I have found meaning of this ministry like this:
First, every believer is a minister. This is derived from the meaning of Ephesians 4:11-12, the main scripture and also core concept of the Lay Pastors Ministry. In the 1970s, Lutheran theological Oscar Feucht has written the book, “Everyone A Minster” which was shocked to the people, especially to pastors because people, both pastors and laypeople, had been thought that only Pastors are ministers. But Oscar thought those who has Christ in mind, they are all minsters, and he made new terminology, MINISTERIUM which is originally means monthly gathering of Pastors.
Second, the concept of Partners in Ministry. Dr. James Garlow was the pastor of Skyline Methodist Church in San Diego has written the book, “Partners in Ministry.” This book came from his Ph.D. dissertation at Drew University. He stressed in the book that we, pastors and laypeople, should be partners in ministry. One church at Kangnam, downtown in Seoul, had been focused on the ‘discipleship-making.’ This ministry paradigm was famous in Korean churches and also in the Asian churches. But now they have been upgraded and changed the slogan to the ‘church of partners in ministry.’ Because this is more proper long-term direction of their church.
Third, the pastor grows and also laypeople grow. Of course, they have been growing. However, without the proper paradigm and ministry direction, their growth was minimal. But through Lay Pastors Ministry, the both laypeople and pastors have been growing.
Fourth, the church’s health. This is directly related to the church culture. If the church is good, the church will grow. Because of a good culture accommodates everything. Lay Pastors Ministry is pursuing a health and good church-oriented. Culture is related to the commitment. Finally, team ministry. Team ministry here is not referring to pastors and pastoral staffs, but laypeople and laypeople, people to people. They have to have the team spirit, and so partners in ministry with their senior pastor and team concept among laypeople. That is not only YOU and ME, but ‘WE’ concept has to be there.
I have read one book, “Me to We,” because of the title that attracted my attention, so I bought, read, and also translated into Korean. The content was that the dialogue between old pastor and young pastor. The young pastor has struggled about his church ministry, so old pastor, I guess experienced pastor advised him from Ephesians, to equip the saints for the work of ministry.
