Recently, I had the joy of spending time with some ministers in an area of Sydney where Anglican churches are growing and thriving. Several of the ministers had participated in church consultations that used an outcomes-oriented framework based on solid gospel convictions and utilising organisational systems theory. The consultations had helped the ministry teams accurately measure their present situation and make concrete plans to achieve goals for reaching the lost. This had already led to substantial gospel growth and had given these ministers renewed optimism and Christ-centred confidence in ministry. I praise God for this. I believe there should be more of it.

The positive power and potential of frameworks like this leads me to keep sounding a note of warning. I’m not trying to dampen enthusiasm for such frameworks. I’m trying to help make their implementation theologically robust for decades to come. As we employ these frameworks and witness their power, there’s something to “watch out” for. We need to have our eyes wide open. The warning I want to keep sounding arises from Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:10: “Let each one take care (or “watch out”) how he builds ….”

This article, originally published in the Australian Church Record Synod Issue 2025, continues a conversation that began with my article in the ACR Easter edition 2024. I’m writing here primarily for members of the Synod of the Diocese of Sydney. But I’m hoping what I write will be relevant to anyone who has discovered the tremendous power of goal-driven thinking in gospel ministry and wants to reflect further on it. If you haven’t followed the prior conversation, don’t worry; I’ve written this article so you can read it as a standalone.

It's also available in video format on YouTube, and in audio form via the podcast Iso-Chats: Theology or for direct listening and download at this website.

From Forget the Channel by Lionel Windsor