Published on: 04/11/2025
What would you consider to be the things which get in the way of lay people stepping into ministry in our churches? Maybe you’ve leapt over/stepped around/charged through some issues in your own ministry journey, or you’ve observed some in those around you in your church.
Here are three obstacles I’ve observed, and some suggestions for jumping over them…
1. Theology
In your faith journey you may have come across churches where all ministry is undertaken by those who are ordained. All aspects of Sunday services, community outreach, prayer, pastoral care etc. This may be due to a theological understanding that leadership in the church is solely the responsibility of those with a priestly calling.
However, our Diocesan strategy states that, “Together, the Oversight Ministry and Focal Ministry teams seek to mobilise the whole people of God for the whole mission of God, enabling all the baptised to enter into the fulness of their baptismal calling to shine as lights for Christ in the world to the glory of God the Father.”
The New Testament evidence is that gifts are given to the whole body for the whole body. An Anglican understanding of this is that we need all of the baptised to bring their gifting and to serve in church and in the world, mobilising the people of God to grow Christian communities in every place.
The key to leaping this hurdle is committing to the following ‘shift’ suggested by Setting God’s People Free (2018)
“We, ordained and lay, must recognise that we are all baptised equally into Christ, that we are equal in worth and status, complementary in gifting and vocation, mutually accountable in discipleship, and equal partners in mission.”
2. Opportunity
All of us, lay or ordained, needed opportunities to test out our callings and giftings, needed someone to give us permission to try things out, needed encouragement to step into a space which had been carved out for us to grow and develop. Sometimes a hurdle to lay ministry is a lack of opportunity or permission. Perhaps someone’s giftings haven’t yet been recognised or encouraged, or maybe there aren’t the obvious opportunities for them to get involved.
Overcoming this hurdle takes intentionality on the part of those already in leadership – are you taking the time to look out for those you can raise up and enable to take steps into ministry? Are you going out of your way to create opportunities for others to grow?
3. Confidence
I often hear people say “I could never do that,” or, “I’m scared to try because I’ll probably get it wrong,” and starting out in some kind of ministry or service in church can be a scary thing. Fear or lack of confidence can be more than just a hurdle to step over, it can feel like a solid immovable obstacle. But we know that perfect love casts out all fear, and so the first key to removing this roadblock is prayer. Ask God to speak his words of love and affirmation to the person, both directly to their hearts but also through his people. Another way to build confidence is to come alongside someone. Minister with them, sharing the particular task or activity and gradually give them responsibility. Reassure them that they’re not on their own, and that we will all make mistakes – that’s part of growing.
What is God asking of you in your church with regards to lay ministry? Are there roadblocks you can remove from the paths of others? What training and encouragement can you give to those around you to enable them to leap the remaining hurdles? How are you running the race of ministry as a team, together?
This week’s Blog post was written by Beth Burras, Lead Lay Ministry Enabler