Discerning Your Ministry Orientation

Where do I fit?

In what role am I most effective?

A key part of our Fit & Flourish Ministry Affirmation Process (MAP) is helping leaders get a read on their ministry orientation.  

What do we mean by our “ministry orientation”?  It’s a blend of personality, gifts, skills, experiences and passion that influences how you approach ministry.  Alan Hirsh and others are doing some wonderful work in the realm of “APEST” roles from Ephesians 4:11-12 where Paul writes, “It is He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teaches to prepare/equip God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up.”

APEST stands for 

Apostles, 

Prophets,          

Evangelists, 

Shepherds,       

Teachers.   

Most of us have a blend of those roles.  When you see how the Lord blends these roles to build and grow His Body…. how we are made to complement each other and coordinate God’s grace and power…it’s supernaturally beautiful!

Fit & Flourish’s assessment process simplifies APEST into two main orientations: Pioneer/Planter or Pastor/Shepherd.  Most of us can identify where we naturally gravitate our energy and attention.  

Look at these two lists of descriptive words.  Mark where you fit between Pioneer and Pastor.  Sometimes you will be strongly oriented toward one of the two. Sometimes you may score yourself in the middle.  All insights are helpful!

Pioneer/Planter                                    Pastor/Shepherd

To the “not yet convinced”                              To the already convinced

Ok with Change/chaos                                  Order

Unpredictable                                         Predictable

Itinerant/regional                                             Local Church

Create/initiate                                   Nurture, Coordinate

Proclamational                                     Incarnational

Short-term                                                Long-term

“Simple” organization                                 Increasingly organized

Challenge the status quo                             Cherish status quo

Competitive—strive for results                       Collegial—desire relationships

Which orientation is stronger for you?  

“What do we mean by our “ministry orientation”? It’s a blend of personality, gifts, skills, experiences and passion that influences how you approach ministry.”

Some ask, can a pioneer be a pastor?   Can a shepherd be a planter?  The answer is “yes, but…” Here’s what I mean:

A pioneer can be the pastor of a church, but they will still be oriented toward planter behaviors—focus on lost people, initiating new ministries, willing to innovate.

A shepherd can plant a church, but their ministry inclinations will be more pastoral—caring for the flock, feeding believers, walking tried and tested paths.

Knowing your ministry orientation goes a long way toward clarifying where you best fit in the life span of a ministry.  We’ll look at where you fit in the life span of a ministry in a future post.

Above all…we need ALL roles in our Kingdom work!  Honor each other…depend on each other…love each other as we each do our part.  Remember, we do ALL for Jesus!

Coach Yourself Forward

1. Want to learn more about APEST?  Check out this test.

2.  As you look at your ministry orientation, what examples from your life come to mind?  A good principle is “The best predictor of future behavior is past experiences.”   

3.  How does understanding your ministry orientation help you as you consider who you need on a team with you?

 Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash