The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
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When it’s just us
Some of the most important work in equipping disciples for their everyday happens behind the scenes – either in our personal lives or quiet pastoral encounters. Don't underestimate its impact on the other parts of church life.
Daily prayer
People rarely tell us about their ordinary days – but those days make up the majority of people’s lives. As church leaders, we need to pray not just for people’s times of greatest need, but their places of greatest time – valuing and offering up what God’s calling them to do there.
Daily Bible reading
We don’t just read the Bible for information or sermon prep. We read it to be formed as disciples ourselves. Before we help others apply Scripture to their daily lives, we need to ask God to help us do it ourselves – joining the dots between the Bible and our day-to-day.
Leading by example
As church leaders, we’re a vital sign to others of what it means to follow Jesus in all of life. That means it’s important to carve out space for things outside the church programme – sports, hobbies, friend groups – making time to be with those who don’t follow Jesus. If people see us doing it, they’ll be encouraged that God cares about their regular activities, too.
Pastoral work
Pastoral care is partly about supporting people in crisis. But it’s also about equipping people whose lives are going on as normal – helping them join in with all God’s doing in every part of their lives. From meeting people at work to texting them in the middle of an ordinary day, there’s lots we can do to equip as we care.
Daily conversations
What do you talk to people in your church about? If the answer is ‘mostly stuff that happens in church’, there’s an opportunity there to broaden the conversation. Asking people about what else is happening in their week is a key way to encourage and equip them to join in with God’s work in the detail of their everyday tasks and relationships.
Buy the book
Alongside the Assessment Tool, the Vital Signs book provides insights, examples, practical next steps, and prayers for each of the 20 vital signs.
Buy the book