Ministry Evaluation

ABSTRACT

The Ministry Evaluation paper has been deliberately written to delineate on the prior ministry experience of the student prior to the class, the biblical principles that influence the ministry developments, and the future ministry action plans of the student.

            Under the prior ministry experience, the paper discusses evangelism, church planting, and education. Each of these mission objectives highlighted and encapsulated into the Praise Ministries International mission statement is discussed as methodologies the student has used in the prior ministry experience while serving the body of Christ.

            The emergence of the prior ministry experience has been the result of the biblical principles that have influenced their developments; therefore, each principle is summarized and given the rationalization of its implementation as dictated in the Great Commission that embody Praise Ministries International philosophy of ministry upon which her theological foundation is capitalized. It concludes with the future ministry of the student under the action plans with reference to the evangelism project plan that necessitates the establishment of other ministries, the recruitment of ministry partners, prayer partners, financial partners, and the training of the core leadership for the student chosen ministry.

COMPONENTS OF THE STUDENT’S PRIOR MINISTRY

Introduction

During previous years of ministry as a young believer and have grown to become an adult spiritually, I have dedicated my life to the ministries of evangelism, church planting, and education. The pursuit or execution of these ministries’ components is the result of the passion I have for soul winning and the adherence to the mandate of the Great Commission recorded in Matthew 28:16–20. As Disciples of Christ, we are mandated to go, to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach everything according to scriptures. These principles outlined in Matthew 28:16–20 embody my philosophy of ministries with reference to evangelism, church planting, and education. These ministries’ components form the mission objectives of Praise Ministries International which I serve as the Visionary. These components are encapsulated into Praise Ministries International’s mission statement. In the process of attending to these components or objectives, the principles outlined in the philosophy of ministries become the methodologies to achieving the objectives. In this junction, I have summarized each component or objective as modified or named as Mission Evangelism, Mission Church planting, and Mission Education. On the preceding pages of this paper, each component is described and followed by the principle that influences it.

Mission Evangelism

The Church is mandated to go as recorded in Matthew 28:16–20. Going is an indication of demonstrative action in obeying the principle of evangelism as instructed in scriptures. In order for the Church to win souls for Christ, the Church must go to declare the Gospel of the kingdom of God. Sinners will not get save unless the Gospel is preached to them. In the absence of going, Mission Evangelism becomes unrealized or unexecuted. Going and evangelism are synonymous in theory and practice. The Church must go in order to obey the Great Commission. In Praise Ministries International, we have adopted ways of going. One is called ‘person to person’ outreach and the other is called ‘open air evangelism.’ During ‘person to person’ outreach, we go two by two. During open air evangelism, we assemble to a particular location as the Church group to initiate and to execute evangelism through song ministration, preaching, and followed by altar call.

Mission Church Planting

After evangelism, the church should be planted according to Praise Ministries International’s mission. This is done through discipleship. Souls won during evangelism are encouraged and instructed to participate in discipleship classes organized by the Ministries based on age group as spelt-out in the Ministry’s Operational Handbook. Souls won to Jesus are followed-up through the recording of names on the followed-up card that contains the contacts of the new convert. After discipleship classes are conducted, baptismal ceremony is organized to baptize those who have gone through the discipleship classes. After baptismal ceremony, baptismal certificates are given to those who have been baptized. In Mission Church Planting objective, teaching and baptism ceremony are conducted during the transition of planting a church. The principles of evangelism, teaching, and the conduction of baptismal ceremony influence Mission Church Planting at Praise Ministries International, Inc.

Mission Education

According to Praise Ministries International philosophy of ministry as recorded in the mission statement and substantiated in Matthew 28:16–20, Praise Ministries International shall establish both academic and religious institutions to localities the Church will have been planted. Praise Ministries International has decided to open an academic institution at Johnsonville PMI’s branch in Monrovia, Liberia before the end of 2019 school year. The plan is in progress and will be implemented as resources become available. Below are the summarized principles that influence the developments.

