The first question we might ask about policy making in the church is “why?” — Why should a church need to make policies? We could respond with a number of reasons which all could be true. But we must step back further and look at the church’s purpose to love God and love people, the Greatest Commandments according to Jesus.
How our Purpose to Love Affects Our Policy Making Objectives
According to 1 Corinthians 13:7, love “always protects.” Our Church Purpose therefore provides objectives for policy-making:
1) We want to make sure God is glorified. We love Him so much we want to protect the glory of His name through our church or ministry.
The objective is not to be legalistic in our relationship with Lord but rather, because we love Him, we want His name lifted up and not marred by what we do.
2) We want to make sure people are provided for and safe. We love people so much that we want to protect them from harm and disunity.
The objective is not to control or manipulate people into conforming but to guide and look after their welfare.
Start any policy making by asking these questions:
- What kinds of policies are needed to meet these objectives?
- What kinds of policies will be counterproductive to meeting these objectives?
After providing a list of benefits for making policies, the Steering the Church Toward God’s Purposes Leadership Guide includes the encouragement in this post to provide policies in accordance with God’s purposes of love.
All Posts about Policy Making:
- Policy Making Objectives
- Policy Making Parameters
- Policy Making & the Big Picture
- Policy Making & Freedom in Christ
- Policies with No Hidden Agendas
- Policies Reflecting Both Grace & Truth
- Church Policies & the Next Generation
- Don’t Let Policies Take on a Life of Their Own
- Spiritual Gifts in Determining Policies
- Spiritual Gifts for Writing Policies
- Spiritual Gifts Suited for Implementing Policies
- Turning to God or to Church Policies?
- God’s Your Defender, Not Your Church Policies
- Policies Shaped by the Gospel
- Policies Reflecting the Gospel
- Policies Shaped by Grace
- Policy-Making Safeguarded by Grace
- Why Policies When We Have God’s Word?
- Power to Maintain the Proper Focus in Policymaking
- Policies Reflecting the Resurrection
- Church Policies Done in the Name of the Lord Jesus
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