The Church sometimes uses a hub and spoke model of ministry. In it a central congregation serves as the hub of a wheel with spokes radiating outwards in all directions.

Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau began helping smaller congregations a few years back. Wausau is a big city for North-Central Wisconsin. Zion is also located a manageable driving distance to a handful of smaller congregations. A couple of years ago one congregation reached out to us for pastoral support and services. At the time Zion had three pastors and the smaller church was struggling to find pulpit supply. After much prayer, the meeting of the councils, congregational meetings, and a mutually agreed upon contract we started to share our pastoral services, support, and love with more brothers and sisters in Christ.

Zion serves as the larger (hub) church. The other church is a smaller (spoke) church located about 15 miles east. Each church retains its own autonomy (councils, calendars, actives, etc.). And each church shares in the pastoral leadership and support of 2 full-time pastors and 1 part-time, retired pastor. Between the two churches, every single worship service is led by an ordained pastor. Shut-ins are visited. Sunday schools run unabated. Word and Sacrament are freely shared.

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained in order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.

Titus 1:5

Larger, hub-like churches and rural, spoke-like churches may want to consider doing something like this too. If so, Zion has some practical advice for you.

For the hub church and pastoral staff:

1. Pastors are to be the harvesters out among the wheat fields! As a pastor of a hub church, yes, you are primarily called to (and paid by) this congregation. However, don’t let that limit the scope of how you can serve Christ’s Church more broadly. There are “other sheep” out there.
2. Church councils care for the well being of their own church, and also the well-being of their pastor. Thanks be to God! But remember, Christ’s Church is bigger than your own slice of the kingdom. We must care for the “least of these, my brothers” who are without adequate pastoral support. What will the Lord say to us if we neglect them at such a time as this?
3. You are a congregation with resources – thanks be to God! Those resources can be used in supporting smaller, rural congregations with leadership – pastoral, musical, educational, or otherwise.
4. This will make pastors a bit busier, but it is good to be busy for the sake of the Kingdom of God! Of course, one must weigh the demands of two (or more) congregations appropriately. Pastors can’t be everywhere and do everything. This means the hub church will be willing to receive a little less attention from their pastor(s) because they are sharing it with another church.
5. It will be important for the membership of the hub church to know what their pastor(s) are doing at the spoke church. They are invested too and need to be kept in the loop.

For the spoke church:

1. Help is not on the way. Pastoral shortages, baby-boomer retirements, and a myriad of other issues have brought us to where we are today. Grieve it and move on. This is one model (hub and spoke) which might be able to make things work given the current circumstances.
2. God loves your church, no matter what size. You exist to glorify God where you are at. God also loves bigger churches too. They can help you. Never be ashamed to ask for help from your brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. Having pastoral support is essential for keeping vitality in a church. Churches can flounder without a shepherd or waiting for one. If you are a rural church, you know how long it takes to get a pastor and chances are, depending on your denominational affiliation, you are low on the priority list. Be proactive – find a larger congregation in your vicinity that might be willing to share their pastor. You never know unless you ask!
4. If you do connect with a bigger church, know that the primary loyalty of the pastor will be to the congregation they are called to. Don’t expect this pastor to now devote 40 hours a week to your congregation. An agreed upon contract will make clear what you can and cannot expect from a pastor or a pastoral team.
5. Be willing to be flexible to make things work. If you want a pastor to preach and preside at the Supper, changing the time you worship, even if you’ve worshiped at that time for the past 50 years, might be necessary.
6. You have resources too! Partnering with a larger church does not now mean their pastor is cheap labor. Be as heavily invested in this partnership as possible. Be generous in how you compensate the larger church in their pastoral support of your congregation. You may not be able to compensate a full-time, benefits included pastor, but you just might enable the larger church to do that very thing. Everyone wins!
7. Remember what is central for the Church: Receiving Jesus Christ and the gifts He gives in Word and Sacrament. Your worship life will have a renewed sense of importance because of this partnership. Worship will be the main area of concentration for the pastor who is helping you out.

Remember, we are not entering uncharted territory. Nor are we entering into unprecedented times. The Church has weathered far worse challenges than what we face today. This doesn’t make light of the current struggles but puts it into perspective. It is God’s will that His Church grow and flourish. May this good and gracious will of God be done among us as we look at newer (or older!) models of making ministry happen.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Jesus Told Us to Go

Go, and do not be afraid. At once these instructions are both so easy, and yet for many Christians they are also so difficult. Despite God’s clear command to teach others about our faith and His reassurance that He will be with us, American culture is in the midst of a staggering trend against evangelism. In 1993, a Barna Group study showed that 89% of Christians believed it was the responsibility of every Christian to share their faith. By 2018 that number had dropped 25 points to only 64%. 65% of Christians said they share their faith by the way they live instead of (not in addition to) talking to people about Christ.

