We have been introducing the five myths that are stalling disciple-making movements.
Week 1: The 5 Ministry Myths 
Week 2: The Engagement Myth
Week 3: The Expertise Myth
Week 4 : The Equipping Myth
Week 5: The Empowerment Myth

Execution Myth: CHURCH IMPACT = MINISTRY OWNERSHIP

If you look at your primary disciple-making ministries, who owns those ministries or groups? Most churches respond with the name of a staff member or a church department. Though it is important for the church to have staff that provide leadership to these ministry efforts, they must view themselves not as owners, but rather as activators; to lead with influence more than involvement. When a church remains the primary owner of a ministry, this is the Execution Myth at work.

When a church approaches its primary disciple-making ministries with the same mentality that it approaches weekend services, Sunday school classes, or volunteer teams, what happens is that it never transfers authority to the leader. The ministry remains “the church’s ministry that the people support,” and not “the people’s ministry that the church supports.” The result is that our people never lead the ministry as their own. They feel more like tenants in the church’s mission than owners.

If the church doesn’t bust the Execution Myth, the staff is overwhelmed at trying to execute additional ministries while its people remain dependent on the church. The people expect the church to recruit and fill their group. They expect the church to provide the space for the ministry to meet. They don’t feel the freedom to use their discernment on how to best reach those in their group.

As long as the ministry stays owned by the church and not the individual, it will only provide a deeper assimilation ministry for the church, but it will never activate its people to make disciples where they live, work, and play. The church’s impact never multiplies because it never goes out into the everyday places of its people’s lives.

Want to learn more about the five ministry myths and assess how influential they are in your church? Download the FREE assessment here and get a free training talk by Robby Gallaty from our Discipleship Blueprint course. 

HOW DO WE BUST THIS MYTH? – CREATE A PLAN THEY OWN

When it comes to leading relational disciple-making groups, the staff and congregation must shift primary ownership from the church to the individual. The church must create a plan their people will own by giving a helpful template like Discipleship Groups and coaching them to customize their ministry to best reach their circle of influence.

Ready to bust this myth? The Discipleship Blueprint in an on-demand course that includes seven training sessions with some of our most foundational concepts that we use with teams in our consulting processes. Access this course here.

The post This Ministry Myth Is the Number One Myth That Kills Discipleship Group Ministries appeared first on Replicate Ministries.