This is the time on the church calendar when the nominating committees of most churches get busy enlisting workers and leaders for the church’s various organizations. It is a major job, carrying with it the future growth and effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the ministries throughout the church.

Sometimes the committee simply carries forward some or all of the names of those who served in the past year. Sometimes the committee, through the chairperson, moves into an arm-twisting activity.

The other side of the coin — not renominating the person who has held the job for perhaps a number of years — results in hurt feelings, which rumble through the congregation like thunder after lightning. The narcissism in America today is staggering.

Not only is the Baptist nominating committee faced with such hoops to jump through, but the bigger and more crucial task is in discerning the real gifts of God present in the candidates. And how important is this? It is the difference in going from an exciting ministry to weakness and the rut of the “same old thing.”

There is a better way. Would you like to see your church come alive and step into a ministry where the members, led by the Holy Spirit according their sense of their own spiritual gifts from God, serve with confidence and enthusiasm? This ministry is called “ACTS: A Church that Serves.” The plan was created and implemented by Forestville Baptist Church under the leadership of Marshall Fagg and Paul Fleming.

Pastors and deacons of any size Southern Baptist church should consider installing the ACTS ministry. You will open up opportunities for your members to serve through volunteerism, reflecting the gifts of the Spirit as never before. This truly biblical involvement and service by your people will build the church up in unity, faith, enjoyment and kingdom growth. Some changes will need to be made in your bylaws, with points of traditional policy or requirements not usable with this new ministry structure. One of the chief blessings of ACTS is the transformation of deacons from managers to servant-leaders. The deacons serve as an inside circle of “enablers,” pulling the whole church forward in expanded ministries as never accomplished before.

If you want a wonderful new day in your church, step forward into the ACTS ministry. There are churches, pastors and leaders with insight and testimony ready to help you: Marshall Fagg, pastor of West Gantt First Baptist Church in Greenville; Danny Burnley, pastor of Laurel Baptist Church in Greenville; Gertie Mullis, a longtime member of Laurel Church; and evangelist Paul Fleming of Forestville Baptist Church in Travelers Rest.

Try it. You’ll like it!

— Delano McMinn is the retired director of missions for Saluda Baptist Association.