Why the Hesitation?

Why are people so hesitant to open their mouths and declare the name of Jesus? Yes, we should be living out our faith with our actions, but Jesus specifically said to “teach” people. That requires us to talk to them. Yet so many Christians are afraid to do so.

Have you ever heard any of these statements?

Conversations about religion always become so heated.
What if I don’t know how to answer their questions?
How do I even get the conversation started?

These are all common refrains that hold people back from talking about their faith. The reason they hesitate isn’t because they don’t know they should be evangelizing. It’s because they’re afraid they don’t know how.

Two Main Fears

In my experience people’s hesitancy is largely driven by two main fears. First, “How do I get the conversation started without sounding awkward?” Second, “What if I don’t know how to answer the other person’s questions?” What follows is a brief introduction to how we can overcome these fears while at the same time showing courtesy and respect so as to keep the conversation cordial.

Talk with People

First, how do we begin the conversation? For starters, we need to talk with people and not at them. We may have a whole list of important information about the gospel and we just have to get it out. We launch into a rapid-fire monologue, taking short breaths in between sentences, so the other person doesn’t have time to interrupt our incredibly important litany. After all, if they get a word in edgewise we might get sidetracked from our list.

Shields Up!

When we talk at someone, our primary concern is to convey all the information we think they need to hear. But when we talk with them we are more worried about listening to what they have to say and engaging in a two-way dialogue. The moment someone senses you are talking at them their defenses will go up and any opportunity for a meaningful conversation will be over. They’re not listening to you. While you’re rambling on, their mind is planning out their counterattack.

Talking at someone places the focus on us. Talking with someone places the focus on them. The people we are speaking to are individuals, not targets. Showing respect to someone means being invested in who they are, not just in what you want to tell them.

For many people I’ve probably just ratcheted up the anxiety level even higher. After all, it’s a lot harder to talk with someone than it is to talk at them. If I’m talking at a person, I’m in complete control. I don’t have to worry about anything they might say because … I’m never giving them a chance to say anything. But engaging in a dialogue is scarier. All of a sudden I have to worry about what someone else is going to say to me, and that’s what I don’t know if I can handle.

But dialogue doesn’t need to be scary. In fact, it’s a lot easier than many people think. There are three easy steps that can serve as a broad outline to any faith conversation, and with just a little bit of practice all of us can all become more comfortable declaring Christ both with our actions and our words.

First Pray

The first step should be the most obvious but is one I think too many people today skip over. Pray. God has told us not to be discouraged because He will be with us. Do we believe Him? Walking with us in our times of need is an incredibly small thing compared to dying on the cross. If God did the latter, shouldn’t we be able to trust Him to do the former? Yet we live in a culture that tells us to pick ourselves up by our own bootstraps and praises individual accomplishment. So ironically even in much of our ministry, many Christians try to “do it on their own” without first stopping and asking the Holy Spirit to be a part of what they are undertaking. Just like we should pray before every ministry meeting, we should pray when we set out to evangelize.

Then Look for Opportunities

Second, we need to look for opportunities. They’re all around us. Most of the time we’re just not paying attention. Michael Ramsden, President of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, tells a story about a time he was in a hair salon and overheard the owner say to a stylist next to her, “My business is doing so well but there must be more to life than this.”[1] That was an opportunity, and he took it. There is more to life than succeeding in business, no matter what our culture says. By paying attention to what was going on around him, Mr. Ramsden was able to start up a conversation that led to an hour and fifteen-minute discussion of the gospel.

Keep Doors Open

Not every opening will be that obvious. Recognizing when these chances arise will often require us to have at least a basic understanding of the topics that are permeating our culture. Maybe it’s a meme circulating on social media. Maybe it’s the acceptance speech some Hollywood celebrity just gave at an awards show. Maybe it’s the latest blockbuster in the movie theater. People are always talking about something, and those “somethings” very often will open the door to a discussion on faith. The question is simply whether we are going to walk through it. We don’t need to immerse ourselves in every aspect of contemporary Western culture. But at the same time, we can’t be completely oblivious to it either. Paul knew what the Greeks valued when he spoke at the Areopagus. We need to be aware of what unknown god our culture is worshipping.

