5 Steps to Align Your Church’s Theology & Ministry Philosophy

Clarity is charity. Without clear expectations in our jobs, our marriages, and in the life of a church, we or others will find ourselves frustrated.

This is particularly true when it comes to a church’s theology and philosophy of ministry. Without a clear vision of where the church is going and how it is to get there, members and even leaders can move in well-meaning but different directions.

Missional and philosophical alignment is important in the life and mission of a church. For example, when Paul and Barnabas were unable to agree about the status of John Mark, they agreed to go their separate ways (Acts 15:39). In a different way, Paul and Peter agreed to divide their labors in such a way that Peter and other apostles would serve among the Jews while Paul served among the Gentiles (Gal 2:8–9).

The point is, whether owing to genuine disagreement or expedience, it is wise and necessary for pastors and churches to focus their mission in specific ways. That is to say, we should focus our ministry on what we believe the priorities of the church should be in general, and what the Lord has put in front of us in our context and calling. Without some clarity about what these things are, our ministry, however well-intentioned, will be ineffective and frantic. A shared philosophy of theology and ministry in a church is a way to help focus on what God may be calling you to do together.

While this is all well and good, you may be asking how this can actually work itself out in the life of the church. In what follows, I’d like to suggest five steps for aligning your church around a philosophy of ministry, remembering that the goal is not to reinvent the wheel or come up with the latest and greatest paradigm, but rather to discern what faithfulness looks like in your context and calling.

1. Start with the fundamentals
2. Embrace your convictions
3. Discern your church’s contextual calling
4. Communicate, consistently & repeatedly
5. Equip (& re-equip) your leaders
Conclusion

1. Start with the fundamentals

Alignment does not mean that a church has to agree about everything. There are many areas where members of a church may disagree without causing division. On the other hand, there are some things that all faithful churches must agree on. As Paul told the Church of Galatia, if even an angel from heaven preached a different gospel, he would be under God’s curse (Gal 1:8). So all churches must be in alignment on the fundamentals of the faith.

We might be tempted to think the fundamentals of the faith go without saying in a church, but the history of the church reminds us otherwise. It is critical for a church to be clear about the gospel—and those things which are necessary implications of the gospel.

This begins with the content of the earliest creeds; whether you recite the Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed in your worship service, all churches should affirm the content of those creeds: the creation of all things by God, the incarnation of the Son, his life and death for our sin, his resurrection and reign, and his return to judge the living and the dead and to make all things new.

It is fundamental that a church not assume what is fundamental.

Beyond this, there are some things that are necessary implications of the gospel. The doctrine of justification by faith alone recognizes our helpless state apart from Christ and our inability to make ourselves right before God; the doctrine of humanity leads us to certain conclusions about marriage, gender, and sexuality. Much more could be said here, but it is fundamental that a church not assume what is fundamental.

2. Embrace your convictions

All churches should affirm the gospel and certain implications of the gospel, but churches should also ask what things are necessary for our church to be faithful to its specific convictions.

This will likely begin with denominational and theological distinctives. This includes whether a church is Baptist or Presbyterian or Anglican or non-denominational. You must also define your position on often-contentious issues, such as women’s ordination, social outreach, and the charismatic gifts.

To work these things out, pastors and church leaders must learn “theological triage.” In a medical context, “triage” is used to describe how doctors and emergency responders evaluate which patients need the most urgent attention. That is to say, they are assessing where immediate action needs to be taken. In the realm of the local church, “theological triage” is a metaphor to help pastors evaluate which issues are life-threatening for the theological health and life of the church, and which are less important for our shared life and mission.

As D. A. Carson summarizes in his foreword to Gavin Ortlund’s book on the topic,

Ortlund usefully develops four tiers in his theological-triage system: (1) doctrines that are essential to the gospel; (2) doctrines that are urgent for the health and practice of the church, such that Christians commonly divide denominationally over them; (3) doctrines that are important for one branch of theology or another, but not such that they should lead to separation; (4) doctrines that are unimportant to gospel witness and ministry collaboration.¹

Again, clarity is charity. Your fellow leaders and your people will appreciate your clarity on these issues. However, we must also avoid the tendency to denigrate or insult any view that is not our own. Egalitarian pastors must recognize that most complementarian pastors are not sexist bigots; complementarian pastors must recognize that most egalitarian pastors are not sellouts to the culture. As we seek clarity, we must do so with charity towards those who may disagree with us.

