT DVDs, workbooks and personal stories—help Dynamic tools for identifying spiritual gifts participants find and fulfill their unique and God-given passions S.H.A.P.E., or unique blend of Spiritual Gifts, For many churches that are engaging Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. marketplace leaders at the deepest levels, the process often starts with an assessment of Halftime Institute spiritual gifts and passions. These tools help The Halftime Institute, also administered by leaders learn how they are wired by God for the national Halftime ministry staff ministry, and contribute to helping them find (http://www.halftime.org/ht_institute.aspx), is a good fit. Here are a few of the most popular an invitation-only, small-group event tools used by the innovators: designed for high achievers who have experienced significant success in the first Servants By Design™ Inventory2 half of their lives and now have a deep desire A Fellowship Little Rock resource, the to pursue eternal significance in their second Servants by Design (SBD) Inventory half. The highly interactive experience offers provides a Personal Profile Report both the personal insights of entrepreneur (http://www.youruniquedesign.com/YUDHome.asp) and author Bob Buford and the input of peers that will explain: over a focused, two-day period. By the end of the process, participants create their own • The core strengths and abilities of your powerful second-half life plan. wiring by God • The way you go about doing things 3) STRONG CURRICULUM More spiritual in nature than practical • The lens through which you view life how-tos • The things that motivate you Church leaders that are setting the pace in marketplace engagement agree that strong The Personalized Profile Report gives leaders business leaders don’t need weeks in a a better understanding of their God-given classroom to prepare for getting in the game. design, how to best relate to others with Many of them have already received some of different designs and insights for finding the the best leadership training in the world best fit in service. Also available is a SBD™ through their jobs. What they need most is a Companion Profile for learning more about spiritual focus for the “whys” behind giving the inventory and its benefits. their lives away in service. Leaders are also quick to point out there is no need for a Halftime Experience church to develop curriculum from scratch. A Halftime Experience is a scheduled, on-site “Don’t create curriculum in a vacuum,” says visit with creative, committed and effective RiverTree’s Cliff Price. “If we were going to Halftimers from around the country. build our own curriculum, we would still be The event is planned and led by working on it. Find out where others have the national Halftime ministry staff done something successful and tweak it to fit (http://www.halftime.org/ht_experience.aspx). your setting.” Participants interact with experienced and effective halftimers and their spouses, observe In designing its curriculum, RiverTree leaders firsthand the challenges and excitement of met with Pantano Christian staff to help using marketplace skills to serve God, see in formulate their plans and landed on a 48- practice how God can mold successful hour retreat model. “We are sensitive to people to His service and begin to chart a people’s time commitments and we were second-half adventure. apprehensive about putting together a 16 to 20 week commitment,” Cliff says. “We call S.H.A.P.E. Resources3 people to focus for 48 hours on what God is Developed by Saddleback Church and pastor trying to tell you.” The end result of the retreat Rick Warren, a variety of resources— for most attendees is often a big idea that God including a six-week small-group study, is birthing in their heart, and a traditional

11 business plan that explains how they are Through Bible study and guided self- going to bring the idea to fruition. Some of discovery, women learn that God created the curriculum that other churches are using them with gifts and life experience that make with success include: them useful to His purposes. Women explore their past accomplishments, wounds and The Success to Significance Ministry Guide4 work experience, and will discover their core Prepares ministry leaders to understand and values, passions, and spiritual gifts. By the teach the concept of Halftime and help those end of the course, each woman articulates a in midlife redirect their lives toward eternal personal Mission Statement and creates a significance. Based on the most innovative, “Mission Possible” plan for engaging in best practices of churches around the country, that mission. this kit offers guidance on how to organize, promote and perpetuate a Significance 4) SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES ministry for boomers. For Bill Wellons of Fellowship Associates, the activity of the early church highlighted in Acts The Success to Significance Work Book5 13 is the perfect illustration of the kind of Church leaders can use the Success to “unlimited partnerships” most churches need Significance Group Curriculum for adult to facilitate. In that account, the church of Bible classes, small groups or an evening Antioch identified Barnabas and Paul as workshop. This six-session curriculum is called by the Holy Spirit for ministry, laid packed with stories, teaching and reflection hands on them and sent them out. “They were that will engage groups in discussion about a willing to release two of their very best,” Bill significant second half of life. Participants says. “Why? Their vision was to advance the come away with a clearer sense of their kingdom of God, not just build the local church.” Wellons realizes this may be a unique calling and how to reorient their stretch for most church leaders, but a lives accordingly. necessary one if they are to see marketplace leaders engaged in life-altering ministry. Kingdom Builders “How do you control that?” Bill says. “Don’t Developed at Fellowship Little Rock, you have to reorganize your whole church to Kingdom Builders helps guide a man on his do this new program? This is not a program, it personal journey as he seeks the answer to is a different way of doing life and church. It’s three questions: a journey. On this journey you have to come alongside some folks in your church, help • Who am I? (Design identity from God) them discover God’s workmanship and works • Do I matter? (Importance to God’s in them, get them aligned and empower them purposes) to do those works.” • Where is my best fit? (Place of service or influence) For Bill and other church leaders who are setting the pace in mobilizing marketplace leaders, these often-entrepeneurial, yet-to- The Kingdom Builders Field Manual is a be-created opportunities—as well as church-based small group experience that engagement in opportunities already defined enables men in the Halftime journey to take by church staff—are possibly the most vital the next step in pursuit of God’s calling in links in the equation. “The most important their lives. It is organized around 20 pre- thing to make an entrepreneurial system work designed sessions and includes several is opportunity,” says Pantano’s Dave White. devotionals and practical projects. “Most people will discover what God has called them to do if they have opportunity.” Woman on a Mission Kingdom Builders’ Woman on a Mission, a Some pre-determined opportunities at 14-week study by Linda Slaton empowers Pantano led an orthopedic surgeon in the women to become difference makers for God church to create an entirely new ministry. in the unique way He designed them to do so.

