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Do You Have a Permission-Giving Church?
By James F. Jennings
Conference Council on Ministries Director
I had an interesting telephone call the other day. It was from the mother of Brian James, senior pastor at Pine Island United Methodist Church in the Ft. Myers District. During the conversation she extolled the efficacy of Pine Island United Methodist Church being a “Permission-Giving Church.” Her pride and joy registered loud and clear, like every proud mother. This got me anxious to hear more about how this process works.
The following is what Brian James related to me: “Two years ago our church launched out in ministry with an incredibly simple two-fold vision statement: 1). To nurture the church family and 2). To reach the unchurched. Those are the keys to ministry for the Kingdom of God, and the only two goals worthy of our time, talent and treasure.”
To make decisions concerning ministry issues and the realities of the business arm of the church we use three criteria: n Is this God-given? (How does scripture speak to this issue?) n Is this potentially life-changing? (Can people experience new life from this new idea?) n Are there people committed to it? (Are there Godly leaders committed to making this Godly vision a physical reality?)
Anyone saying “no” to a new idea must present their reasons, using the same criteria that is asked of the person bringing the new idea. Accountability is not finances, facilities or fellowship. Accountability in this model is to scripture and Godly faithfulness. “Wow!”
What if people who want to start new ministries in which they live out their spiritual gifts were given the freedom to do so — without going through a multitude of committees to get the OK. I believe Bill Easum is correct in stating that: “Trust and Love are at the heart of permission-giving churches. Love lets go and permits the other to stretch his or her wings. Trust operates on mutual respect. Grace abounds in permission-giving churches.”
I really and truly believe that this is a great model for getting our people involved in ministry rather than sitting on committees. I highly commend to you the Pine Island United Methodist Church model for a “Permission-Giving Church.”
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