ministry question

As I read 2 Corinthians 6 today I was really challenged.

2 Cor. 6:4-10 is another passage where Paul describes the trials and suffering involved with his ministry.

I felt my spirit making a statement and asking a question:

Statement: "Many ministries today involve very comfortable and easy paths to ministry."

Question: "Would ministries today bear more fruit if they followed Paul's model and were more willing to be uncomfortable?"

As I considered the several ministries that I have been a part of, I found that they rarely encountered much distress and definitely nothing compared to Paul's trials.

These ministries varied in their level of "troubles", "hardship", and "distress".  All words that Paul uses to describe his work. (NIV)

I know of many missionaries who have given their life to work in extreme conditions, distant countries, and among foreign strangers.  I know that hundreds of people are tortured and killed for their christian faith every day.  (surprised?, read about it here: www.persecution.com)

However, it seems that it is much more common for pastors, missionaries, ministry staff, christian business men and women, teachers, and church planters to have a relatively comfortable life.

There are many many exceptions, but I feel like this applies to the majority and I know it does to me and my ministry.

It all depends on what you compare these ministries to.  Compared to the average American maybe these ministries do have more troubles.   But compared to Paul, we are all taking the easy street.

I am absolutely not saying that we all need to be suffering and going hungry in some other country. 

My goal, instead, is to challenge myself and others to compare ourselves to the models of ministry that are in the Bible.  Jesus' and Paul's are the two that come to my mind.  Both suffered immense discomfort for their faith.  I feel like part of the reason these are in the Bible is to be an example to us.  Yet, we often ignore these examples or feel that they don't apply to us or our "ministry".

I am challenging myself to reconsider my level of discomfort for Christ.  

It is a hard pill to swallow, but read through 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 and compare your ministry to Paul's.  

Maybe we can step it up a notch?

Maybe we will see more abundant fruit from our labor?

Can you think of specific ways that you could allow more discomfort for the purposes or glory of Christ?

My initial list:

• Never avoid a conversation about my faith because it would be awkward or uncomfortable.
  
• Focus my efforts at work more precisely on ministry and less on being successful by worldly standards.
• Spend more time in prayer for Christians and ministries around me and around the world.
  
• Spend less time doing things I enjoy and more on things that edify the church or at least myself.
  
• Focus on being a positive influence on others rather than focusing on the negatives in my life.

I wanted to note that Paul also mentions "in purity", "in the Holy Spirit", and "in the power of God" in the passage 2 Corinthians 6:4-10.

I know that these things are even more important to the success of ministry than the "troubles" that I have been writing about.

But, I can't judge the hearts of the ministries and ministers I know.  I can't even know if they involve the "Holy Spirit" and rely on "the power of God".  But I can see when they live very comfortably and often avoid the hard parts of ministry. It is much more visible.

suffering

The Bible talks a lot about suffering. Like many things, the Bible's take on suffering is pretty much opposite of the way our culture thinks of it.

In Romans 5, Paul says

"And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

-In Colossians, Paul rejoices in his sufferings. (Colossians 1:24)

-In 2 Timothy, he challenges us to join in on the suffering for the gospel (2 Timothy 1:8)

-1 Peter seems to be almost entirely about suffering!

-1 Peter 4:13 tells us that sharing in Christ's suffering means we can rejoice when His glory is revealed.

-1 Peter 5:9 tells us that we aren't the only ones suffering.

We all know the greatest suffering was on the cross, and we know the significance of that.

I love the way it is portrayed in Hebrews 2:10:

"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings."

Today, another verse, 1 Corinthians 12:26 is especially important to me.

This weekend I received a letter from a missions organization we supported, Voice of the Martyrs. From what I have learned, they are an awesome ministry. At the end of the typed letter there was a handwritten note that said

Walk with them.

1 Cor. 12:26

It really felt personal and almost prophetic. I guess because it was hand written and I happened to be reading in 1 Corinthians, and today I happened to be in Chapter 12. So, when I read the verse today, I enjoyed it, but it didn't really hit me until about 10 minutes afterwards.

1 Cor. 12:26 says:

"And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

My immediate thought was about all the Christians suffering out there and I don't feel like the church suffers with them... I know I don't. But mainly because I don't know how.


So I wrote in my Bible, "I want to suffer more with the church, I want to rejoice more with the church".

I closed my Bible and headed to work.


About 10 minutes later I learned about an accident through the radio. An aquaintanance/friend of mine and another man were in a bad accident while serving as missionaries in India.

The other man, an OSU student named Justin, was killed.

John Miller, a guy Stephanie and I have both met a couple of times, is in critical condition in a hospital in Hyderabad India.

