A church as an institution operates within a community. A working definition of a community is a group of people who share common values and to a certain extend share an identity.
Every community has its own leadership. This leadership includes councillors, members of Parliament, religious leaders, heads of schools, a council of elders, headman etc.
These people are part of the stakeholders within a community .
They influence the events that take place within a community.
The writer would like to add the following people to the list : police officers , health workers and teachers. The writer calls them “gatekeepers”.
It is important that as a gospel minister you understand how your community works ,how decisions are made and who has authority to make or enforce those decisions within the local context. Failure to do so will make the gospel preaching very difficult for the minister.
The writer would like to suggest the following ways to help gospel ministers to work effectively within communities:
1. When you are launching a new branch for your denomination introduce yourself to the local leadership of the place eg the chief, village head ,police officers ,the local pastors ,the business community etc.
2. Get to know the local pastors fellowship leaders and introduce yourself to the fellow ministers .Even if they show hostility towards you ,do the right thing.
3. Get to know the common events that people in that community share and cherish.
4. Take time to study and understand certain cultural practices that the people observe. If they do certain practices which may be contrary to your faith , respectfully let them know your beliefs while you don’t become confrontational.
5.Get to know how they bury the dead, how they marry etc.
6.It is important to know why the locals do what they do. Why do they keep certain practices and perpetuate them ?.
7.Seek ways you can be relevant in that community. For example visit the local schools and offer to provide free counseling to the students and teachers. This is why it is important for ministers to have some life skills besides their preaching prowess.
These are just a few action points that may help the gospel minister to work well in a community. The people who will become believers in a community may import certain behaviours from their community to the Church. The minister needs wisdom to discern things that are mere cultural practices and those which are contrary to the Christian faith.
In conclusion the writer would like to also suggest that the urban gospel minister needs to understand the ways people live in some surburbs. For example a person may live next to someone for years without knowing who they are what they do in life. There is that individualistic life and privacy which is not there in some communities. Again this calls for adjustment to the new minster in such a place.
The writer Professor Elias Chakabwata is a certified leadership consultant and organizational growth expert. He can be contacted on 0732288687.