DEVELOPMENTAL-PRINCIPLES SUMMARY

Developments                                                                                    Principles

1. Evangelism                                                                  Go (Mission)
2. Church Planting                                                          Make Disciples/Baptize (Inclusion)
3. Education                                                                    Teach/Train (Pedagogy)

            In conjunction, the principles (go, make disciples, baptize, and teach) as outlined in the Praise Ministries International’s philosophy of ministries influence the developments of Mission Evangelism, Mission Church Planting, and Mission Education. While these principles serve as the catalytic agents influencing the development of Praise Ministries International mission objectives, they have also been influenced by scriptural biblical principle that Praise Ministries International philosophy of ministry is tied. This biblical principle or the theological foundation by which praise Ministries International functions is Matthew 28:16–20. It reads: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:16–20 NIV.)

The above philosophy of ministry is the driving force that influences Praise Ministries International methodology of doing ministry. Each of these biblical principles is summarized and rationalized on the following pages of this paper as indicated below.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES EXPOSED

Summary of the Principles

Go (Mission): The word ‘go’ is predicated imperatively to express a command that calls for action on the part of disciples. If we have been cleansed and saved through the blood of Jesus that was shed on our behalves and having been mandated to go, we must go and make disciples of all nations in regardless of race, creed, geographic origin, nationality, or historical orientation. Going is a gerund that expresses action aimed at reaching the world for Christ. Going is not passivity, but it is an activity in nature for implementation of various objectives. This going is encapsulated in our obedience toward the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16–20). It is a mandate; therefore, we are obligated to go. This principle must be adhered to. Evangelism is the heart beat of God; therefore, if we love God, we must go as Disciples of Christ. How many of us are taking this mandate seriously? People are dying daily physically as the result of natural disasters, disasters engineered by mankind, sicknesses etc. who might not know Jesus as Lord and Savior and are going to hell. If we know the gravity of the nature of being sent to hell, we need to act quickly to go.

Rationale

There are several reasons or rationales, why evangelism should be carried out. It should be carried out due to the below reasons:

1. It is a mandate from God.
2. People are going to hell daily.
3. It pleases God, our Father to evangelize.

Make Disciples (Discipleship): The Church has not only been asked to go; additionally, the Church has been asked to make disciples. Evangelism is the primal issue; however, evangelism without discipleship lacks the goal. The goal of evangelism is to win souls for Christ that will last forever. The longevity of souls in the kingdom of God demands discipleship. Souls won during evangelism should be nurtured through biblical teaching. The word should be taught in small cell groups or new convert classes so that every disciple of Christ can know the basic Christian doctrine. In Matthew 28:16–20, Jesus commanded them to them everything according to scriptures. The doctrine of salvation, prayer, holiness, stewardship etc. are among biblical doctrines that should be taught to new converts in order to transform them to growing and maturing believers.

Rationale

There are several reasons why the principle of discipleship is necessary. It is necessary as the result of the following:

1. It is a mandate from God.
2. Churches will not grow numerically and spiritually if discipleship is lacking.
3. Christians will lack the knowledge of basic biblical doctrines if there is no discipleship.

Baptize Them (Inclusion): The Church has not only been called to disciple; however, the church has been called to baptize them. After discipleship, the believers should be baptized to form part of the Christian assembly termed as the inclusion. Jesus has mandated that disciples be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is the sacrament that every believer should undergo to be symbolically identified and recognized as part of the body of Christ. Baptism is an expression of an inward change of the believer to an outward sign exhibited by every believer who is perceived to be genuinely saved after having repented from sin and has accepted salvation through Jesus Christ. It is the Christian ritual that should be endorsed by Christians. It is symbolism; however, there is an actual union that is expressed and experienced symbolically when the believer undergoes water baptism. The believer’s union symbolically occurs between the believer and the Holy Trinity.

Rationale

There are reasons outlined in scriptures why believers should be baptized. They include the following:

1. Jesus was baptized.
2. Believers are baptized to fulfill all righteousness.
3. It is recommended from scripture that believers should be baptized.
4. Baptism is the Christian sacrament; therefore, all Christians are commanded to undergo this ritual.

