There is a difference between “hands-off” ministry and “hand off” ministry.
A “hands off” approach to ministry suggests that the pastor or leader doesn’t touch the ministry area. He can’t get his hands dirty or his mind involved. It’s almost beneath him.
A “hand off” ministry is very different. It’s like a quarterback who performs a hand off to a running back. That quarterback has held the ball, he’s gotten his own hands dirty from the ball, but now it’s time for someone else to carry the ball. The quarterback is still involved; he simply empowers other people to be part of the action.
I pray that all of us in leadership at Good Shepherd avoid a hands off approach to the ministry of the church.
And that we enthusiastically embrace the hand off approach.
Why is this critical? My default response is to run a quarterback keeper. Instead of handing ministry off to people who should own it — the people of the church — I hold on to it for all it is worth.
So . . . hands off? No. I want us to get in the trenches of ministry.
Hand off? Absolutely. Because ministry is too vital not to share.