Dear Fellow-Yoked, In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus indicated that the seed which was planted could have
many possible outcomes. While some seed would die, others would produce "100, 60 or
30 times what was sown" (Matthew 13:23). In our proclamation of the seed of God's Word, we can also expect such diverse
outcomes. One of the things which affects these outcomes is "Capacities."
Ministry Health article 256 deals with this specific subject and offers insights to this
key to ministry health and fruitfulness. The article is printed in plain text below and
can be read in html format at http://ministryhealth.cis.to/256_capacities.html. May God bless us as He continues to transform us to greater capacities for ministry in
His name! Tom Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor ><>><>><>><>><>< Ministry Health Web Site Capacities Number 256 Thomas F. Fischer Perhaps there's no other calling on earth which deals with capacities as much as the
ministry. Pastors, as leaders, live and die by the capacity of their leaders to lead,
their followers to follow, and the limitations of their own capacities. Capacities are the various levels of abilities and tolerances individuals and
organizations have in various circumstances. Capacities can also be defense mechanisms.
Capacities also are indicative of the level and depth of the various individual abilities,
talents and giftedness. Individuals with high capacities in given areas tend to be effective at maintaining or
overcoming threats to healthy function in those respective areas. Those with lesser
capacities may not be able to deal with various circumstances without engaging in some
reactive response. All individuals and organizations have capacities. Pastors, leaders, followers, and
churches also have various capacities. To the degree individuals or organizations have
certain capacities is the degree to which they will likely overcome or succumb to the
various pressures and circumstances which they encounter. An excellent example of one of these capacities is the "Capacity To Act" (cf.
Ministry Health Article 255). The capacity to act is simply the ability to carry out
appropriate action in spite of difficult circumstances. Imagination and experience may indicate other kinds of capacities including, for
example, the... 1) Capacity For Patience: How patient are you? Does your impatience often do you in? 2) Capacity For Frustration: How much frustration can you tolerate before you give up?
(Cf. Ministry Health article #216, "Capacity For Suffering,"by Greg Morris) 3) Capacity For Leadership: Are you able to carry the load of leadership? 4) Capacity For Vision: Are you able to develop a vision? 5) Capacity For Persistence: Are you able to carry a vision to completion? Or do you
get easily diverted? 6) Capacity For Empathy: Are you able to feel with others? 7) Capacity For Recognizing Consequences: Can you readily see what potential
consequences certain decisions and actions may have? 8) Capacity For Tolerating Ambiguity: Are you comfortable when things are not clear?
Are you able to remain calm in such situations or do you become overwhelmed, fearful, and
out of control? The type of response demonstrated when things are not perfect and under
control is an indicator of the capacity for tolerating ambiguity. 9) Capacity To Face Fear: Courage is the ability to move in spite of fear. The capacity
to face fear is the ability to exercise courage in the face of danger. When you confront
fearful things, people and situations, how do you respond? Do you face it? Or do you flee? 10) Capacity To Teach: Do you have the patience and energy necessary to mentor
individuals or groups as a teacher? Or do you get frustrated because people can be so
"stupid"? 11) Capacity To Learn: Some people can be taught. Others can't. Others can be taught
some things, but not others. Still others only have capacities to learn to only to a
specific level before they reach their capacities. 12) Capacity To Unconditional Love: Do you have the ability to sacrificially love
others? Or are you afraid of the intimate sharing of friendship and trust? 13) Capacity To Understand: Some people are able to understand the broader and more
complex issues which underscore various circumstances. Others, however, are more
simple-minded. Are you able to think things through? Or do you find yourself drawing
instant decisions based on factual information? 14) Capacity To Change: Can you recognize when positions, methods, policies, and
comfortable ways of doing things are obsolete? Can you change them? Or do you keep
insisting on your old "familiar" way? The list of capacities, of course, is virtually endless. Perhaps the most important
capacities not listed above are capacities specifically related to faith. These might
include, for example, the... 1) Capacity To Forgive: Some individuals can forgive "seventy times seven."
