My Philosophy of Ministry

As a pastor of the flock of God, I see my calling as an under-shepherd working alongside the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Ellen White describes Jesus’ work of ministry in her famous words: “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” (Ministry of Healing, p. 143) From this quote, I could summarize the McFeeters philosophy of ministry in these four phrases: Maintaining connection with God, Mingling with people, Ministering to needs, and Making disciples.

Maintaining the close connection with the Good Shepherd is required in order to hear and respond to His leading voice. This includes a regular devotional life of prayer and Bible study, as well as an earnest pursuit of knowledge. As I receive and partake of His ministry, my soul is filled with the longing and the ability to minister His love to the hurting souls around me. His message must so fill my heart that it becomes a fire in my bones, so that I cannot but speak of the things which I have seen and heard.

Mingling includes the balance of ministering to my family, to my church family, and to those who do not yet know Christ. I believe that mingling as a church family and mingling with the community are equally important. Church socials and fellowship meals, community service and outreach events all encourage mingling. Supporting “centers of influence” in the community is another great way to do both at the same time. I also desire to engage with our community, becoming part of community initiatives and getting to know community leaders personally.

Mingling online through technology is a specific area that God has called me to. I particularly enjoy creating multimedia content for ministry, and building the platforms to disperse that content online. Social media, blogs, podcasts, and media sharing platforms collectively allow me to broaden my influence in the local community and to have a voice in the global conversation.

Ministering begins by addressing felt needs, but moves beyond to the deep needs of the heart. It includes sharing the grace of Christ to hurting souls, communicating relevant Biblical truth in meaningful ways to combat the deceptions of Satan. Community service, literature and media ministry, personal Bible-studies, small groups, corporate worship and public evangelistic settings all have an important part. Ministering also includes standing as a watchman: being proactive in meeting dangers and being a wise steward of resources, including finances and the talents of members. Encouraging the flock, leading, pressing forward into new territory—all of these are important duties of ministry.

Making disciples happens on a one-on-one basis, through a robust, intentional ministry of maintaining contact with church members, visitors and interests. This can involve regular phone calls, messages, and visitation, as well as creating opportunities to do discipleship by working alongside members. Inviting a leader or member to accompany me on visitations is one of my favorite ways to make disciples. By demonstrating Christ’s love in tangible ways to my family, my church and my community, I can gain their trust and confidence and earn the right to share the most important message: not to “follow me” but to “follow Christ.”