12 Although the surgeon had read books about monetary profits in hand. Limited partners marketplace leaders in ministry and had don’t set direction, lead, help run the heard inspiring speakers on the topic, he business or give input—they just give cash. wasn’t sure where to plug in or how ministry “That is the picture of a church member would fit with his medical practice. “He told coming alongside a staff or pastoral leader to me, ‘I’m called to this practice, and I’m not meet a need inside the church,” Bill says. “It’s ready to leave it,’” says Pantano’s Dave Piper. critical for the operations of the church.” “I don’t know if I can create the margin.” The Limited partnerships can include doctor went to Mexico on a house building opportunities to serve inside the church, such trip, and asked a pastor’s wife about her as children’s ministry, student ministry, small vision for the area. When she relayed her groups, worship, media, campus/facility and dream of free medical clinics in poor villages, women’s ministry; or they may be “Clinics Without Borders” was born in the opportunities to serve externally in local surgeon’s heart. Within three months, he had community ministries or global missions. The secured land and a building, supplies and common thread is that they are church- and equipment. The doctor takes a quarter of his staff-initiated opportunities. “This is the small time to educate emerging doctors in the area, group pastor saying, ‘Help me with this and provides funds for medications ministry by being part of a small group,’” purchased locally. “The local people serve, Bill says. “These are essential for the health and the clinic has created an opportunity in of the church.” their culture,” Dave says. Unlimited Partnerships Churches that are engaging members in ministry are developing another category for “general partners”—seasoned leaders who want to invest their time, talents and treasures for God. They also desire to create the new ideas and lead the initiatives. Fellowship Little Rock calls these entrepreneurial endeavors New Frontiers. “We need to create an environment that encourages and empowers these general-partner entrepreneurs,” Bill says. “In this scenario, I want to come alongside you, help you discover your gifts and abilities and passions and empower you to advance the kingdom of A group from Pantano Christian Church poses in front of a God in ways He’s telling you. It may be inside clinic born out of the Clinics Without Borders dream. the church, but chances are, many times it will be outside the church.” Bill Wellons places ministry opportunities into two categories—Limited and Unlimited This process is similar to what happened with Partnerships—based on a view of business Chris Shewmake, a plastic surgeon who was “ownership.” He sees both as crucial to a motivated by Fellowship Little Rock’s “Great church’s success in engaging business Adventure” message series. He began leaders. working in Honduras to help children with deformities. He also turned his passion for Limited Partnerships teaching into an opportunity to help develop In business limited partnerships, an a medical school in Honduras and train entrepreneur in a new business venture doctors in new skills and procedures. Chris gathers several partners who invest money in was even instrumental in building a video the venture. The originator of the company learning laboratory, where aspiring doctors starts and runs the business, and the limited can watch and learn from live surgeries. “The partners cash out at some point—with owner of a hospital there has told Chris he

