The “G.A.S.” Factor in Ministry: A Conversation with Mike Johnson

I met Mike Johnson for the first time the evening he stayed at my house. Mike was teaching a class on Discipleship at Fuller and making a visit to Tucson. My wife had been in Mike’s class, and offered our extra bedroom. From simple beginnings, my friendship with Mike began.

Mike is the executive director of Ascending Leaders and led a two-day workshop on discipleship formation this week at Northminster. Mike is similar to the guy I discussed last week, Greg Hawkins, in believing the importance of G.A.S. for ministry, but Mike is also a highly strategic thinker. He pushes church leaders toward clarity and intentionality in their conduct of ministry. Do you know how you expect your people to grow? How a specific ministry contributes to someone’s spiritual formation? What is the desired outcome in someone’s life? In what ways does the ministry help or hinder the facilitation of the desired outcome?

I confess, I sometimes find Mike’s call for intentionality exhausting. As a pastor, and now as a mid-council leader, I have my hands full just getting the basics accomplished: Session meetings and worship services, volunteer recruitment and pastoral visits. And Mike wants me to think strategically and tactically? I don’t have time for that!

            Or maybe I am missing the point.

With limited resources in ministry, focus forces us to serve more wisely rather than merely serve with greater frenzy. Rather than trying to juggle, focus helps us get honest about how much is on our plates. Focus liberates soul-space so we can own what is truly worthy. Do we see the Lazarus who is at our gate? Do we have time to encounter the leper who approaches from afar? Can we see Jesus in the least of these? Or are we so busy we miss God’s invitation to be a blessing?

Mike reminds me of the maxims: sometime less is more, and work smarter not harder.

Mike’s ministry focus is on discipleship formation, which also happens to be one of my passions, as it seemed to be fairly important to Jesus also (c.f. Matthew 28:16-20). Mike’s reminder to those of us gathered at Northminister is helpful:

1.      People are at different stages of faith development,

2.      Different ministries connect better at one stage rather than other stages,

3.      Focus efforts such that there is a connection between ministry and where people are.

Mike said much more than this three-point synopsis, but it gives us a place to start conversations with each other about moving beyond activity to intentionality, beyond programs to passion, beyond more information to deeper relation with Jesus.

Step on the G.A.S.

Brad Munroe