A few weeks ago, I sat down with my friend, Pastor Tony Miltenberger to be a guest on the Reclamation Podcast. It was my first ever podcast and though I was fairly nervous going in, I thought it turned out pretty good! The delay between recording and publishing set-up a cool moment with my kids this week. They were so excited to hear Dad on a podcast as we drove to/from baseball practice.

At one point, one of my daughters asked, “Dad, what’s the title of this podcast?”

At the time, I couldn’t remember exactly, but said, “I think it’s Family on Mission.”

She replied, “Well, that’s a good one.”

“Yeah, are we on mission? What’s our mission?”

“Oh Dad, of course we are. We help people learn about God and become disciples.”

“True, but is that our mission or just Dad’s?”

“Ours, of course! C’mon!!”

Honestly, this is one of my favorite parenting moments ever! So, for me the podcast was very, very worth it. I hope it’s just as valuable to you!

So, LISTEN (Episode #9), when you get a chance, it’s about an hour long. In the meantime, check out the blog below that Pastor Tony published. Just to be crystal clear, much of our ministry happens outside of the church building, but all of it is focused on “building up the Body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). In other words, building the church in both numbers and maturity.

Here’s Tony’s take…

“What if I told you the best ministry you might ever do will have nothing to do with the church? I know – crazy idea, but lately I have been thinking about it more and more.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for ministry through the church and in the church. I want the church building to be a place of hope and social justice. I want the church building to be an anchor in the community that draws people to it. So before anyone sends me a note saying I am against ministry in the church, please know that’s not what I am saying.

What I am saying is that the best ministry you might ever do is probably going to be born out of you – your life. I think at the intersection of your personal gifts mixed with the pain you see in the world just might be where God is calling you to do ministry.

AND you don’t need the church for that!!!

You don’t need the church to share the Gospel, you don’t need the church to disciple & love your neighbor, and you certainly don’t need the church to do the right thing (whatever that right thing might be). My buddy Justin Gravitt talks about this concept in great detail in our last podcast. He goes on to say that one of the most important things we can do is to live into the ministry right where God has us.

You can listen to that conversation HERE.

As someone who serves the church I want the church to be a force multiplier for the Kingdom of God. I want that for everyone. However, I am also mindful that sometimes the church can be the ceiling of what God is calling you to do as well.

Just like with everything else in this broken world – we have to live in the tension. The tension of using the very sacred space of the church, versus the tension of doing ministry on your own. Both those things are important.

If you need help, please look to the church!

If you can do it on your own, please don’t wait on the church!

The best ministry you might ever do may have nothing to do with the church, and that is okay.”

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Find this helpful? Want to grow as a disciple or disciple maker? Check out my books: The Bicycle Illustration and The Foundation of a Disciple Making Culture. Too much to read? Check out my Podcast, “The Practitioners’ Podcast” for short, hyper focused disciple making episodes wherever you get podcasts!