For decades mid-to-large size churches here in North Georgia thrived in silos. I even served under a senior pastor who boasted he was the ‘King of the Silos’. 

The Business Dictionary defines a silo as “a mindset present when certain departments or sectors do not wish to share information with others in the same company. This type of mentality will reduce efficiency in the overall operation, reduce morale, and may contribute to the demise of a productive company culture.”

Organizational “silos” is the term given to departments or ministries within your church that have a tendency to protect themselves, hoard and maintain resources for their own projects, and to place their own goals ahead of the larger vision of the church. Unseminary, Feb. 2024

I’m sure no local church started out that way, but here we are.

Local churches are finding greater effectiveness by prioritizing smaller, more intimate groups sharing and collaborating for gospel effectiveness. A Family Ministry Team of areas previously siloed can be the answer to equipping the core believers while leaving seats open for new disciples and updated ideas. Working together we can streamline generational discipleship milestones, faith formation educational experiences, congregational care led by laity, parent equipping through coaching and small groups, filling family holes, and families serving alongside families.

This week we’ll be gathering the leaders of previously siloed ministries along with their wingmen/second chairs at a local restaurant to get the ball rolling. We’ll start with a ‘shout out’ for someone or something which filled our buckets over the last week then begin discussing systems and processes for….

1. Communication & marketing – All church things are good, but what is the best use of resources of time, space, assets, and people by calendar seasons? With our history, we have a great number of faithful servants who have led ministries and missions passionately where many came from. What will it take to navigate not becoming a 2.0 simply because we’ve always done it that way leaving space for a modern and courageous reimagination? One way is to begin with clearly stated goals of the item/event and how it will line up within the navigational beacons of the church vision. Let’s follow that by discussing how we can bridge multiple areas, like three or more, to bump up the effectiveness before, during, and after the event/idea. Yeah, we’re gonna talk about that. 
2. Facility usage and reserving spaces – With ‘community’ in our name, we’ll be pushing to continue to meet and celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness in public spaces. Yes, it is easier to reserve a room at church, but what if instead of frying the bacon for a men’s breakfast in the church kitchen, we instead went for breakfast at the local donut shop, bread bakery, or biscuit place to support a local business and witness boldly? Maybe instead of gathering inside, what pivot can be invited to put it outside? Yeah, we’re gonna talk about that.
3. Calendaring – One of the great joys of starting something new is there should be no sacred cows over the calendar. We can share faith formation events by the quarter and edit to excellence the sharing of all of the members of the church family. Yeah, we’re gonna talk about that.

Family Ministry is not just coordinating events for all kinds of families, but rather setting the table so that everyone comes and goes away experiencing what it feels like, looks like, sounds like, smells like, and even tastes like (potluck, anyone?) to be part of a healthy family of faith. No matter what stage or age we gather, may we learn to set a family table for all in public places where the name of Jesus just rolls off our tongues in everyday conversation.

Carey Neuhoff wrote recently about 7 Church Trends That Will Disrupt 2024. He notes that the Boomers haven’t prioritized church life with the post-pandemic return. The slow coffee Sunday morning is just too comfortable. The oldest Millennials turn 43 this year and are not the least bit interested in Christian-lite nor an overproduced stage. The youngest Millennials and GenXers (think 27yo) are all-in when it comes to community and looking to follow Jesus with great passion with their whole heart and head. How will we set the Family Ministry table for all? Who will model that? Yeah, we’re gonna talk about that.

“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.” Proverbs 4:25