It’s all about Pimpin’ it out!

It’s all about Pimpin’ it out!

Having much luck reaching people in your strategically-rusted '84 Gremlin? How do you transform your tired old ministry into a full-fledged, fully-loaded pimped out chariot for God?

Whoa! Let me stop you right here. If you absolutely have no idea what I’m talking about already, there is no sense going on. Try starting with getting to know today’s culture a little bit and come back and see me. Just move along, move along, there is nothing to see here. For the rest of you, let’s get rollin’…

I have had the opportunity with my position at Fellowship Church, and background being a preacher’s kid, to talk to and be exposed to all types of churches, denominations, and styles of ministry from all over the country. And my experience has been that too often I see the same old thing, done the same old way.

There is nothing more disheartening for me to see than a dead church. Not reaching anyone, and much more interested in keeping the saved then reaching the lost. Not willing to even entertain any type of change that might bring what they are doing into this century because they are too caught up in their holy huddle and quite frankly are just fine with it. I think it is way time that we get it together, look at how we have done it in the past, and start “Pimpin’ it out”.

I feel that the central problem with the church's way of doing ministry is their refusal to change. This is some new phenomenon; the Bible addresses this in Acts with the struggle between the Holy Spirit and the people running the church. Over and over again, God tried to move out through the church to reach the multitude of lost people outside the church. But he was met by over-conservative foot-dragging Christian believers who were not willing to change. Acts 10 and 11 are some of the clearest passages on this unfortunate tendency.

Bishop T.D. Jakes summed this up really well, “If you always do what you have always done, then you will always be where you have always been”. It seems so simple, but today’s churches are trying to fight today’s fight with yesterday’s weapons and are getting nowhere and we are losing the battle. Hundreds of years-old music, strange seats, stained glass, and a language people can't understand. These things don't do the church any good in accomplishing its mission and they alienate and confuse the un-churched. And still, the church refuses to change! Our culture continues to move forward, but in the church the anthem is the same, "It is written, Thou shalt not change”.


Here are some things that I think are key to consider when making change in ministry:

Know Your Scene
When shaping your ministry, what it looks like, what it sounds like, what it feels like, take a hard look and study the culture around you. These are obviously the people you are trying to reach. For example, if you are smack dab in the middle of Silicon Valley with genxr’s and techies, the entire worship experience should be shaped, tailored, and communicated in a way to reach that culture and the needs of it. By relating to the culture you will have a better opportunity to reach them. The tough part is that relevance and culture are moving targets and it will take continual change to keep your ministry relevant.

The Dubs
Have you been driving down the road and ever seen a Lincoln Navigator with brand new twenty-inch rims (dubs) with spinners? Cool huh? Where your ministry happens needs to be physically and audibly appealing. The context of ministry is just as important as the message. We can not make people accept Christ, but we can create comfortable and appealing environments that will hopefully allow the Holy Spirit to work in them.

The business world really understands this concept. Is there anyone better at this than Disney? They know there target audience and create a creative, interactive, appealing, and ever-changing environment to engage and attract their audience.

The Engine
While I think all of that change is important, one area that I do not think there is room for compromise it the engine (theology). The thing to overcome here is to be able to separate theology from methodology. You don’t compromise doctrine, just try and create relevant, engaging, and appealing environments to communicate the life changing message of Christ.