Reframing of Ministry

God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”

(2 Chronicles 1:11-12 ESV)

Those who are successful in this life are successful because of God, not because of their human ability.

Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time, when it suddenly falls upon them

(Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 ESV)

Individuals and/ministries that seek to be swift, strong, wise, rich, intelligent, and knowledgeable can easily fail in that they have forgotten the fact that God is in charge of the time and chance, and those are ultimately what matters.

Ministry accepts uniqueness as the norm.

One thing, not many. All that we do must run through the one filter that we have.

Ministries often evolve into places that work diligently at supporting the mission, and use the mission as the motivator rather than work the mission as the mission.

Some would use the word balance. Some would use common sense. Some would talk about the practically of the things we do and the importance of the practical.

When you read Hebrews 11, about the ones who got it right, balance, practical, and common sense were not the descriptors we should use.

First and foremost, we must understand that balance, common sense, and practicality are things that often eclipse God.  As the eclipse takes place, we are awed, as we would be for a lunar eclipse, but the amazement is not because we have seen the hand of God, but because we have obscured the hand of God, and are awed by the eerie effect.

However, balance, common sense, and practicality are tools we should use in the context of what they mean in the scope of knowing God and making Him known.

For example: Did Noah or Stephen or Daniel display common sense, practicality, and balance?

Since they knew God, they did. It is perfectly sensible and extremely practical for one to listen to God. If you know God, you trust Him. You may not understand Him, but you trust Him. Therefore you do as He tells you, immediately, and without question. Humanly, it was not practical, nor did it make common sense, but in the context of Who it was who told you to build, it was both.

Likewise we talk about balance in life. God seems to teach balance in life in teaching us to work six days and then spend one day focused on relationships. God seems balanced in that He gave us daylight hours and night time hours.

The Apostle Paul was in the will of God and worked his mission, while working on his own, in order to be able to eat. Ezekiel, Jeremiah, and others were often pressed beyond what a human should endure.

Perhaps we have westernized the idea of balance, common sense, and practicality, and because mankind has eclipsed God, we see no problem.

Ministry today does not need more balance, common sense, or practical advice from those who do not love, enjoy, and obey God. We do not need to make sure we are cared for. We need to make sure we are enjoying and obeying the only One who can care for us.

It seems as if many churches have become about people rather than about God, and para- church ministries have become about people rather than about supporting the church.

As a Godless politician believes that he/she gets his/her power from the people, and adjusts his/her focus in order to win a majority of them to their side, ministries can easily begin to think that they, too, receive their power from the people, and begin to work the crowds like skillful politicians, rather than someone like John the Baptist.

If repentance is what we need, then where is the genuine cry for an example of repentance?

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place.

(2 Chronicles 7:14-15 ESV)

Because God is who He is, we are here to show the world that He is who He says He is. We do that first and foremost by having a staff and board who enjoy Him and obey Him. We do that by looking for ways in every area of our daily work to show who He is and how He operates.

We do not work at portraying a place and a people who love and honor God. We work at actually loving and honoring God. We are about knowing Christ, first and foremost, and then allowing the Holy Spirit to use us and our circumstances to show the world who He is.

Perhaps Mary was the most blessed of all people. She was one who was impregnated by the Holy Spirit, misunderstood by her fiancé, friends, relatives, and country. She was the one who had to travel when she was about to give birth, and then landed in a barn among relatives who somehow rejected this girl by not giving up their rooms in the inn. Mary gave birth, had to go on the run, lost Joseph somewhere along the way, and watched her innocent son get taken, beaten, and crucified.

In a human, practical sense, she did not seem blessed, yet she was, as defined by God.

Our goal is to be blessed of God. This may not mean comfort, wealth, fame, fortune, etc., and we must remain focused on what that looks like. In all things we must consider how we might show the world in which we live who God is, to give a visibility to the conceptual ideas of God to the Godless.

Ministry is and should be unique or holy, and will remain that way as long as our goal and efforts are directed towards knowing Him and making Him known.

Contentment- Our Weapon Of Choice

I was recently reading a blog that was written by an accomplished advertising guru aimed at helping the next generation of copywriters.

I have always known that advertising in general is not for the benefit of the one they are trying to persuade, but for both the copywriter’s ego/financial gain, and the company’s bottom line.

With that in mind, one must be discerning in that what is read, said, or imagined in that it may represent some of the most destructive principles known to man. (I am choosing to not reveal the blogger.)

