Image by Alberto Adán from Pixabay

There I was, reading another home design article (one of my hobbies for killing time when I should be doing other things), and I had that moment when I say, “Golly, this is just like ministry!”  The design feature in question: light in the kitchen.  Houzz contributor David Warfel creatively explained the five layers of lighting any well-designed kitchen space needs, just like a yummy and beautiful cake, and all I could think about – beyond the realization that our own kitchen woefully features only two levels of lighting, or three if you cheat and count sunlight – was that ministry also needs its own thoughtfully planned, interlocked levels of bringing light to the world.  Leave a layer out, and it’s still good, but something’s missing!

Most of us work in ministry spaces that are also multi-functional, and I’ve bet you’ve spent a lot of time in Trustees meetings talking about actual physical lighting on your property, but just as we can light physical spaces with care in a way that enhances what happens in those spaces, so, too, can we organize our ministry.

Here is a quick summary of author David Warfel’s five layers of kitchen lighting:

Layer 1:  DOING.

Layer 2:  KNOWING.

Layer 3:  FEELING.

Layer 4:  CHANGING.

Layer 5:  The Decorative layer.  That’s not a functional layer.  That’s the icing and the cherry on top.

Here’s a little more explanation for each layer:

  • The DOING layer is the light you need to get things done, like meal preparation.
  • The KNOWING layer is the light that helps you maneuver in the space with safety and confidence.
  • The FEELING layer is the light that sets the mood.
  • The CHANGING layer is about the ability to make adjustments to your kitchen lighting from early morning til late at night (principally through sophisticated dimmers that enable adjustments based on the context of the moment).
  • The Decorative layer allows you to personalize the space and aesthetically communicate who you are.

For local churches, here are the ministry parallels – hang in there with me; I’m not describing actual lighting options in your worship space; we’re working with an extended metaphor here, one churches really need to understand:

  • The DOING layer is all about discipleship, everything a person needs to become a productive followr of Jesus.
  • The KNOWING layer is all about connections, all of the ways you are giving people to get inolved in your ministry and build relationships with others.
  • The FEELING layer is all about the culture you build, the personality and priorities of your congregation.  Who you are.  Your DNA.
  • The CHANGING layer is all about the way we respond to what is happening to the people in our care, the life transitions they experience and the impacts that big and small events have on them and their families.
  • The Decorative layer is about the things we do on the surface to stimulate and engage people.  Okay, this one includes the actual lighting options in the worship space.  And lots of other aesthetic choices.

You will notice that I went all-caps on the first four functional layers, but not with the Decorative layer.  That’s because the Decorative layer is a bonus.  An extra.  Literally, in Warfel’s example, the icing on the cake.  You can debate how important the decorative icing and any extra topping is to the concept of a complete cake, but it’s a matter of degree.  Even with no icing at all, it still meets the functional definition of a cake.  On the other hand, a pile of icing on a plate in the absence of cake is just a pile of icing.  Awfully sweet, but for most people, unfulfilling.

And yet, for too many of us in our local contexts, far too much time, energy, and money is expended on the Decorative layer.  Decorative decisions can get people very excited when they initially come in the door, but they will almost never keep people coming through that door in the long term.  If things look good, if the service is flashy and splashy, the musicians are inspiring, the social media is fun, people will be curious.  But if that entry into your community doesn’t lead to sustained spiritual growth, authentic connections, and an accountability partnership that lasts through life’s trying times, people won’t stay.  If we can’t help them expand their horizons and bring purpose to their lives, they’ll eventually head somewhere that can provide those pathways.

Deep discipleship, deep connection, deep culture (feeling like you belong to a unique community within a distinctive context), and ways to change and grow meaningfully over time is what keeps people coming.  These layers are what lead to growth and long-lasting relevance.

Each of the layers is important, and they complement and build upon one another.  Some churches do a particular layer particularly well.  This can, in fact, become what they are known for.  But a healthy, thriving, long-term ministry needs all the layers.

Churches need a defined path for discipleship growth which features clear opportunities for study, accountability, service, and generosity.

Churches need a strong plan for hospitality and connecting people together in productive and sustaining partnerships.

Churches need to accompany people in every phase of life’s journey, providing resources for common transitions and support in times of trouble.

Churches need to celebrate their core values and embrace their distinctive personalities within their communities.

If we’ve done those things, the icing on the cake is that we get to highlight our hard-earned identity using all of the creative tools at our disposal.

How are you doing at baking your cake and decorating it when its done?  Many local churches get lucky at developing individual layers because they happen to have people who are passionate and talented in those areas, and those people take the reins and move the project forward.  But a complete cake requires a recipe, the proper ingredients, and a steady focus.  Complete ministry happens when we are intentional with a plan and have properly allocated resources.  If we have a strategic approach to each individual layer, we won’t get distracted by one thing that’s going really well (which makes it easier to shrug our shoulders at the things that aren’t).

Share your own thoughts and stories in the comments section.  Let the baking begin!