Ok. I have been sitting on this possible blog for a very long time. Part of the reason why I have not written it is because I just haven't had the time, but the other reason is because when I thought about approaching this subject it would have sounded really condemning instead of trying to better understand the perception of the term 'in ministry', so I waited until now. I feel as though I will not be ranting...I hope.
'In ministry' has bothered me from the very first time I heard it. The reason why is we hear a lot about how we are all called to be disciples, but then hear in church those who choose to go to Seminary, or be a Pastor are going 'into ministry', or 'feel called'. We define those who are 'in ministry' and put them in a category much like we do engineers, or doctors, or teachers. The reality though is as far as I read in the Bible, we are all 'in ministry'. Jesus doesn't call the Disciples to make converts who will do other things than be in ministry, but He calls the Disciples to make Disciples. See I think the term 'in ministry' should be used for all people who have devoted their lives to Christ, follow Him, and live it out in whatever context they are passionate about.
One of the great explanations and understandings of 'in ministry' is given by none other than Martin Luther (he was the leader of the Protestant Reformation). He tells a simple story about a shoe repairman. He asks the question, what would glorify God more: if the man stitched crosses in the shoes, or he made really good shoes? Luther's answer is of course that the man make really good shoes!
Not everyone is called to be a missionary, or pastor, or theologian, or any other vocation deemed 'in ministry'. Some are called to make really good shoes; some to be great teachers; some to be great doctors; some to be great pilots, or artists, or builders, or engineers, or ceo's. It does not matter what we are called to do, but it matters who we are doing it for; it matters why we do it. We all have the ability to be 'in ministry' if we are doing it because God has given us the gifts to do it; we do whatever that is to the best of our abilities and to the glorification of God himself.
I have a friend who is a physiotherapist. He is one of the most exemplary men I have been privileged to get to know. He runs his business from the platform of giving people the best care he can. He has told me there are many ways to make lots of money in the business of physiotherapy, but is not taking any of them. Why? Money is not his end game. He knows he has been given the skills and abilities to run a physiotherapy clinic. So, he does this with integrity and to the glory of the One he serves, God.
I am convinced we cannot get stuck in the attitude that a select few people do the Lord's work. If we are a follower of Christ we better being doing His work all the time. It is not just for those who work in a church, it is for everyone.
Many of us like to put things in categories. One of the categories is following Christ. More often than not, 'doing the Lord's work' is left for Sunday's and whatever other days we attend church; it is confined to a building and location and to be frank, it is killing the fame and renown of Jesus Christ. What we need today are people in every vocation doing the work of the Lord. It's so simple. It's so easy.
Why don't we do it?
I believe there to be two main answers to this question:
1. We don't want to allow God into our lives.
I might have raised some eyebrows with this sentence, but seriously look at it. Why do we believe only an elect few can do God's work. If we are with Jesus we have ALL been set apart, we have all been made holy. If we have all been set apart then we are all commanded to bring the name of Jesus to every place. If we leave it up to the Pastors, missionaries, and others to do the work it will never be done. In fact this isn't even the main role of a Pastor or Missionary in my opinion. Their roles are to help educate and be resources for people to go back into their contexts to bring the fame and renown of Jesus.
The truth is, we have categorized our lives so much God is only allowed in this aspect of my life. In other words we tell God, "you stay there." The only way to believe this is to allow God to take our entire being, everything we do, give it to Him, and allow Him to do what He wants. What He wants more often than not are people willing to live lives of integrity for His glory in every vocation.
2. We don't want to give up what we have.
This is an incredibly hard thing to say and do. When we have journeyed so far with the above attitude it's really hard to allow God into our places of work. Some of us know if we do, there will have to be changes; we will have to make tough decisions; we will have to give up things; we will have to stand up for things. All of these give us reason to not allow God into this area of our lives. In short, we are not willing to submit, to yield to God.
It is incredibly sad because we have fallen prey to the belief that people doing the Lord's work are an elect few. If this is the case then we can choose to do things with a little less integrity in our workplaces. We can cheat corners and cheat people along the way. We can do things for ourselves without considering those we work with. This is the belief of a lot of people who operate in different workplaces who claim to follow Jesus. What we don't understand is, in letting go of the control and making decisions based on who we are doing things for the outcome will be utter contentment, joy, understanding, and integrity.
We need to change our understanding of 'in ministry'. In fact, we just need to chuck it in the garbage, along with the idea that the church is the only place where the Lord's work is done. Jesus needs His followers everywhere, in every place, in every vocation. He needs people to set an example of what a follower of Christ looks like.
I've heard it said that you can truly tell who a follower of Christ is by who they are from Monday to Saturday. We all need to be 'in ministry'. If you are a follower of Christ there is nothing else you can do. When we make a commitment to follow Jesus it is an entire life commitment.
