By Melvin
Only a small percentage of clergy feel capable of moving from concept to implementation.
It was tempting to stop writing after completing the theological, conceptual, and theoretical (TCT) sections of this treatise, because the next phase—applied TCT, or putting these ideas into practice—is much more difficult. Once the TCT has been written, it is inviting to sit back, relax, assume your task is finished, and say, “I’ve explained the what and the why; now let someone else figure out the how.”
This is especially true in the world of Christian writing. A Ph.D. candidate from Korea searched the Yale Divinity School Library for books on lay pastoral care. He found many books dealing with theology, concepts, and theory, but very few on implementation. The library now has two more because he donated copies of my books, Can the Pastor Do It Alone? and The Lay-Driven Church.
When you move into the practical details, you enter a world where the work is never finished. It is an uncharted frontier, difficult to grasp, constantly requiring improvement, continual adaptation, and ongoing refinement.
Lay pastors need to know specifically what a lay pastor does. Someone must design the ministry structure, prepare the equipping curriculum, recruit and train instructors, provide resources, establish standards for lay pastors, develop systems of support,
accountability, and ongoing care, cultivate a congregational culture that encourages lay people to engage in significant ministry, and much more.
A research project reported that only a small percentage of clergy feel capable of moving from concept to implementation. The same may also be true for lay leaders. If you find yourself struggling either with theology, concepts, and theory, or with the practical question of how to implement them, contact LPMI. We would be glad to help.
Tip: Throughout this treatise, Scripture quotations are indicated by quotation marks surrounding italicized words, for example, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” To encourage readers to study these passages in their original contexts, a list of the corresponding Scripture references will be made available.