Being clear and consistent on where you are going to draw lines will be important during those times when differences arise between leaders in your church. For example, if you have communicated clearly that your church believes the office of pastor or elder is limited to men, then when one of your leaders raises the question of women’s ordination, your path forward will be relatively clear. You must either revisit (and potentially change) this conviction, or ask this leader not to teach or to advocate a different view. Without clarity, confusion and hurt will inevitably come in those moments. Though it may be difficult to avoid any conflict, having clear convictions will minimize the potential for future conflict.

3. Discern your church’s contextual calling

Beyond the theological convictions you might hold, it will be important to determine how God is calling you in your context. For example, at All Saints Anglican Church in Honolulu, we are intentional about a mission that spreads through the Hawaiian Islands and around the Pacific. This orients our missional energy toward neighboring islands and the Pacific Rim. Our context in urban Honolulu shapes our liturgy, sermons, and priorities.

In your church, you must determine and communicate clearly what is unique about your context and your mission. A church in rural Iowa is going to have different ministries than a church in urban Los Angeles. You and your fellow leaders should be asking what needs God has put in front of you to address.

But the need is not the call, so it will also be important to discern what the Lord is calling your church to lean into. Regardless of how you understand Paul’s Macedonian call in Acts 16, there is a clear pattern of the Lord redirecting Paul away from one need (preaching the gospel in Asia) to another (preaching the gospel in Macedonia). In what ways is the Lord directing your church’s philosophy and missional emphasis in ways that are unique to you?

When you put your convictions, context, and calling together, you will produce what we might call a philosophy of ministry.

When you put your convictions, context, and calling together, you will produce what we might call a philosophy of ministry. If a philosophy of ministry were simply a set of theological convictions, then every church would look the same (at least in each denomination). However, by considering the local context of your church along with the unique calling that the Lord has put on you as leaders and as a congregation, you should be able to articulate a philosophy of ministry or key values in your church.

4. Communicate, consistently & repeatedly

Once you have articulated your convictions and calling, it is essential to regularly communicate these to the church.

Again, you must not assume the gospel. Christians must hold fast to the good news from beginning to end.

You must also observe a regular and clear pattern of communicating your philosophy, vision, and values. In whatever newcomers or membership classes you have, it will be important to communicate these clearly. Some churches have an annual sermon series on their core values, or they teach on them in a Sunday school or small group setting. Regardless of how you communicate them, it is important to communicate your philosophy and values regularly.

Patrick Lencioni says the key leaders must be “Chief Reminding Officers.”² It is very easy to assume that just because we know our values and ministry philosophy, then the whole church does, as well. But we need to remember that many of our people might be new to our church, and many others may not be hanging on our every word the way we think they are. We need to communicate, communicate, and then over-communicate.

5. Equip (& re-equip) your leaders

Once the previous four steps are in place, you will be in a position to consistently equip leaders who share the convictions, vision, and values of your congregation.

Communicating the values of the church early and often is the first step towards ensuring that pastors and leaders are aligned in their teaching. As you train future pastors and leaders in your church, your philosophy and values should be central in that training, as well. Requiring future leaders to understand and articulate this philosophy in small groups, Bible studies, and other teaching settings both advances the mission of your church and equips these leaders well.

If you are consistently seeing your congregation’s priorities moving in different directions than the stated values of the church, then it might be a sign that you are not equipping leaders who can teach these things well, or that the pastors and staff are not communicating them as clearly or as often as they should.

It will also be important to return to your philosophy and values as a staff and leaders regularly. This will look different, depending on the size of your staff, but finding ways to talk through how often you are teaching through your philosophy of ministry or values, asking where you see those values lived out in the life of the church, and considering areas where your philosophy and the ministry of your church are misaligned will be important.

Conclusion

There is no system that will ensure a church or its leaders never drift from their mission. However, by articulating clearly what faithfulness looks like in your context and calling, repeating these things often, equipping leaders in them, and paying close attention to when the church begins to drift, church leaders will be in a better position to remain united. And so too the church in the things God has called it to do.

Chris Bruno’s recommended resources for further study

• Nouwen, Henri J. M. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. Crossroad, 1989.

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