Weddings, Funerals, Baptisms and Dedications Workshop

Jul 29, 2024
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Weddings, Funerals, Baptism and Dedications Workshop 

Michael Henderson Report from the MALD

Michael Henderson, from the Ministry and Leadership Development team at Tas Baptist reflects on running a workshop on the process of caring for people through four significant life events: Marriages, Funerals, Baptisms and Dedications. 

One of the joys of being a leader and a pastor is that communities invite you to participate in the significant life events such as: weddings, funerals, baptisms and dedications.  

I say joy on purpose. Funerals, in particular, are not always happy events, but they can be times of huge gratitude and compassion. This is especially true if we view them as a part of the discipleship care we offer our communities.

The Discipleship Journey

This discipleship care was the focus of our Weddings, Funerals, Baptism and Dedications workshop. It placed a priority on viewing these life events as a part of the broader discipleship care for our communities, both within our churches and around our churches. Viewed like this, a wedding, funeral, baptism or dedication is seen as a part of journeying through life with families and friends and communities. The centre for us, I argue, is the discipleship journey, where we are supporting people as they move closer to Jesus through their lives. 

Take a child dedication for example. This journey may begin when a pastor, leader or friend hears that a couple is planning on having a child. The discipleship care may continue with a conversation about the priority of family, and of a couple caring for one another. It may involve helping a couple deal with the stress of falling pregnant or a mother grieving a miscarriage. It might involve struggles in pregnancy and celebrations as the birth date draws near.

There is then the birth and early parenting support, like practical needs of food and cleaning. There is the dedication and gathering a community to celebrate this. And there is the continuing care of helping the parents now start to support their child as they grow closer to Jesus. Seen like this, the actual event of the dedication is just one moment on a life-long discipleship journey. This is true for all these life events.

Doing the Event Well

But the event often gets a lot of attention, so it is important to do the event well. At the workshop, we spent time going through each event and what needs to be done. We also discussed managing our time and expectations in our roles as leaders and pastors as we do this journey of discipleship care. Then we discussed strategies to prioritise discipleship and manage supporting people. No pastor or leader has all the time in the world, but they do have some time.  

We are Better Together

One of the beautiful parts of this workshop was the wide variety of leaders who attended. It wasn’t just pastors who attended, but also community leaders and others who desire to get involved in these events.

It was a joy to facilitate this workshop and listen to the wisdom in the room about how many do this, how beautifully they do it, and learn new ways to balance work and discipleship care. The experience highlighted to me how important it is to release gifted and passionate leaders to do this in our church communities. We truly are better together. 

May I encourage you to view discipleship as care, as journeying with people in life. Find ways to walk with people and help them grow closer to Jesus as you grow closer to Jesus. Do this as a pastor, as a leader, and as a follower of Jesus. It will make each of these events, including funerals, a truly joyous occasion. 

Weddings, Funerals, Baptism and Dedications Workshop 

Michael Henderson works part-time for Tasmanian Baptists and is responsible for Leadership Development. He attends Hobart Baptist Church. Michael is also an artist, with work held in private and public collections and in 2021 was a finalist in the 66th Blake Prize.

Weddings, Funerals, Baptism and Dedications Workshop

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