Ask Questions

So, we’ve prayed, we’ve seen an opportunity arise, and now we’re wondering how to seize it. What do we say to get the conversation started? That leads into step 3, ask, don’t tell. This one seems a bit counter-intuitive to some people. If we have all this information we want the other person to hear, shouldn’t we be the one doing the talking and they be the one doing the listening? Actually, you can accomplish even more by primarily using questions, plus you gain some other important advantages.

Questions invite the other person to speak. They can’t shut down because you are talking at them if they are doing most of the talking. But even though they are doing most of the talking, you are actually in control of the conversation. Questions determine which topics are up for discussion, and you are the person asking all the questions. Finally, questions foster conversation. When one person is asking a question and another is giving an answer, there are two people invested in the discussion. Our goal is not to lecture, but to listen and have a dialogue.

Greg Koukl has a fantastic book called Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions. Anyone who wants to learn more about how to effectively evangelize should have a copy, read it, and keep it handy. Koukl calls his primary tactic the “Columbo Tactic,” named after the famous television detective played by Peter Falk. Columbo was famous for asking question after question while investigating a case, and our approach to evangelism can look very similar.

Three Ways to Direct a Conversation

Koukl explains three ways we can use questions to direct a conversation. The first is to use them to gather more information. An example is, “What do you mean by that?”[2] When a person makes a statement, the first thing we should do is ask a question. Something of the variety of “What do you mean by that?” not only allows us to make sure we are understanding them correctly, but sometimes it gets the other person to think through what they’re saying. In today’s social media age, many people are merely repeating slogans they’ve heard that sounded good, but they have no idea what they actually mean.

The second way to use questions is to reverse the burden of proof. Koukl’s example for this is, “How did you come to that conclusion?”[3] There is a trap that almost all of us have fallen into from time to time. Someone makes a statement that we know is false. Our immediate instinct is to explain to them why it is false. So, we launch into our long explanation, rattling off all our evidence, convinced that in the end the other person will come around and see things our way. If we do that, we end up talking at people again and their defensive walls will spring right up.

There’s a better way to handle this situation. When someone makes a statement that runs contrary to what God has told us to be true, just ask them a question. Start out by making sure you are understanding them correctly with “What do you mean by that?” But then follow it up with “How did you come to that conclusion?” It may surprise you to hear that the vast majority of conversations I engage in with people when they make claims like this never need to get past this second question. Most people have no idea how they arrived at any particular conclusion. Their claim wasn’t borne out of some rational evaluation of the arguments and evidence resulting in a well thought out conclusion. They read some meme online that they agreed with, so now they’re just repeating it. If someone else makes a claim, it is not your job to refute it. It is their job to defend it. Asking them politely “How did you come to that conclusion” is one way to respectfully place the burden on them, where it belongs.

The third way Koukl suggests we can use questions is to make a point.[4] This is where you finally have the opportunity to inject all that information you have inside your head into the conversation. But you still need to resist the temptation to talk at people. The most inviting way to insert information into the discussion is to use a question. “Have you ever considered…?” “What do you think about…?”

Ask, Don’t Tell

There’s a fundamental difference between merely telling people information and asking them questions about it. When you tell, you may come across as if you believe you are smarter or superior. But when you ask, you are showing genuine interest in them and their opinions. At the same time, you are inviting them to think through something they may not have thought about before. They are much more likely to do so if they don’t feel like they are being “preached at.”

Suppose you know absolutely nothing about embryology, but you hear someone say, “Christians have no right to object to abortion unless they’re willing to take care of all the extra babies that will be born if abortion is outlawed.” You can still ask them a “what do you mean by that” type of question. For example, “I just want to make sure I’m understanding you correctly. You’re saying that no one has the right to object to unborn children being killed unless they’re willing to take care of those unborn children, is that right?” You could follow it up with a question of the “how did you come to that conclusion” variety. “How is it that my not having the resources to personally take care of a child makes it okay to kill it?”

Too often people hesitate to evangelize because they don’t think they know enough. They want to leave that sort of thing to the “professionals,” like their pastor. But each and every one of us is expected to share our faith, not just those in church leadership. Anyone can ask questions, so all of us know enough to get out there and get started.

Admit You Don’t Know

But what if someone says something that you don’t know how to answer? That is one of the biggest causes of anxiety, and yet at the same time it is one of the easiest questions to answer. If someone asks you something you don’t know how to answer, you politely say, “I don’t know the answer to that. Let me look into it and I’ll get back to you.” Then you politely end the conversation.