The blogger stated this: “…in theory and sometimes practice, we are efforting to ‘make people want what they don’t need.’” Can you imagine being one who lives their life dreaming about how they can convince people to covet things for which they have no real need?  Does this make life better for anyone other than those who write the copy, get paid for their writing, and those who benefit from the sale? This seems like, at least a purposeless existence, and at most, evil.

The blogger continues to say this: “Admit it, copywriters. When you’re drafting a manifesto for a product or service or company (it doesn’t much matter what the thing is) don’t you feel the power at your fingertips? There, at your desk, you are creating a myth. Our words are like sparks and we want them to ignite. We are toying with Pandora’s Box and it is nothing short of thrilling.”

This comes from a man who is an “expert” in the field, and who hopes to help young copywriters get it right. The idea of control, deception, and the creation of importance from the meaningless seems more Satanic than noble.

He continues: “Who doesn’t want their copy to go viral? To be shared. To spread like, frankly, a disease….With powerful alchemy, we will have turned people into consumers. Into Believers. We will have become god’s of advertising!” 

There seems to be an obsession with controlling people and gaining something at their expense, at creating something from nothing, and focusing on using our persuasive abilities for personal gain rather than for the good of others.

What has happened to responsibility? He states this: “Your exact philosophy will be a function of percentages. I’d say my current philosophy is 60% passion to 40% responsibility.” This leaves a person to be driven mainly by their passions, and somewhat subdued by their responsibility. Yet without God, what does responsibility even look like?

What is even sadder is that this advertising guru seems to have captured the actual thinking of our culture. This mindset is confused, self-absorbed and out of control. He said this: “The fantasy of winning untold riches is at the crux of human desire. It drove countless throngs into the California wilderness looking for gold. A few found some. More died trying. Still, there was that chance…And yet who didn’t buy a lottery ticket this week? I’m willing to bet millions of people who otherwise despise the 1% stood in line for a shot at becoming one. Perhaps these myriad hopefuls believe, upon winning hundreds of millions of dollars, that they would not become selfish snobs living only for pleasure and hedonism. One need only look at rock stars and pro athletes to see how that plays out. Sure, I’m generalizing (there are plenty of millionaires and billionaires who are great philanthropists) but you must concede the point: We are all willing to chance our integrity for the possibility of riches. It’s the American Dream.”

The American dream--the idea that our forefathers fought and died for--was that we might have the chance to abandon our integrity on the altar of chance? This seems like a distortion at best, and, once again, Satanic at worst.

Those who have learned to be content in any state, they are truly unique. They are either mentally challenged or challenging others’ mentality.

If one is chasing significance, security, or contentment, they will never find it, for it is a gift that cannot be earned and is given to those who discover and respond to God’s mercy.  The purpose behind the advertising industry is to foster a dissatisfaction with all things present, while promising that whatever they offer will finally bring them the satisfaction, in the present.

False hopes and dreams based on lies and manipulations do not make for a better life.

Americans are easily manipulated into believing that it is possible to have our best life now, and they diligently seek it, until they realize that it has all been a sham, and it is too late to pull out of the materialistic tailspin we have started.

Modern advertising is based on using people, not loving people. It is based on greed and covetousness, and uses half-truths, lies, and distortions to manipulate. Advertising, television shows, movies, etc. are based on the “pretend,” and have become more important to us than reality, which is getting even harder to identify. It is the stuff American dreams are made of.

The only way to render this medium powerless is to turn it off. We need to choose to often and intentionally create a Sabbath rest when we spend time with God and each other. We need a standard by which we can measure all information. We need a filter, outside of ourselves, that can sort out the clever lies from the sometimes mundane truth.

Truth sets us free, lies enslave, and those who have no truth have no good choices. If we refuse to reject that which destroys, we choose to be destroyed.

It is even possible and even probable that the very people and institutions that were set up by God to oversee abandons their responsibility as they did in Jeremiah’s time. Jeremiah 14:14 states this: And the Lord said to me:“The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

Any nation that is ruled by the “lie” is not ruled, but is manipulated, and will pay a significant price. Right before the previously stated Jeremiah passage, God told Jeremiah the following: The Lord said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. (Jeremiah 14:11-12 ESVST)

No one is guaranteed a second, third, or fourth chance, and those “prophets and priests” who proclaim that God never gives up must not read what God has said and done in the past. Believing something does not make it true, for truth stands even if I do not believe it.

Unless Christians actually become Christ-followers and guard our minds, we will lose our minds, and the very purposes we were created to enjoy will be the considered unachievable.

It is impossible to love this world and love God. We will prove God right on this one way or another.