Faith Akers: The Dynamics of 80/20 Churches

On Sunday, our minister at Westside Church of Christ gave a message on
doing things for Christ, instead of being spectators and watching. In Matt's
message, he used the ratio of 80/20, about 80% of the church enjoys and
watches the hard work of the 20% that do the work.
What was ironic to me was the display of this ratio played out by, the church
I attend, right after the sermon. Matt called for all those involved in our mission
trip, our VBS, and our Bako project to come forward and for "The Church" as
a whole to come forward and pray for these workers that we, The Church" were
sending out to do God's work.
For me, coming from a Pentecostal upbringing, I was surprised that there were
people still sitting in chairs. I fully expected everyone to come forward and pray
for the work that our people were doing on behalf of Westside and Jesus Christ.
I realize that some of our people have health issues, that prevent them from
participating in certain things. I also realize, that for a lot of Church of Christ
people that this request was not a normal occurrence, as it would be, in a lot
of churches.
Still, for me, the end of service was a reflection of what Matt had talked about.
80% of the church sat in their pews, while 20% was on the stage, getting ready
to do God's work.
That ratio differs a little from church to church. Jesus told all of us to spread
His Word and His Father's Word to the world. I have never read in scripture,
20% of my followers go into the world and spread the Gospel, while 80% of
you sit and do nothing.
Think about the outreach into a community, a state, a country, the world, if
all of us took God's Message of love to everyplace we went. While I or no one
else can be perfect and take every opportunity to spread God's Word. Just think
of the outreach, if we could just turn the ratio around. 80% doing Christ's work
and only 20% sitting and watching.
Christ would have four times as many workers, as He has now. Four times
as many people finding Jesus Christ. Four times as many disciples teaching
discipleship to others. Four times as many people on the streets, highways, and
byways of this world.
Christ not only wants us to heed His call.