Conversion Is the Holy Spirit’s Job

We often put way too much pressure on ourselves. We think that each and every conversation needs to result in the other person accepting Christ or else it was useless. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have to remember that conversion isn’t our job. We can’t convert anybody anyway. That’s the Holy Spirit’s doing. Our job is to do as we have been instructed, so that if the Spirit wants to use us as an instrument through which He works, then we are obediently available.

To Sum It Up

Greg Koukl describes a more modest goal he sets for himself when engaging in evangelistic conversations. “All I want to do is put a stone in someone’s shoe. I want to give him something worth thinking about, something he can’t ignore because it continues to poke at him in a good way.”[5] We worry so much about what other people will say because we think we need to have all the answers. We don’t. Just set yourself a modest goal and get out there and share the gospel. First, pray. Second, look for opportunities. Third, ask, don’t tell. Use questions to gather information, to reverse the burden of proof and to make a point. We all know that we should be sharing God’s good news. Hopefully this basic outline can help reassure you as to how.

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[1] Centre for Public Christianity, “Conversation Apologetics – Michael Ramsden,” March 24, 2018, video, 44:32, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MJb5_2CABI.

[2] Greg Koukl, Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan,2009), 49-52.

[3] Ibid., 61-64.

[4] Ibid., 77-87.

[5] Ibid., 38.

“For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also.”  (Psalm 95:3-4)

 

Kings of the earth come and go.  Leaders in every nation come and go.  The Lord is forever.  He who made You knows all things and has laid out the course for those who will walk in His ways.  Because all things are in His hands, you need fear nothing, for He is with You always even to the end of the age.  Everything belongs to Him, for it is He who made all things.

Lord, teach me the elemental truths that I may not kick against them, and walk the tried and failed way of thinking that there is any other way to live this life.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go that I may now and always walk in Your sight.  You are the One who made all things and they are Yours.  With this in my heart, teach me how to live a life of praise and thanksgiving.

Holy Spirit, nurture my heart in the things You have taught me.  Guide me according to the principles I have already learned to live in a way that is pleasing to the Father.  Help me now and always to see through the distractions of this age to abide in the truth of Your presence.  Everything I have and that I am is Yours.  Guide me this day in a life that gives as You give.  Amen.

“He who planted the ear, does He not hear?  He who formed the eye, does He not see?  He who chastens the nations, will He not rebuke, even He who teaches man knowledge?”  (Psalm 94:9-10)

 

Will not God bring vengeance upon those who rail against Him?  Which nation has survived from times of old?  Which civilization has been able to continue when it does evil and promotes wickedness?  All you need do is look at history to see that the way of the wicked goes down to the dust.  Yet, many will fall for the lie and not see and not hear the truth.  Come to the Lord while you may and live in the truth.

Lord, I have fallen prey to the lies of the wicked in this age.  You who formed all things know and see clearly.  You have caused all good things to remain.  Help me to live in Your goodness and not give in to the wickedness of this age.  Help me to hear and see what is right and true.  Lead me in the way I should go and then help me walk in that way all the days of my life.

Savior and Spirit, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear that I would not walk in the darkness of this age.  Lift me up above the noise of this world to clearly hear the beauty of the truth You have revealed for all to hear.  May I now and always walk humbly in Your presence and live according to Your never-changing Word which was spoken long ago.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life.  Amen.

“You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.  Your creatures settled in it; You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.”  (Psalm 68:9-10)

Think for a moment on the reality of this world.  In spite of all that man does to man, humanity has been fed, blessed and cared for.  Throughout history all that is needed has been provided.  The widow and the orphan are provided for.  The hungry are fed.  The Lord provides, but we must work by the sweat of our brow.  He brings the rain in due season and the fields are refreshed.

I listen to those who say otherwise, and I believe their report.  Lead me back to the simple truth that You provide what is needed in due season.  I have little to complain about Lord, for You provide for all of those in need.  Guide me into a frame of mind that simply sees the goodness You have provided for all with the seasons unfolding as You have planned that we may praise You.

Lord Jesus, teach me to praise You in season and out of season.  Guide me in the way I should go and empower my feet to walk in that way.  Lead me by the example You have given to walk as You walked and to live as You would have me live.  In all things, help me to be thankful and know that in You alone is the hope of all people, for You alone modeled the way we need to go.  Amen.

“God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us.  That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations.”  (Psalm 67:1-2)

When you were baptized, the words of Jesus were spoken over you, “Let your light shine.”  You were created in the image of God.  What is the light that shines?  The Light that God desires to shine is the light of His countenance in you.  It’s you and He together as one: each your own person, but one in spirit.  We have been invited into Trinity, three and One.  Let others know by reflecting  your light into the world.

