When ministry is messy, think meshy

Ministry is either growing or it's dying.  Staying the same isn't an option.  If during this season of evaluation, you feel like your ministry is about the same as it's been, it's not.  It's dying.  One way to consider vitalizing story telling, idea sharing, and space creation is to look to the mesh for ministry. 

The Mesh by Lisa Gansky characterizes a mesh business or organization as one that typically:

· offers something (products, services, raw materials, experiences) that can be shared within a community
· utilizes web and mobile data networks at a high level to track activity and gather feedback
· focuses on value (short term and long term) of deliverables and the sustainability of goods, including their recovery
· transmits offerings, news, and recommendations largely through word of mouth, augmented by social network 

So then:

If you neglect to get the announcement about the yard sale in the bulletin, but don't have to grovel to the lead volunteer because "now nobody's going to come", you might be meshy.


If you form a small accountability group of folks looking for a job or career and you rely on the Catholic church across town to provide the nuts and bolts job ministry components, you might be meshy.


If the golf tournament, the wednesday night class on social principles of your faith, and the phone call from the annoying social justice fanatic all work to develop a few core relationships that move toward an inner city community development movement, you might be meshy.


Ultimately whether or not you are meshy or want to be meshy may be a simple of matter of "Do you want to live?"


or

"Do you want to stay the same?"

Given the choice: choose life.