13 front. The microphone represents a pastor or church leader, and the crowd is a church congregation. In the photo, the microphone in front of the pastor is crystal clear, while the faces in the crowd are blurred and out of focus. It’s a constant reminder to Mark and the Heartland staff of what they want to avoid when enaging marketplace leaders. “Usually, it’s about us as church leaders and what we want to accomplish,” Mark says. “Very often, the picture of the people we serve is fuzzy. But this is a constant reminder Chris Shewmake from Fellowship Little Rock at the medical that it’s not about us and what we want to do or school in Honduras. the vision we have for people. The focus needs to be on the people, their gifts and passions, instead can use his surgical suites any time for free,” of the church and your personal ministry of Bill says. “The Honduran government also preaching and teaching. Their faces—their desires paid for two crates of medical supplies. They for ministry and full engagement—should be have seen miracle after miracle by the power clear to us.” of God.” A group of innovative churches around the Those and other unlimited-partnership country are navigating this fundamental shift in opportunities are happening, according to ministry—a shift that will require pastors and Dave White, because staff leaders are figuring church staff to look in the mirror. “The first step— out their role in the process, and marketplace and the most difficult,” Mark says, “is for the leaders are being released to assume their senior leader to actually figure out his gifts, and role. “The key is, don’t try to develop begin operating out of those. What are the two ministries and plug people into them,” Dave gifts I must exercise because they are my primary says. “Help them determine, ‘Where is God gifts, and what are the two I must stop doing leading you?’ Then tell them to go for it.” In this scenario, Dave says, the staff’s primary because they aren’t mine?” Mark concedes that job is one of cheerleader. “Our primary role is this type of self-actualization on the part of to cheer them on, release them and celebrate pastoral staff requires an extremely safe church them,” he adds. “We give support and advice, environment. But once it’s done, “marketplace but we are there to serve them in their leaders flock to that kind of reality,” Mark says. ministry, not the other way around.” That “Marketplace leaders know it already when a reverses the traditional clergy/laity mindset senior leader is operating outside of his gifts,” he and gives marketplace leaders the adds. “If they were to see a senior leader come responsibility to “see the opportunity and seize clean with that, they would rally around it.” the opportunity,” Dave says. “If things are operating that way, the church is reinventing Such courageous reflection lays the foundation itself as a truly empowering organization,” for every marketplace leader—maybe even every Dave adds. “It sends the message and creates person in a congregation—to begin to discover the reality that we’re about activating you in their spiritual gifts and engage in significant what God told you to do.” limited or unlimited partnerships. According to Bill Wellons, this type of environment leads a church to reposition its ministry deployment ^ `äÉ~ê sáÉï çÑ j~êâÉíéä~ÅÉ båÖ~ÖÉãÉåí strategy the way Fellowship has begun to describe Mark Bankord keeps a photograph on his desk it: “We say, ‘Markeplace engagement is for the that keeps his vision clear when it comes to young and old, male and female, simple and engaging marketplace leaders. The picture, given super, pioneer and settler’—anyone who has to him by a friend of the church, was taken from discovered who he is and is partnering with God behind a microphone, with a crowd of people in to change the world.”

14 Andy Williams is the Communications © 2007 Leadership Network (http://www.leadnet.org) Manager for an insurance company in Omaha, NE. He is married to Lorrie, has Want to find more resources like this one? For the most three awesome boys, ages 12, 7 and 4, and current listing of free and purchasable resources, some is part of a network of organic churches in of which are distributed solely through Leadership the Midwest. Network, go to http://www.leadnet.org/papers (alternate: http://www.leadnet.org, then select “resources” then ANDY WILLIAMS Leadership Network welcomes your response. “downloads”) or call toll-free 800-765-5323 or The primary writer is Andy Williams. Editorial 214-969-5950 outside the U.S. and Canada. advisors were Wayne Smith, Director of the Strategic Church Initiative for Leadership Leadership Network’s mission is to identify, connect Network and Warren Bird, Director of and help high-capacity Christian leaders multiply their Research and Intellectual Capital Support for impact. Leadership Network. Contact them via [email protected] * Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is taken from WAYNE SMITH the NIV translation.

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1 http://www.successtosignificance.org/church-models.aspx

2 Fellowship Bible Church developed the Servants by Design™ Inventory and Personalized Profile Report in partnership with Transpersonal Technologies, L.L.C., which originated the process. These materials have been adapted, in part, from the Process Communication Model® developed by Taibi Kahler, Ph.D. in the early 1970’s.

3 http://www.pastors.com/en-US/SHAPE/ShapeResources.htm

4 http://www.successtosignificance.com/extendedResources.aspx?ID=119

5 http://www.successtosignificance.com/extendedResources.aspx?ID=118

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