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.