The Relationship Between Shepherding and Corporate Ministry
For lay ministry to flourish beautifully, lay members must become the primary agents of shepherding, and they must also take the lead in the church’s corporate ministries. In this structure, the pastor serves as a facilitator—equipping, training, and supporting lay leaders so they can effectively carry out shepherding and ministry. To realise this vision, it is essential to understand the organizational structure and organic relationship between the two pillars that sustain Sydney Crystal Church: “shepherding” and “ministry”.
First Pillar: The Shepherding Structure
The shepherding structure consists of house church meetings, village meetings, village leaders’ meetings, and all shepherds’ meetings.
House church meetings are led by the shepherd and shepherd’s partner. Shepherds gather in village meetings led by a shepherd team leader or village leader. The all shepherds’ meeting brings together all shepherds and shepherd’s partners for the sake of the united church.
Second Pillar: The Ministry Structure
The ministry structure refers to the concrete activities that operate the united church, which is formed by the collective body of house churches. Church-wide ministries are organised under ministry department heads and team leaders.
Children’s Church and Youth Church belong to generational ministries. ANW (All Nations Worship) operates under the guidance of ministry department heads, with an ANW ministry team leader overseeing its work.
The Core Principle of Their Relationship
The most important principle governing the relationship between the shepherding structure and the ministry structure is that the ministry structure must always support the shepherding structure.
Unlike many churches that establish small groups (regional, or cell groups) primarily to manage ministry efficiently, the House Church model forms the united church through the gathering of house churches. Therefore, every ministry initiative must focus on strengthening and supporting shepherding.
When planning corporate church ministries, the primary question must be: “Does this ministry genuinely benefit the house churches?” Ministry itself must never take precedence to the point that it hinders house church meetings or weakens them. At the same time, house churches must not function independently in isolation. Healthy growth requires unity. When members actively participate in and cooperate with corporate church ministries, genuine growth occurs. However, it is important to guard against participating only in corporate ministries without belonging to or engaging in a house church. This disrupts the order of shepherding and can create difficulties within the community.
Shepherding and ministry are like the two wheels of a cart. When ministry supports house churches, and house church members joyfully participate in ministry, the church will see the healthy blossoming of lay ministry.
Word of the week
It seems that some house churches are not reading the pastor’s column in the weekly bulletin during their house church meetings.
To better understand the pastor’s heart and direction, please make sure to read and share the pastor’s column and the Sunday Corporate Worship announcements during your house church meetings.
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이동주 2026.02.28 15:41
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For lay ministry to flourish beautifully, lay members must become the primary agents of shepherding, and they must also take the lead in the church’s corporate ministries. In this structure, the pastor serves as a facilitator—equipping, training, and supporting lay leaders so they can effectively carry out shepherding and ministry. To realise this vision, it is essential to understand the organizational structure and organic relationship between the two pillars that sustain Sydney Crystal Church: “shepherding” and “ministry”.
First Pillar: The Shepherding Structure
The shepherding structure consists of house church meetings, village meetings, village leaders’ meetings, and all shepherds’ meetings.
House church meetings are led by the shepherd and shepherd’s partner. Shepherds gather in village meetings led by a shepherd team leader or village leader. The all shepherds’ meeting brings together all shepherds and shepherd’s partners for the sake of the united church.
Second Pillar: The Ministry Structure
The ministry structure refers to the concrete activities that operate the united church, which is formed by the collective body of house churches. Church-wide ministries are organised under ministry department heads and team leaders.
Children’s Church and Youth Church belong to generational ministries. ANW (All Nations Worship) operates under the guidance of ministry department heads, with an ANW ministry team leader overseeing its work.
The Core Principle of Their Relationship
The most important principle governing the relationship between the shepherding structure and the ministry structure is that the ministry structure must always support the shepherding structure.
Unlike many churches that establish small groups (regional, or cell groups) primarily to manage ministry efficiently, the House Church model forms the united church through the gathering of house churches. Therefore, every ministry initiative must focus on strengthening and supporting shepherding.
When planning corporate church ministries, the primary question must be: “Does this ministry genuinely benefit the house churches?” Ministry itself must never take precedence to the point that it hinders house church meetings or weakens them. At the same time, house churches must not function independently in isolation. Healthy growth requires unity. When members actively participate in and cooperate with corporate church ministries, genuine growth occurs. However, it is important to guard against participating only in corporate ministries without belonging to or engaging in a house church. This disrupts the order of shepherding and can create difficulties within the community.
Shepherding and ministry are like the two wheels of a cart. When ministry supports house churches, and house church members joyfully participate in ministry, the church will see the healthy blossoming of lay ministry.
Word of the week
It seems that some house churches are not reading the pastor’s column in the weekly bulletin during their house church meetings.
To better understand the pastor’s heart and direction, please make sure to read and share the pastor’s column and the Sunday Corporate Worship announcements during your house church meetings.