Church Executive CHURCH EXECUTIVE NOV-DEC 2017 DIGITAL | Page 19

Consider your congregants, as well. They’re running ragged in their
own way. Entertaining family and guests, shopping for their loved ones,
attending church services and extra events — they’re tired, too.
And yet, this is what our Lord calls us to, isn’t it? This doesn’t mean we
don’t take time for rest and self-care, but it does mean that the church is
called to be a generous people, as our Lord has been generous towards us.
Generosity requires work and creativity
While generosity is certainly an individual discipline, cultivating
generosity within a community requires creativity, and creative might be
the last thing you’re feeling as you ramp up for the new year.
The good thing is, finding your church’s creative generosity isn’t
entirely up to you. As a leader, it’s time to let go of the idea that it’s your
job to do it all. Instead, a healthier model of leadership focuses on helping
resource others so they can go and do great things themselves.
Sometimes we need a little help to knock loose some creativity. And
while you might have other things on your agenda as you prepare to jump
back into a regular church rhythm, bookmark this for a brainstorming
tool for later.
You know you want to lead and cultivate a culture of generosity in
your church, but where do you start? Below is a big-picture idea to get the
creative juices flowing and show how you can lead by example.
When we help our church community understand who they are, what
they’re skilled in, and how those skills and passions can be used in a God-
glorifying way within the community, they will be good stewards of what
God has entrusted to them.
What does any of this have to do with generosity?
Mancini’s “Kingdom Concept” might not seem tied to generosity at first.
We vocational ministry folks tend to think about generosity in terms of
the offering plate.
But the spirit of generosity doesn’t start and end at the purse strings.
It begins in a congregation’s heart towards sharing with those in need of
help, and ultimately those in need of hearing the message of the gospel.
While you might already have put Mancini’s principles in place within
your own church, cultivating generosity is an iterative process.
So, take that holiday-rush nap if you need to. But, know that the
creativity required to cultivate generosity in your church doesn’t rest on
your shoulders alone.
First things first: where’s the collective potential in
your church?
A few years ago, I walked away from Will Mancini’s Church Unique with
some really helpful nuggets of wisdom. One particular insight was worth
the cost of the book: the “Kingdom Concept.”
The gist is that just like every individual has certain skills and talents,
so do cultures within our churches. Some churches are talented at mercy
ministry and outreach. Some churches do a great job at kid’s ministries
and running summer programs, while others might be well connected in
the business world and help get professionals connected.
While it might help to look at the example of other churches doing great
things, your church is — ahem — unique. You can’t build your church
programming and outreach according to someone else’s template. This is
where the “Kingdom Concept” comes in. Mancini writes:
“The Kingdom Concept is the simple, clear, ‘big idea’ that defines how
your church will glorify God and make disciples ... your Kingdom Concept
is what differentiates you from every other church in how you develop
followers of Christ for God’s ultimate honor. The Kingdom Concept
answers important questions such as, ‘What can we do better than 10,000
other churches?’”
CHURCH EXECUTIVE.COM | 19