Teach Them (Pedagogy): The Church has not only been commanded to baptize; however, the Church has been mandated to teach them everything according to scriptures. Realistically, unbelievers need preaching while Christians need teachings. Disciples will grow spiritually when they have been taught the word of God. Spiritual growth is influenced by biblical teachings. The Church will do well if the Church prioritizes the teaching ministry by teaching its membership basic biblical doctrines.

Rationale

The teaching ministry is necessary in the church as the result of the following:

1. God mandates that the Church teaches scriptures.
2. Biblical teaching informs believers of their Christian responsibilities before God and man.
3. Biblical teaching enhances spiritual development and growth through obedience exhibited by believers.

Having been involved in mission evangelism, mission church planting, and mission education with reference to the teaching ministry during previous years of church ministry and having been exposed to the principle of evangelism during this class, I have decided to adopt and to strengthen this area of ministry. In this regard, under the future action plans, I have planned and incorporated evangelism project into the future ministry plan with specified goal while involving ministry partners, prayer partners, and financial partners and teaching core leaders to equip them in order to give them awareness of what Praise Ministries International stands for and to motivate them to subscribe to the vision.

FUTURE MINISTRY ACTION PLANS

Praise Ministries International started as a church ministry in 2007 in Monrovia after the Liberian Civil uprising. During these years of existence, Praise Ministries International has made significant impact to the Liberian community by planting few churches. During these years of ministries, our leadership has worked sacrificially and tirelessly to plant churches without stipends or compensation. Based on these financial problems to ministry’s activity, Praise Ministries International conducted a mission strategy research in Liberia through interviews and field studies in 2017 to figure out what action plan could be taken to help empower the Ministries financially to fulfill her goals of global evangelization through evangelism, church planting, and education. After the research, the charcoal and agricultural projects were selected to be implemented for ministry’s empowerment and financial sustainability. This action plan is underway to be effected as materials and financial resources become available for the projects. Everything that is needed for the success of these projects is mentioned in the mission strategy approach document. This is the number one action plan for ministry’s empowerment and sustainability. The second action plan focuses on planting churches within the fifteen political sub-divisions of Liberia for the next five years period. Liberia must be captured through the promulgation of the gospel message. Our Pastors or church planters are ready to go and we are asking partners to help us fulfill this divine mandate through generous giving. We need vehicles and among other things to send men and women on the field. On the subsequent pages, the Evangelism Plan is delineated highlighting various demographics evangelism will be carried out coupled with group summary.

The Evangelism Project Plan

In the next nine years, Praise Ministries International’s goal with reference to evangelism and church planting, will have evangelized major cities within the fifteen sub-political divisions of Liberia and planted new churches in the major cities; in this light, the Evangelism and Church Planting departments of Praise Ministries International have divided the fifteen sub-political divisions of Liberia into three groupings and fifteen zones. Below are the provinces and major cities with the 2008 census population indicating the groups and zonal areas.[1]

County	City	Population (2008 Census)	Grouping	Zonal Number
Bomi	Tubmanburg	82,036	One (1)	One (1)
Gbarpolu	Bopolu	83,758	One (1)	Two (2)
Grand Cape Mount	Robertsport	129,055	One (1)	Three (3)
Lofa	Voinjama	270,114	One (1)	Four (4)
Montserrado	Bensonville	1,144,806	One (1)	Five (5)
Bong	Gbarnga	328,919	Two (2)	Six (6)
Grand Bassa	Buchanan	224,839	Two (2)	Seven (7)
Margibi	Kakata	199,689	Two (2)	Eight (8)
Nimba	Sanniquelle	468,088	Two (2)	Nine (9)
Rivercess	Rivercess	65,862	Two (2)	Ten (10)
Grand Gedeh	Zwedru	126,146	Three (3)	Eleven (11)
Grand Kru	Barclayville	57,106	Three (3)	Twelve (12)
Maryland	Harper	136,404	Three	Thirteen (13)
River Gee	Fish Town	67,318	Three	Fourteen (14)
Sinoe	Greenville	104,932	Three	Fifteen (15)

THE GROUP SUMMARY

GROUP ONE	GROUP TWO	GROUP THREE
Bomi	Bong	Grand Gedeh
Gbarpolu	Grand Bassa	Grand Kru
Grand Cape Mount	Margibi	Maryland
Lofa	Nimba	River Gee
Montserrado	Revercess	Sinoe

In the above chart, churches will be planted in major cities and then spread to surrounding towns and villages. The strategy put into place will work; however, the church needs material resources to carry out this endeavor.

