The Congregational Council began our transition to purpose driven model of ministry by reading together Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Church in 2004. The congregation followed the “40 Days of Purpose” program during Lent 2005 where we read together Rick Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life and had several small groups that discussing the book. It was a transformational experience for the congregation. Then in 2007 a task force was put together to study how to change our structure to free people up for leadership and ministry. They concluded that the model of purpose driven minstry could effectively be implemented at St Luke, not to so much to make us an official “purpose driven” church but to give new life and freedom for all members to see themselves as gifted for doing ministry both within and beyond the walls of St. Luke Lutheran Church.
What the purpose driven model of ministry gave us is a structure for ministry that is so compelling and meaningful and life changing. The Great Commandment and the Great Commission define our purposes. They are the key elements when you ask the question: “What difference does my faith make in my life?” Think what a church would look like that was built around these biblical purposes:
• The Great Commandment. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).
• The Great Commission. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).
Since adopting the purpose-driven model there is a renewed sense that all the people of St Luke are called to share in the ministry of the congregation. The language at St. Luke has changed too. We talk in terms of ministry teams instead of committees. We talk in terms of the gift of discovery. What is fascinating to observe is how people discover is what they did in their daily work, what they were passionate about, are gifts to serve the church. They were just really on fire with using those “outside” gifts for the service of God’s church.