John and both their families are suffering, quite literally for the kingdom of God and I badly want to suffer more with them. While my heart hurts badly, there is nothing more that I know to do but pray for them.


You can read about the accident by clicking here.

What does it all mean? I don't know. But I know we are called to suffer with the church and rejoice with the church. And the church is millions of people around the world and I often forget about all the suffering that I'm missing out on.


I pray my opinion of suffering can become more like the Bible's and more like Christ's.


Please suffer in prayer with me about these guys, and about the thousands of Christians who are persecuted every day for their faith.

pick a neighbor to love

In so many places and in so many ways, the Bible tells us to "love our neighbor".

In Mark 12:31 Jesus says that the most important commandments are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" and the second is to "love your neighbor as yourself".  

You knew that right?....

Thats the problem.

This is one of the many themes in the Bible that is so easily over-looked because we have heard it so many times that we are numb to it. 

We skip over it because we already know it.  We know it in our head but not our heart.

Jesus says it is second only to the commandment to Love God.(pretty important)

Stop and think about it right now. 

Do you truly care more about the good of anyone more than you do your own?

It is a challenging task that Christians are called to and one that we fail miserably with. According to John 13:34-35, the world would know and see the one true God in us if we authentically loved one another.  The world's perspective would be completely shifted if the church could understand and live out the command to love others.  People would see Christianity in a whole new light and would see a reflection of Christ from His church, His body.  

Bluntly speaking, we represent Christ to people every day whether we want to or not.  If you claim to be a Christian and claim to have God living inside you than you are constantly being "Christianity" to others.  We have to start allowing Christ to show through us by surrendering ourselves completely.  That way others will see Christ as Christianity, and not us.

1 John 4:8 says "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  

If we want to be a better representation of the faith we claim, love is the way.

To help make this a real life thing and not a cliche that we just skip over, let's get practical.

Instead of viewing "neighbor" as a generic term for everyone around you... put some faces on that word.

Who can you be Christ to? Pray about it and ask God to reveal names and faces of those who He wants you to love in an excellent way today.

It's the strategy of focus. I may not be able to love everyone the way Christ does. But it would be an amazing accomplishment to just love my wife and a few other people in that way. 

Over the last year I feel like God called me specifically to focus on loving 5 guys the way Christ loves me.  These were friends and acquaintances of mine that the Holy Spirit put on my heart, and He showed it to me all in a short period of time. (a few days) 

Over the year I found that the best way to love them was to pray for them.

The most difficult part was to put time with them as a priority.  But, because I felt God had called me to these guys, I was determined to obey and to make it a top priority.

I have seen dramatic life changes in 3 of the 5 guys.  These 3 have miraculously strengthened their relationship with God over the last year and have completely different lifestyles.

One other guy was already living a very spiritually healthy lifestyle and I feel like has been consistently improving.  I think God used me to plant seeds into him that will produce a ton of fruit that will last a long time.

#5 has been less miraculous.  I have seen a lot of up and down with him.  At the same time, I will admit that my prayer life for him and dedication to our relationship has also been unsteady.  I am now praying that God can re-energize me about that commitment and calling to this friend and that I can make it a priority to pray for him and spend time with him.  

The amazing work I've seen in the other 4 tell me that God will undoubtably be faithful to the 5th.

So, pray and ask God if there are any specific people that He wants you to focus on...

If you have any stories of ways you have seen love transform others, let me know.

Thanks,

J

not because of who I was

I think it's easy for Christians to become proud.  We have this attitude sometimes that we are better either because we are Christian, or we are Christian because we are better...

I know that I fall into the second category at times.  As if God chose me because I deserved it, or I chose to believe because I was wise.

It's sad, because this type of thought repels the world away from us.  

The realization that we do not deserve salvation or the peace, joy, and love that God gives us could provide a huge breakthrough for many Christians.  It is a humbling thought that simply brings us to worship.  Thank God that we know and understand the truth of His son's sacrifice and the freedom that it gives.

But, instead of becoming proud with that knowledge we must be inspired and driven by it.   

God did choose us for a reason, not because of who we were, but because of who we could be with Him. 

See John 15:16

Whatever purpose it was that I was chosen for, I desire to fulfill.  And that drives me in everything I do.  As long as I remain dependent on Him, I am confident I will succeed at this purpose I've been called to.  

This understanding brings fulfillment, joy, strength, love for others, and a new perspective on everything. I am so blessed to have all of that.... but so many people around me are searching for these very things.  

Because I know this, it is my responsibility to share it and reflect Him.

J

drawn

Me and my wife Stephanie

It took me 5 minutes to make this photo in FlauntR.

I hate to be a website evangelist, but you have to check the program out.