Others seemingly can't ever forgive another's wrongdoing...or even their own. Though, as
it is said, "forgiveness follows understanding," the capacity to forgive is one
of the most important--but sometimes most lacking--capacity for Christians. 2) Capacity To Trust: The "Capacity To Trust" is constantly tested in our
relationship with God and others, too. As is true of all capacities, in some situations
the capacity may be higher while in others it may be near ly non-existent. Can you really
trust God in all things? Really? Are you sure? 3) Capacity Of Faith: Hebrews 11 gives a marvelous description of this capacity to go
against all odds simply because it is God's will. It clings to God's promises and
anticipates God's intervention and guidance in every single area of life. Can you go, in
faith, to where God calls you? Or are you hesitant, unwilling, or resistant? 4) Capacity To Believe: This was Thomas' problem. His capacity for believing that
Christ was truly risen depended on his senses--seeing, touching, feeling, etc. The
"blessed" ones, Jesus said, have the "capacity to believe." They
believe even the most miraculous working of God even when others can't imagine the
possibility of it even being a potential happening. Can you believe in God's promises to
you? Do you have the capacity to believe what God's power really can do in your ministry? Capacities also apply to such Biblical concepts as spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit not only gives His gifts as He chooses and according to His gracious
working. He also gives capacities with each of these gifts. For example, someone may be
endowed with the gift of helps. Yet, the capacity of that giftedness may not extend to a
ministry of help in a prison. The gift of leadership also has with it various capacities. Some leaders have very high
leadership capacities in working with entire dynamic congregations but may find leadership
capacities in a Sunday School program somewhat taxed. Fruits of the Spirit are also subject to capacities. In an imperfect world corrupted by
sin, it is impossible to see "patience, kindness...self-control" in their
perfect, unlimited capacities. Instead, those demonstrating extreme patience with others'
children may have little capacity for their own. Those with a capacity for
"self-control" around those whom they know and trust may find that, in the face
of opposition, that capacity may increase or decrease. 1) Capacities are, to a large degree, situational. The capacities individuals are able to demonstrate are often influenced by the
environment. Is it hostile or friendly? familiar or strange? Is there a general attitude
of trust or distrust? 2) Individuals and Groups each have capacities. Every pastor has different capacities
for each unique circumstance of leadership. Every congregation also has its own set of
capacities. Every sub-group within the congregation also has capacities. 3) Capacities Influence Behavior. Some of the most supportive churches have the capacity to develop long-standing
supportive relationships with pastors. They have the capacity for gratitude. They have
capacities for leadership, for empathy, for understanding and for working things out.
Because they have these capacities, they are able to respond in such constructive ways. Unsupportive churches, on the other hand, may have these same capacities but not be
able to exercise them at such high levels. 4) Capacities Can Be General Or Specific. The capacity for giving may be quite strong relative to some organizations and
individuals but be nearly non-existent for others. Others, however, may have more
generalized capacities for generosity regardless of the specific situations. Every
situation and circumstance test capacities. Some are able to generalize their capacities consistently in all situations. Others
have less of a capacity for capacity generalization. All, however, have capacities which
tend to be general or specific. 5) Capacities Enable Understanding And Relationship. Marriages, like nearly all human relationships, are sustained and broken on capacities.
Marriages which don't have the capacity for trust, friendship and intimacy are doomed. But
not always. Sometimes couples stay together who have no "real" relationship base
or sharing. Though they could split up, a main reason they don't is that there is a
recognition that one or both parties simply don't have the capacity to go beyond what they
are doing. When the couples understand that there are built-in
limitations—capacities—to their relationship, they gain a sense of toleration,
perseverance and understanding. Though it may not be "love" in the fullest
capacity which God has given us, for such couples it is, nevertheless, "love."
