Ministry

The following is a thought process that started the other night with the first sentence. Even that realization was a profound revelation when it occurred.Tonight it unexpectedly turned into the rest of this thought and the prayer that comes with it. I pray God speaks through or in spite of my imperfect words.

----Update 3/22/13: I realize now reading through that intro doesn't really show the whole picture. I believe that it wasn't just some 'good thought' I had but God reminding me and revealing His truth. All credit goes to Him for anything that speaks truth.----

Ministry is not behavior modification. The purpose of ministry is not to change others' or my own outward actions, to create a more appealing, friendly, socially acceptable, loving,  supportive or joyful community. Ministry is not to stop someone from smoking, drinking, cursing, looking at pornography,getting tattoos, or _________ (insert whatever 'unchristian' act you want).That is not the purpose of ministry. Shame on me for falling into that line of thinking, even unconsciously, far too often. Shame on me for cheapening the true meaning of the Gospel of grace by ignorantly acting, even unconsciously,from that line of thought and understanding. The object of ministry is not, and should not be the fruits of ministry.

The object of ministry should also not be to minister.The object of ministry should be to know God more personally and completely in and for ourselves; to know God  in every physical, spiritual, relational, and mental aspect. To know the person of God.The object or purpose of ministry, of anything we believers do, is meant to be God.

Our ministry cannot be run by our usefulness to God as ministers or out of a desire to meet a need with something we think we posses.Ministry is only possible through the grace of God. He is the only one who can actually minister. That is the upside down, unfathomable, and joyfully absurd truth of the Gospel. It is only by the grace of God. We are of no real use to Him while we try and be of any use. Only by complete surrender of our own efforts through submission of heart, mind, body and soul can we be truly effective. We must give up even our desires of being of use in understanding that we are of none. If and only if contemplation over (and actions based on) my own standing with or usefulness to God is replaced solely by abandonment to and complete focus on Him can I actually be of any fruitful use.Only in my complete lack of awareness of my use is there the thriving,lasting, luscious fruit of the Gospel grown. And that is because it is not even of my doing. It is never a product of my own 'usefulness'.  That is the very essence of the Gospel!!! I have absolutely nothing to offer Him!! In knowing Him more fully, it is His dwelling Spirit  in me that produces and transforms.

 Jesus says, 'Go and make Disciples  of all nations' and immediately we focus on the 'go' and think we must 'do', as if any of our actions of ministry can win a soul. We so easily 'go' to 'do' and leave behind His previous, precious words of 'I am the vine, you are the branches, apart from me you can do nothing' . 'Abide'. 'remain'. We read the stories of Acts and make ministry plans,strategies and outreaches but the problem is we let misunderstanding creep in,even unconsciously, that what the Apostles accomplished was accomplished by them. It was not a formula of 'Go here+say this=people know and follow God 'that the Apostles implemented.  They did not come up with a strategy or a evangelistic track to hand out that was what won crowds, thousands, over.  Everything done 'by the apostles' was done by the dwelling presence of God within them. It was all accomplished by His grace, by the presence and power of His Spirit. We must not let that misunderstanding shape 'our ministry'. How proud to think abettor understanding and application of my individual tendencies and preferences can lead to someone understanding/knowing salvation or to 'ministry success'! How silly to assume a greater understanding of myself leads to improvement of anything when it is myself who is the problem in the first place!! How utterly absurd!! I myself need God outside of myself, so how can I possibly think that 'understanding' myself or my "usefulness" is what really causes a ministry to minister well?

As 'good' as the intentions to serve, minister, or spread the good news are, if any of these become our goals instead of God himself what is the point? Yes the world is in need of Jesus,of the grace of God. Absolutely without a doubt. But it is nothing I can give them. Grace to believe is nothing I can provide, only the Spirit of God in me can. And woe be unto me to separate myself, and consequentially the world from that source when I make the fruits of ministry or my own 'gifting', 'strategy', 'usefulness', 'effectiveness', or'success'  in ministry my focus instead of God.  Shame on me and my pride for wrongful contemplation of 'my' ministry or usefulness.

Lord forgive these wrongs in me. Help me to set my eyes more fully on You. Not that I may be of use to you, for I cannot be. Not that my actions may produce fruit, for my actions cannot. But Lord that I may know You Father, Son, Spirit. Lord that I may abide in Thee, and Thee in me. That You are all I can ever know or think of. Because you are worthy of my absolute all.

 A ministry for the sake of ministry is useless. 'Unless The LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is useless' Psalm 127:1

*When I write these thoughts and prayers I do not mean to say that there is never any value whatsoever in some of these things. My point is that the absolute fundamental essential base of ministry is complete and utter abandonment and dependence on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Apart from that all else is in vain.