Monthly Archives: November 2012

Main ministry aim

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Every Christian ministry has many elements. We think some elements are central, primary, or essential. Others are peripheral, secondary, or non-essential (they might still be very good!). When we aim wrongly we run into various potential problems.

If the ministry has a primary aim of:

  • fun/entertainment, then the entertainment industry will do it better than you
  • community, then you are competing with social media and self-selecting common interest groups (sport, bands, camping, …)
  • social justice, then you will soon feel that power lies elsewhere: government bodies or NGOs
  • care for the needy, then frustration will kill you because single-issue care organisations will out-perform you in doing good works
  • counselling, then effectiveness will be limited by the skills of the leaders (and professional counsellors will rightly have some concerns about you)

All these aims are good. I don’t think they’re primary for a church, or youth group, or Bible study group.

But if the ministry has a primary aim of making disciples of Jesus, then:

  • you have no competition from movies or footy or going out for a drink. Their aims are different
  • you are serving Jesus’ plan for the world (Matthew 19:17-20)
  • you have freedom to use methods to help this, and free to toss out methods that hunder
  • you will work with people, as a fellow disciple, rather than at people who are your clients
  • you won’t be able to see the ultimate effects of your work – the day will reveal it (1 Corinthians 3:12-14)
  • you will always feel the pull of one of the alternatives listed above
The end of the year is a good time, for me at least, to look back and see where I’ve drifted. It’s time to re-calibrate. And to pray for God’s help to keep discipleship central better next year than I did this year.


 

 

Public beliefs

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In Albury-Wodonga, the weekly free newspapers used to include a column of reflections. They were written by local  ministers, or similar (authors included a local Baha’i leader, as well as someone from the local humanist society branch). I don’t know why they stopped. Equally, I don’t know if they achieved anything!

Cleaning up my computer, I found a few of mine. In the interests of recycling, I will re-release them on my blog.

I saw a recent interview with Peter Garrett. The interviewer asked him about his strong Christian commitment. Garrett mentioned that it is not easy to bring personal faith into the public arena. Many of us will sympathise with this point of view, including many politicians from all parties.

An American family I know found the same thing. Wanting to get to know Australians, they would ask, ‘What church are you part of?’ They soon found out that we don’t like to speak about these things.

A number of people have told me, ‘I can’t talk about my beliefs. It’s a very personal thing.’ If we cannot speak of our beliefs at church and with a minister, when can we do so?

The more I reflect on these conversations the more I realise that what we believe is not private at all. It is the most public thing about us. I can change my clothes or hairstyle from day to day. But underlying everything I do lies my belief about God, truth, forgiveness, love and humanity. Our beliefs are public in family life, with neighbours, at work, everywhere.

It is no surprise that Jesus knew this already. He said, ‘Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.’ (You can find this in Luke’s gospel, chapter 12.)

Jesus’ words tell us that beliefs are public because we live before God. And that we will answer to God one day.

So let’s not ignore or hide our beliefs. I rejoice in the fact that Jesus’ life and death show me what truth and forgiveness are all about. This is not just belief, it is life itself.
June 2004