Evangelism Project

Objectives:

• PMI will conduct workshop on capital campaign to design strategies for fund raising;
• PMI will solicit funding from partners and potential donors;
• PMI will have teaching seminar on evangelism and church planting;
• PMI will recruit capable church planters and send them on the field;
• PMI will provide funding to satisfy the goal for the evangelism project;
• PMI mission team representative will monthly pay visit to the field to see how the church planter is doing;

Goal: Praise Ministries International anticipates to having the five churches planted in Group One from Zone 1–5 in three years period. In nine years period, Praise Ministries International will have planted fifteen churches in the major cities within the fifteen sub-political divisions of Liberia.

Other Ministries Establishment

Praise Ministries International will passionately preach the gospel to all ethnicities, cultural groups, the traditionalists, the youths, the underprivileged, the disadvantaged, the uneducated, the middle class, and the rich. The creation of other ministries disconnect from the spiritual ministries will be effected. Recreational ministries such as sports and among others will be encouraged, furthered, promoted, initiated, and carried out with the allover goal to minister to the psychosocial spiritual dimensions of humanity. The Ministries will teach the Bible and nurture all people and thereby bring them to the salving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In the above map, the interiors of Liberia are being grouped into three sections. The church planter is responsible to plant churches in the five major cities of the zones during 12 months period. The Pastors assigned to these churches will work and raise indigenous and train them to lead these churches. The local churches established will be in the position to take care of the pastors through offering, tithes, and mission funds raised during fund raising programs or capital campaign.

Prayer Partners Recruitment

Praise Ministries International seeks partners who will pray for the success for this great task. Within 100 days of operation or function, Praise Ministries International will seek at least 100 prayer partners for collaboration and networking. Praise Ministries International will send letters of invitation with prayer points and will ask prayer partners to commit themselves to pray for the need of the Ministries. Information regarding up to date information with reference to new prayer points and undertakings will be disseminated to prayer partners through flyers, newsletters, audios, videos, and in person presentations.

Financial Partners Recruitment

Praise Ministries International will seek financial partners knowing that God has uniquely placed people in the ministry who have the financial capability to fund projects for ministry’s acceleration. Workshop will be held to teach core leaders and ministries’ members regarding the creation of multiple streams of finance in the ministries. Such workshop could be relating to the strategies concerning organizing a capital campaign for major projects in the ministries such as the construction of the church building, office building, the support to evangelism and church planting and the construction of other infrastructures. Praise Ministries International will seek financial partners through prayers, dissemination of the ministries’ information through websites, audios, videos, newsletters, capital campaign, personal letters, and in person presentations. While Praise Ministries International plans to do such, Praise Ministries International welcomes all to become weekly, monthly, and yearly donors to the cost of the ministry’s projects.

Core Leadership Development

Praise Ministries International comprises team of leadership who has individual’s vision; therefore, Praise Ministries International encourages individuals’ vision that is translated into the team’s vision to have the assigned job done geared toward the support and empowerment of the corporate vision of Praise Ministries International. Praise Ministries International will disciple and empower incoming leaders or leadership to make sure that individuals who form part of the corporate vision are trained, equipped, and empowered to use their gifting and abilities to move the ministries forward through the grace of God to growth and multiplication. Praise Ministries International will teach and encourage every core leaders to subscribe to the corporate vision of Praise Ministries International. In conclusion, my prior ministry experience with reference to evangelism, church planting, and education coupled with the principles exposed to during the class, enables me to adopt and to strength my future ministry of evangelism leading to the church plant endeavors.

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[1]www://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/liberia-population/, Accessed 15 2019, n.p.