During our intermission at church this morning (you can tell that we’re a community chock-full of coffee addicts - we actually have an intermission in our service to GET MORE COFFEE), my pastor tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to read the Scripture verse of the day, and to encapsulate with words reminding our congregation at large that I was reading God’s holy writ - not an encyclopedia, a laundry list, or clever graffiti - God’s Word. I found the verse with a little fumbling (Peter likes to hide in the back, you know) and read it softly to myself so that I didn’t stumble over my words, and thus disengage the focus that should be placed on the Scripture to that stocky bald guy that couldn’t read two simple verses. While I read those verses, letting them linger on my tongue and in my mind, I came to a sad realization. Before I explain, here are the verses I read this morning:
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” - I Peter 4:10-11
Peter is talking about something profound here - these unique things that God especially gifts to His kids to do work in His name. And these gifts are described as this - some people have a “word” ministry, meaning that they can preach well, teach well, encourage, and whatever other things someone who speaks well on behalf of God can do; and then there is a “deed” ministry, defined by folks who happily put shoulder to any task and joyfully execute.
So… why my sad disposition?
Well, I came from a place not too long ago that must’ve had a different understanding of those verses. And their understanding? Well, in the minds of a person or two that I talked with, those gifted with “word” ministry had better things to do with their time than shoulder a load that obviously belonged to those called to “deed” ministry. This all sounds very superfluous as I write it, so let me break it down by example.
I go to a church now that’s senior pastor preaches WELL. There is never a week where I don’t walk out with something fresh from his teaching. But this same senior pastor sacrifices much of his time during the week to the physical (and spiritual) needs of our church community and the city that surrounds us. He fills backpacks with food for the public elementary school that our church decided was the most needful - we found out that there were kids that shove their Friday lunches into their pockets so that they might have food for the weekend. So our church and pastor stepped up to the challenge of filling backpacks EVERY WEEK to make sure that those kids and their families don’t have to go hungry. If someone in the church is relocating, he’s the first guy to ask if he can help. If someone’s car is totaled in an accident, he lends his car (and I can PERSONALLY attest to this). And for a church that’s barely two years old, their presence in the local community and the world casts a long shadow that would be missed if the church left or our pastor walked away from the doing of Christianity.
In contrast, I was at a church before this experience whose best example of servant leadership was an associate pastor, a guy whose abilities spanned both sides of “word” and “deed”. But the senior pastor? Well, I was led to believe that “word” and “deed” are mutually exclusive, and really shouldn’t personally co-mingle. I would ask why this person never seemed to be at any ministry event that wasn’t a platform for him to speak. So the whole caring for widows and orphans thing - well, that was left to the “good folks” who felt the “calling” to care for widows and orphans. How about a short-term missions trip? Nope. Well, what about serving at the local orphanage? No… that’s the same day as my sermon prep, and I’ve got to be focused on that. Deliver holiday meals to the poor? Sorry - family is in town. Excuses ad nauseum.
My point is this: BASIC Christian service doesn’t really fall in the “deed” ministry category. Taking care of widows and orphans and the poor isn’t someone else’s Christian responsibility if you’re the senior pastor. A congregation will never breach the real gates of servanthood unless the person leading them has become a servant as well. As a pastor, the loudest most listened to message you’ll ever preach is the way you live your life. If your ministry life is too cluttered with the usage of your “gift”, take a step back and remember the basic tenets of the calling that you received - not as a pastor, minister, priest, etc. - but the calling that you have as a CHRISTIAN first. That calling cares less about your gifts and more about your heart anyway.
And for those out there that have forgotten that as congregants you have a job, this is a clear reminder: ALWAYS look for the fruit of the person leading you. Does it match with the BASIC calling on people of faith? If not, maybe IT’S TIME YOU SPOKE UP.
16/02/2009 at 11:56 PM Permalink
I think the principles of this post are pretty sound. Thanks for sharing. Too often I find that Christians aren’t willing to back up what they say they believe with their actions.
Let me balance this with one thought, though. The biggest responsibility of a Christian is at home with their family. I have been in churches where so much pressure was put on people to be a part of every program, that the family relationships were neglected. Yes, they were excellent programs. Yes, the youth group was cleaning the houses of the elderly, yes there were fund raisers for charity. However, nobody can participate in all of it and certainly not at the expense of their families. All this and people wonder why so many children of the most active members of the church turn goth or emo, get caught in drug and alcohol abuse, and are sexually promiscuous. The fact is, too often they end up almost as neglected as the children of the drug addict in the ghetto. Regardless of how much you’ve accomplished to fill the needs of the world, having such a breakdown in relationships in your own home can hardly be what God had in mind. There is a reason for what Paul said in 1 Timothy 3:12 “A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.” (NIV)
Anyway, like I said, excellent thoughts, just wanted to add one more thing.
17/02/2009 at 10:22 PM Permalink
I completely agree with your statements - as a matter of fact, family is the focus of today’s post. There’s a verse that chills me every time my tendencies lean towards too many commitments outside of my home:
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” - I Timothy 5:8
I have worked in full-time ministry in some form or fashion since the late 90’s, and after the last bout of church work, I’ve resolved myself to caring for my family first. God doesn’t need my gifts, talents, money, time, or whatever if I can’t TAKE CARE OF THE FIRST MINISTRY THAT HE GAVE ME. We can’t ever seem to find the one thing we all need: balance. Part of our broken nature is our imbalance, our desire to appease our guilt with acts of service, our desire to earn our way into the Father’s heart.
You are right on the money.