An article on the blog Out of Ur has the following article that I hope you find challenging to you and the church. Take a look at it and see what you think. Are these of concern to you?
August 12, 2008
Great is Thy Effectiveness?
There’s danger in rooting our identity in ministry rather than in Christ.
Something’s wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives. Something’s wrong. In a world saturated with fear, insecurity, and stress, we are to show a different way. And yet those at the center of the church are burning out and leaving ministry at a rate of 1,500 per month. If that’s what’s occurring at the heart of the church, why would anyone on the fringe want to move in closer?
Great is Thy Effectiveness?
There’s danger in rooting our identity in ministry rather than in Christ.
Something’s wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives. Something’s wrong. In a world saturated with fear, insecurity, and stress, we are to show a different way. And yet those at the center of the church are burning out and leaving ministry at a rate of 1,500 per month. If that’s what’s occurring at the heart of the church, why would anyone on the fringe want to move in closer?
Why is the church so ineffective in ministering hope, peace and joy when these are the fruits of the Spirit and the central issues of the Christian life?
1 comment:
Hi Gary,
Great post...so MUCH of our culture is "performance" driven! We are far more about WHAT we DO than WHO we ARE! I learned the "don't get your identity from ministry but from Christ" the hard way I'm afraid...Due to circumstances beyond my control, several ministries of mine went "belly up" all at once. I had a complete identity crisis...didn't know WHO I was in relationship with ANYONE in the church...it was a really tough time for one who got her self esteem from DOING!
In the midst of this "downtime" I spent more time in prayer and in the Word...in doing so, I realized God was calling me to work on my "BEing" instead of my DOing. Wow, what a concept! And what a lifechange! Out of THAT came even greater, more fulfilling ministry! And a release from the fear of NOT doing!
Now if only our PASTORS would make being and BECOMING priority rather than DOING!
peace and all good,
Paula Clare
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