Their love has its limits, but knowing and accepting their limits enables them to resource
other compensatory capacities allow the marriage to "work." 6) Capacities Compensate For Other Lesser Capacities. As in the example above, when one capacity is low there may be another complementary
capacity to compensate. "Compensative capacities" are an outstanding resource
that people often use to make up for other areas of their own individual weakness. 7) Capacities Compliment Others' Capacities. Since no one has a full panoply of capacities in every area of life and ministry, it is
important to recognize that one person's capacities complement another's capacities. For
example, a pastor who has low capacity to create vision to unify people may use capacities
of caring to draw people together. Recognizing the lack of capacity to create vision, this
same pastor can seek those with a greater capacity for vision-directed leadership. 8) Capacities Combine To Increase Capacity Thresholds. When individuals with complementary capacities (or lack of them) link together, the
result is a magnification of the capacities. On the positive side, this means that when
those with high capacity for risking, entrepreneurship, faith and vision connect with
others with similarly high capacities in these areas, the capacities greatly increase
arithmetically or exponentially. 9) Low Capacities Combine To Decrease Capacity Thresholds. The same effect described above can also be demonstrated in the negative. When people
with low or non-existent capacities for risking, entreprenuership, faith and vision get
together with other like-capacitated individuals, the lacking of these capacities is
greatly magnified...arithmetically or exponentially. The result is that the effects of the
low capacities are magnified, resulting in things such as fear, hesitancy, anxiety and
even self-sabotage. 10) Capacities Can Be Changed. Though there are certainly upper and lower limits, capacities can be changed. They can
be changed through education, experience, changes in spirituality, life experiences,
altered cerebral chemistry, attitudes, and developmental experiences. Perhaps one of the greatest capacity change catalysts is pain. Pain causes individuals
and organizations to test the thresholds of their capacities. When tested, the thresholds
respond by increasing them or decreasing them. The phrase "Once burned, twice
shy" indicates that several capacities have been challenged and changed. Whereas the
capacity for caution has increased, the capacity for trust has decreased. Another capacity changer is prayer. The cliche "Prayer changes things"
testifies to this. One need think only of the Psalms to recognize that prayer often has a
strong element of capacity expansion in its expression. St. Augustine's prayer,
"Lord, I believe, help my unbelief" is a classic example of the believer seeking
greater capacities of faith. Of course, the ultimate prayer to expand capacities is the
prayer, "Thy will be done." Scripture is full of examples in which God used prayer and pain to change capacities.
The prophets incessantly preached words of capacity changing. In urging God's people to
turn from their sins, they called the people toward eliminating their capacity to tolerate
wrongdoing, injustice, and other abominations. At the same time, they gave the invitation
to experience God's capacity for love and forgiveness and to reflect that high capacity in
their love for others. Those specifically called by God were often called through painful experiences. Abraham
may have felt great pain in leaving his home. The disciples experienced painful
transformation as they left everything to follow Jesus. Saul experienced excruciating pain
and self-searching throughout his ministry. Indeed, those who faced and paid the greatest
price of God's calling, martyrdom, perhaps experienced the greatest capacity changes of
all. It's always intriguing to hear retired, faithful pastors (if indeed pastors really do
"retire") reflect on their ministry. Virtually every time they will say things
like "If only I could have started my ministry knowing what I now know,"
"Ministry was much different than I thought it would be," and "I turned out
to be a much different kind of pastor than I ever thought I'd be," indicate that the
calling to ministry is, like those Biblical examples before us, a painful and prayerful
changing of capacities. Perhaps that is why ministry is such a challenge to those in active ministry. During
the height of conflict, on the verge of a major capital fund drive, or in the
consideration of how to deal with some difficult people in a seemingly irreconcilable
situation, capacities are changed. How pastors and others deal with these capacity challenges is important not only to
ministry, our church, and to those affected by us. It is important for our spirituality as
well. Indeed, such challenges will demonstrate our spiritual capacity to trust God. When pastors and Christian leaders recognize that individuals have capacities it can
change everything. Some individuals don't have the capacity to follow through. If one
recognizes that, it will result in 1) a greater patience with that individual's lack of capacity, and 2) a reorientation of the expectations for that individual. Recognizing who has greater and lesser capacities is as critical as knowing their
spiritual giftedness, their talents, etc. Capacities also may help resolve those sometimes difficult relationship issues between
staff members, congregational members and pastors. Recognizing that some staff members,
congregation members and pastors have various capacities to sustain relationships, to seek