Shall we let go of the term 'in ministry'?
That's it.
Thoughts are always welcome!
'In ministry' has bothered me from the very first time I heard it. The reason why is we hear a lot about how we are all called to be disciples, but then hear in church those who choose to go to Seminary, or be a Pastor are going 'into ministry', or 'feel called'. We define those who are 'in ministry' and put them in a category much like we do engineers, or doctors, or teachers. The reality though is as far as I read in the Bible, we are all 'in ministry'. Jesus doesn't call the Disciples to make converts who will do other things than be in ministry, but He calls the Disciples to make Disciples. See I think the term 'in ministry' should be used for all people who have devoted their lives to Christ, follow Him, and live it out in whatever context they are passionate about.
One of the great explanations and understandings of 'in ministry' is given by none other than Martin Luther (he was the leader of the Protestant Reformation). He tells a simple story about a shoe repairman. He asks the question, what would glorify God more: if the man stitched crosses in the shoes, or he made really good shoes? Luther's answer is of course that the man make really good shoes!
Not everyone is called to be a missionary, or pastor, or theologian, or any other vocation deemed 'in ministry'. Some are called to make really good shoes; some to be great teachers; some to be great doctors; some to be great pilots, or artists, or builders, or engineers, or ceo's. It does not matter what we are called to do, but it matters who we are doing it for; it matters why we do it. We all have the ability to be 'in ministry' if we are doing it because God has given us the gifts to do it; we do whatever that is to the best of our abilities and to the glorification of God himself.
I have a friend who is a physiotherapist. He is one of the most exemplary men I have been privileged to get to know. He runs his business from the platform of giving people the best care he can. He has told me there are many ways to make lots of money in the business of physiotherapy, but is not taking any of them. Why? Money is not his end game. He knows he has been given the skills and abilities to run a physiotherapy clinic. So, he does this with integrity and to the glory of the One he serves, God.
I am convinced we cannot get stuck in the attitude that a select few people do the Lord's work. If we are a follower of Christ we better being doing His work all the time. It is not just for those who work in a church, it is for everyone.
Many of us like to put things in categories. One of the categories is following Christ. More often than not, 'doing the Lord's work' is left for Sunday's and whatever other days we attend church; it is confined to a building and location and to be frank, it is killing the fame and renown of Jesus Christ. What we need today are people in every vocation doing the work of the Lord. It's so simple. It's so easy.
Why don't we do it?
I believe there to be two main answers to this question:
1. We don't want to allow God into our lives.
I might have raised some eyebrows with this sentence, but seriously look at it. Why do we believe only an elect few can do God's work. If we are with Jesus we have ALL been set apart, we have all been made holy. If we have all been set apart then we are all commanded to bring the name of Jesus to every place. If we leave it up to the Pastors, missionaries, and others to do the work it will never be done. In fact this isn't even the main role of a Pastor or Missionary in my opinion. Their roles are to help educate and be resources for people to go back into their contexts to bring the fame and renown of Jesus.
The truth is, we have categorized our lives so much God is only allowed in this aspect of my life. In other words we tell God, "you stay there." The only way to believe this is to allow God to take our entire being, everything we do, give it to Him, and allow Him to do what He wants. What He wants more often than not are people willing to live lives of integrity for His glory in every vocation.
2. We don't want to give up what we have.
This is an incredibly hard thing to say and do. When we have journeyed so far with the above attitude it's really hard to allow God into our places of work. Some of us know if we do, there will have to be changes; we will have to make tough decisions; we will have to give up things; we will have to stand up for things. All of these give us reason to not allow God into this area of our lives. In short, we are not willing to submit, to yield to God.
It is incredibly sad because we have fallen prey to the belief that people doing the Lord's work are an elect few. If this is the case then we can choose to do things with a little less integrity in our workplaces. We can cheat corners and cheat people along the way. We can do things for ourselves without considering those we work with. This is the belief of a lot of people who operate in different workplaces who claim to follow Jesus. What we don't understand is, in letting go of the control and making decisions based on who we are doing things for the outcome will be utter contentment, joy, understanding, and integrity.
We need to change our understanding of 'in ministry'. In fact, we just need to chuck it in the garbage, along with the idea that the church is the only place where the Lord's work is done. Jesus needs His followers everywhere, in every place, in every vocation. He needs people to set an example of what a follower of Christ looks like.
I've heard it said that you can truly tell who a follower of Christ is by who they are from Monday to Saturday. We all need to be 'in ministry'. If you are a follower of Christ there is nothing else you can do. When we make a commitment to follow Jesus it is an entire life commitment.
Shall we let go of the term 'in ministry'?
That's it.
Thoughts are always welcome!
