Many people, when they speak of a ministry that is truly inspired by God emphasize different things. Some speak of calling, as if all we need to do is hear from God and then everything else will fall into place. Some emphasize sacrifice, recognizing that God’s true work requires the worker to give up all they have for the kingdom. Others emphasize purity, understanding that one must be holy to do God’s holy work. Others emphasize the power of God, because no work of God is accomplished without God’s strength.
All of this is essential, but the recipe of God’s work isn’t complete without faithfulness.
Faithfulness is the stick-to-itiveness that is necessary to do any work completely. It is pursuing God’s calling even when it seems pointless, fruitless and hopeless. I get tired of seeing various fly-by-night ministers come in for a single ministry or even for a year. That doesn’t mean that short-termers don’t have success in their ministry. A one night or one week ministry may make some powerful statements that otherwise couldn’t be said. But if they expect to see people’s lives turned around in a single meeting, or even a year, they are deluding themselves. Let the short termers recognize that the one thing they are not doing is displaying care and real concern for those they are ministering for.
Short termers have the ability to focus on the message, as they should. The long-termers are there to focus on the people.
And people are the building blocks of the kingdom of God, not sermons, nor buildings, nor organizations.
No comments:
Post a Comment