Lord, what you have said I know in my head but my spirit continues in the well-worn path of simply doing what it has always done.  I struggle to let Your light shine through me.  Remove the resistance in me that I may forever hold fast to the truth of Your Word in my heart and shine forth with Your presence in a world of darkness.  Let Your salvation show in me.

Jesus, You have come to set the captive free.  Guide me in the way of truth that I may be led by You and the way You have forever established.  In Your salvation and by Your grace, lead me to Your living truth through all I say and do.  Help me to be guided by Your Spirit to walk in the ways of light and shine forth the truth that You are in me and I in You.  Amen.

Friday, December 29, 2017 Devotion

“So they will make him stumble; their own tongue is against them; all who see them will shake the head.  Then all men will fear, and they will declare the work of God, and will consider what He has done.” (Psalm 64:8-9)

Lord Your power is almighty and all the attempts to thwart You throughout the ages come to nothing.  Guide my eyes to see and my mind to understand this simple but profound truth.  Lead me in the way You have established and let my deeds be openly known and not hidden.  Guide me, O Lord, according to Your Word and let me be among those who praise You all the day long in every circumstance.

Lord, You know what is needed and You know those who devise their plots and schemes.  Help me to always look to You that I may know that Your hand is upon all that I do.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may be led by You alone.   Guide me to consider all that You have made, Your handiwork, and ponder anew each day on the marvels You have created.

Lord Jesus, King of kings, lead me in the mighty way of Your grace this day to see all the wonders created and praise You.  Help me look through immediate circumstances to see Your hand upon all things and know that in You alone is hope and glory.  May my life be one that praises You at all times knowing that You alone are the hope of this age and the one who has already conquered sin.  Amen.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 Devotion

“Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than breath.  Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery; if riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.”  (Psalm 62:9-10)

In the grand scheme of things, we are people made in the image of God.  We have created an illusion that there are greater and lesser, but there really is only the Lord God and all that He has made.  Who are we that we would be mindful of ourselves?  Set your heart upon the Lord and His ways, knowing the goodness that He has revealed, and walk humbly in His ways at all times.

Lord, my mind is filled will all of the pollution of this age, knowing that we are taught from the youngest age that there are greater and lesser.  Yes, we should be respectful, but teach me to respect without revering those in positions of authority whom You have placed above me.  Lead me into humility that I would learn the true position of all things and know that You alone are God.

Lord Jesus, You have condescended to come to a place that You alone can hold.  You are God and man.  You have come to lift us up by bringing us down.  In the mystery of faith, help me see in You the hope that You alone bring and the salvation that You alone make possible.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way I should go and help me see in You my life, my hope and all that I need.  Amen.

Monday, December 18, 2017 Devotion

“On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.  Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”  (Psalm 62:7-8)

Are you in the Lord?  Is He the rock of your salvation?  Are you looking for the Lord to conform to your ideas or are you conforming to who He is?  Pour out your heart before the Lord and see that He will walk with you and cleanse your mind and give you a new heart, made right and filled with His righteousness.  Be guided by the One who made you and take refuge in Him alone.

Lord, I hear the words and know the testimonies I have received, yet I walk in the ways of this world.  Help me, I pray, to live into the life to which You have called me knowing that only in You is there hope and a future.  Guide me now and always according to Your life-giving Word that I would walk as one who believes and know the truth You have revealed once for all and live under the shadow of Your wings.

Lord Jesus, I need you today and every day, for I am easily distracted and led in so many directions, all of which are away from You.  Help me in my time of need to see the better portion and to walk according to the way You have established.  Lead me now and always according to Your Word that I may walk in the way of salvation.  You are the rock of my strength; lead me to rest in You.  Amen.

Sunday, December 17, 2017 Devotion

“My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.”  (Psalm 62:5-6)

There are so many things that tug at our allegiance in this world.  We are distracted by the many things that get in the way.  What is at the core?  What is the center of your being?  Our souls long for the one and only place where our being is found and that is with the Lord.  Come to Him and know that He is the rock of your salvation and the Center of all things, including your being.

Lord, clear the field for me that I may see the simplicity of knowing You, the One true God who is the creator of all things.  Guide me according to Your purpose that I would walk in the way You have established and know that You alone are the rock of my being, my life and my salvation.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may be walk in the way You would have me go now and forever.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have come to pave the way of salvation for all who turn to You.  Clear my mind and soul this day to live into the life to which You have called me through the salvation You have prepared for those who believe.  Help me now and always to look to You for all things knowing that You alone are able to lead me out of the noise of this world into salvation.  Amen.