forgiveness, and to work in a team can help ease frustration of expectations when such
capacities appear to fall short of desired levels. Congregational conflict, especially that of the recurring type, may be indicative of
congregational capacity levels in various areas. Those who can't see any other way but
their own are working from a set of capacity levels which will virtually always result in
the repeated emergence of recurrent conflict issues. Individuals always asking "Why
can't everyone be more like me?" also demonstrate a lack of awareness of numerous
things...including the awareness of others' capacities and their own limited capacities. Recognizing capacities is not, of course, a panacea for everything that befalls the
Church. But in those with a capacity for recognizing capacities, it can give a sense of
"normalcy" when all else seems to fail. When situations or people can't be changed it can be an effective coping mechanism to
know that a reason these situations or individuals may not be able to do other than what
they have done is because they don't have the capacity to do otherwise...at least for the
time being. There are a "variety of gifts" all given by the "same Spirit," Paul
said in Ephesians 4. What he didn't indicate was that there are also a variety of
capacities, too. Or did he??? In Romans 12:6-8 Paul wrote, "We have different gifts,
according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is
encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give
generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let
him do it cheerfully." (NIV) Everyone in ministry has different capacities. Those who can serve well may not have
large capacities for teaching. Those gifted with impressive capacities for prophesying may
not have capacities for contributing to the needs of others. Those who can demonstrate
remarkable capacities for leadership may not have capacities for showing mercy. Though virtually every minister desires to have unlimited capacities in every area of
potential ministry, God does not give His grace as we choose. He blesses us with some
wonderful, life-changing, ministry-energizing capacities while making us sometimes
painfully aware of our lesser capacities. Recognition and acceptance of limited capacities in self and others can also go a long
way to discover complementary capacities. After all, the ministry is not a
"go-it-alone" proposition. Ministry is a Body activity which, working in
fellowship with others, attains to the full unity of Christ as each part works together to
complement each others' capacities. Perhaps the most grave failure is to fail to recognize God's unlimited capacities. The
greatest calling of the Christian pastor is to continually resource higher capacities of
faith. Such capacities to which we are called include unlimited love, unlimited
forgiveness, unlimited vision, unlimited zeal, unlimited trust in an unlimited God who
knows no limits to capacities. Indeed, to acknowledge, trust and proclaim a God with illimitable capacities is not
only the core of our preaching, but it's the core of the Gospel-driven belief that, in
God, the impossible becomes possible, the unimaginable becomes realizable, and the
unexpected becomes nothing short of a concrete display of God's power. The greatest display of this, of course, is in Christ's victory over Satan. With
supra-cosmic capacities, He "made a spectacle" of Satan. By the work of
the Gospel, Christ overcame the limiting effects of the Law to create fear, guilt,
insecurity, feelings of loss of control, and focus on man's powerlessness. Indeed, it is
also in the area of capacities that man "falls short of the glory of God." The Gospel which we preach, however, knows no end to the capacity of God to work among
men. It knows no end to the extension of unconditional grace and forgiveness to sinners.
It is the belief in the Gospel which, in the final analysis, responds in weakness,
humility and joy before the God who alone has unlimited capacities. It is those capacities which the prophets and apostles drew upon regularly. It is why
each day we live "in Christ." It is why we are "baptized into Christ",
His death, and His resurrection. Indeed that is why Paul said, "I can do all things
in Christ Who strengthens me." What is it that God is calling your church to do? Does it seem difficult...or
impossible? Does it seem to be one of those divinely postured BHAG's?* Do you get
discouraged because you don't think it can happen and see no evidence of the same? Then quit looking to your own limited capacities. Preach, teach, model, and live by the
ultimate capacity of capacities--the capacity to look to God's power and trust Him
to do the unthinkably miraculous in your ministry. God has the capacity to act. He has the capacity to be faithful. Quit relying on your
capacities. He's got more capacity to build your ministry than you can ever imagine! Just
try it and see! Thomas F. Fischer * For more information see Ministry Health Article #169, "Get ABHAG." Ministry Health E-mail Newsletter © Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999 -- Thomas F. Fischer All Rights Reserved Main Site: http://ministryhealth.cis.to/
What Are Capacities?
Examples Of Capacities
Other Capacities
Capacities In Other Areas...
Observations Regarding Capacities
God Changes Capacities
The Call To Ministry: A Call To Changed Capacities
Capacities In Your Ministry: Two Applications
Application One: Congregational Ministry
Application Two: Your Personal Pastoral Ministry
God's Unlimited Capacities
Unlimited Gospel Capacities
Look Beyond Your Capacities
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