It integrates amazingly with blogs, facebook, email, etc.  It has a lot of power to edit photos a lot like Photoshop, but it is all done online.

Check it out!

Stephen Curtis Chapman on Good Morning America

In case you missed it: 

This morning, Stephen Curtis Chapman was  on Good Morning America talking about the loss of their little girl...

Click to see video

Let me know what you think...

one wheel

Imagine the closest person to you; your child if you have one.  Now imagine that you have decided to give them the greatest gift you have ever given and that they have ever received. 

You would probably have to save up money for a while in order to have enough to pay for the gift. You would have to be selfless in desires and focused on this other person.  But, regardless of the sacrifice, you would be so excited about giving this wonderful gift.  You would filled with joy just by thinking about the gift you were to give and even the sacrifice would be enjoyable because you can just imagine the look on their face when they finally receive that gift.  

In fact, you can't wait until the day comes when they receive the gift.  Your ready for the sacrifice to end and the fun part to come when they open it up and see the big surprise. Especially if you have already paid for it, you start thinking about how you can maybe give it to them early and think of reasons that it would be ok to unveil this big surprise... you just can't wait to give it them!!

Lets say you really went big and this gift was a brand new car...

So, its something you've saved up for all year long and planned for the big moment and how you are going to reveal it and knock them off their feet with shock and awe.

So the big day comes, their birthday, let's say, and everything is going as planned. You have just given them your card and a big hug and said "Happy Birthday, now I want to show you something else..." 

As you take them outside you are shaking with anticipation and nervousness... but of course you are confident that they will love this gift.

As they come into view of the car, you look at their face for that expression you have been yearning to see for an entire year and that you have labored for.  And to your surprise and ultimate disappointment, your loved one does not seem to even see the car, let alone get excited.  You say "surprise, it's all yours, brand new and paid for!!" - because you're thinking they must not understand what had just happened.  

As their expression remains, the lump in your throat grows and your heart hurts.

They casually walk up to the car. "I like this wheel, I think I'll take this one wheel off the car and keep it, but I'm not so sure about the rest. "

You are beginning to get angry, maybe even tearing up, and you say "why don't you want the whole car"?  -They respond, "Well maybe I'll use it later, but I'm good with just the one wheel for now".

You think - "ONE WHEEL!... that makes no sense! There is no good in having one wheel, you are missing the point, the car is useless without all 4 wheels and the wheel is useless all alone!" It's not even an attractive part of the car... but why the heck don't you want the whole car anyway. In shock, you hope its all just a joke or a dream, because you did so much, and you love them so much, and you want them to understand your sacrifice, and understand the value of the car, and to appreciate and receive the gift.

It would hurt us if our loved one...

didn't accept this car,

was ashamed of the car around others,

hid the car in the garage and never actually drove it,

never used it to give others a ride & only one seat was ever used..

didn't say thank you.

Just think how much more painful it must be when we don't accept or appreciate God's sacrifice.  The ultimate gift he gave us on the cross... His son.

The cross was given by our father in heaven for us.  It was painfully given out of love and much sacrifice. We all know the blood that was shed.  But what about the emotions behind the gift? God loves us more than we love our wife, child, mother, or anyone else.  He loves us and gave Christ for us.  It was the ultimate sacrifice... much more than we can understand.

Yet daily we forget about the gift, or we don't appreciate the full value.  We choose to take one wheel and reject the rest.  We drive it some days and walk others. 

Yes, our sin nails Him to the cross daily, but there is nothing we can do to change that... we will always sin.  

But, we can daily accept the gift of Jesus, the gift of forgiveness of those sins.  

We can approach the cross with a new appreciation in our heart. 

We can act like we received a gift much better than a new car... because we have.

No, we can probably never understand the full value of the gift, but at least drive the car!

You can even: tell others about it, invite people to "carpool", rev up the engine at a stoplight, wax and wash your car!

Just realize how amazing it is that God gave us His son when we didn't deserve it... appreciate it for what it is and thank Him for it with a humble and honest heart. 

Lord, thank you for your son.  I'll probably never fully appreciate Him until I am with Him in Heaven.  But thank you for that sacrifice.  Today I realize the awesomeness of this gift and can't stop thinking about it.  I didn't deserve it at all, but you gave it to me because you love me more than I can understand.  Thank you for that grace and passion for me.  Instill in me a better understanding of the true meaning of the cross and full extent of Your grace.  I know that the more I understand the value of this gift, the more I appreciate it....and the more I appreciate it, the more I worship You, tell others about You, and live with joy.

Thank You,  I love you.

A few songs I listened to while writing this:

Take this Life - Paul Wright

Mighty is the Power of the Cross - Chris Tomlin

In Your Presence - Jeremy Camp (also played at my wedding)

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