First of all, let me start by apologizing for being on a two month break. I haven't been anywhere really, in fact more online than ever, but still........... But just in case you are wondering, I am very much alive and okay.
Now to the reason why you all visit this blog.
Of late, I have been asking myself, what is ministry really, in the perspective of a Christian in service to God. What does it mean to be in ministry and to be a minister. when and where does it occur, what is the aim and other many questions that you should seriously ask yourself if you are in ministry or rather, serving God. Why is it a priority?
Today I do not have cleverly crafted answers or stuff like that, just the honest thoughts of a man being sharpened by the counsel of God as each day goes by.
Being at the helm of a ministry at times really makes you start thinking objectively, about things to come and such stuff. But more importantly the impact that as a minister, as a person you are bringing, and as a ministry too. At the end of the day, fruit has to show, and not fruit as the world knows it, but fruit that is recognizable in the realm of the spirit.
So what is ministry about? From the way I look at the gospels, it has never been about the name or the shows or the crowds that Christ could pull, or any of the other disciples could pull. It has never been about platforms. If it was about numbers, I guess we would have staticians sitting at church boards instead of real pastors. If it was about the brand, then our advertisements would be full of announcements for church services and what nots. if it was about the shows, then crusades would still be greater crowd pullers than gigs at carnivore. if it was about platforms, Christ would have spent all his days in the synagogues, of which the least stories have been written from there concerning his ministry on earth.
Why do I say so? 1 Corinthians 13 is a great testament as to what am saying. We could do everything that pertains to being a full mature Christian who is fired up to preach the gospel and look spiritual while at it, but at the end of it all, miss the point of the gospel, a.k.a. the good news. The good news of a love that not only saves but transforms.
What is it all about? Why do we do what we do? Where should our focus be? Ministry is preaching the identity we are in Christ. Many at times it has been said that the only bible a person will ever read is a Christian. Being aware that we are constantly being looked up to as the very representation of Christ is all the platform we need to be ministers of the gospel. Ministry has never been about finding the right opening but perceiving each moment as a chance to be the Christ nobody knows about but so desperately needs to know. The microphone and the pulpit has its role, but it is useless without the representation of Christ manning that place.
When is ministry? Ministry is everyday, from the moment you wake up to the point at which you snore. Ever moment we are awake is a chance to be Christ-like for that is the meaning of the word Christian. Therefore, there is no designated time for ministry, just so long as you are awake.
How do we gauge our impact? This is probably the hardest question since it also touches on what has now been a source of competition among ministers of the gospel for congregants, fans, who has more albums, who can pray longer, did people remember and recognize you for your service and other vain standards that have crept into the church. A similar scenario found in 1 Corinthians 3. The problem with this question is that at the end of the day we want to be "glory thieves". Taking the glory instead of realising we are all gardeners in the field.
However, still we need to give ourselves a reality check here. Out impact or our fruits in other people's lives is not in how they have good memories of us because we could play around with their feelings (especially musicians) but to the extent to which there has been a genuine change in their character or spiritual state. Christ was not about the business of preaching the good news that our ears love to hear, but the hard truth that changes our lives. A gospel that itches you but yet transforms and conforms you to the image of Christ daily. Our impact spiritually (because that is where it matters) cannot be gauged by the number of wall posts we get after a good sermon or show or performance, but by how much the exposed truth has made somebody to change genuinely, be it on a personal level or corporate level. Saying "its Jesus mayne" is a reflective statement that we should get to pray for grace to understand because at the end of the day, ministry is about the work of Jesus in an individual's life.
