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Special Resources for the Episcopal Church

The "E" Word Revisited : Evangelism in the Episcopal Church

What Can We Say? Suggested Responses for People in the Pew Regarding the Actions of the 2003 General Convention of the Episcopal Church

Mission & Ministry, a program of Not-for-Profit Vision, Inc. , offers workshops and other services designed to strengthen congregational capacity for service. Descriptions of the workshops are given below, with links to more complete outlines of their content. The approach and methods used are non-denominational and appropriate for application in any church. For more information on the Mission & Ministry approach, see God's "Call" to Churches .

Comments on the Workshops:

[This] ministry is helping congregations in our diocese plan for following Jesus into God's dream in ways that are both visionary and pragmatic. [It] is a resource of infinite value.
The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina

Just as every individual and group need assistance in discerning their own vision and sense of direction, every congregation needs assistance from an objective person to help them articulate their dream and plan of action for the future. Dr. Doug Borwick has discovered some very creative ways to provide this assistance to congregations who are searching for better ways to provide meaningful service to their constituents and community as well. I am pleased to recommend Dr. Borwick whom I have known for over fifteen years and would use his services whenever possible
Jim Hamblen, Executive Director
Pilot Mountain Baptist Association
Winston-Salem, NC

Just like individuals, each church has a "calling" in service to the world. Too often, churches--especially small and medium-size churches--suffer from a sense that they must be all things to all creation. Only in understanding its call can a church became a truly effective steward of the money and people God has given it as resources; and when a congregation collectively feels that call, its ministries become both effective and compelling. This workshop is designed to help a congregation discern its call and use that knowledge to develop a vision (or ministry focus) for service that helps it make the most careful possible use of its resources. See detailed outline .

Having ascertained its call and established its ministry focus, a congregation is ready to envision the specific programs through which it will carry out that call. The concept of focus is invaluable because God does not provide any church with the resources to implement every worthy idea that presents itself. This workshop helps the congregation choose the programs that best serve its call and evaluate the financial, human, and structural resources it will need to carry them out. See detailed outline .

It is not enough for a church to discern its call and implement programs to carry out God's will for itself. The purpose of ministry is to connect with other individuals in community. If we fail to reach out to others, we do not complete the mission to which God has called us. This workshop provides tools to help learn how the church's light can be moved from under the bushel and placed upon the hill, acknowledging that congregations have differing styles and that no one approach is right for all. (Shy people are part of God's kingdom too.) See detailed outline .

As a church begins to effectively "tell its story" in the community, it will inevitably begin to receive an increasing number of visitors. In order to effectively incorporate new people into its life and ministry, a church must be intentional about that process. This workshop helps a congregation identify the groups for whom it can best serve as church home, develop ways of reaching them, and establish specific means through which visitors are welcomed and, over time, nurtured to take their place as ministers. There are two fundamental principles which form the basis of this workshop. First, growth for the sake of growth is not God's will, and second, every congregation, as an expression of its own personality, will have a unique mode of reaching its community and developing ministers. See detailed outline .

Stewardship--of time, talents, and resources--is a central component of faith. Unfortunately, there is considerable reluctance to honestly address it. As a result, churches often deal with the subject haphazardly or adopt one of a number of one-form-fits-all "cookie-cutter" approaches. This workshop engages the entire congregation in a discussion of stewardship and assists in the development of an approach that best fits its particular character. See detailed outline .