A think lot of people that I know treat ministry like a ball. I don't think they consciously do this, but this data I have gathered from years of observation. Most of the time, people get a calling from God, and they go off in an attempt to satisfy the calling by taking their shiny new ball, and finding a few other people to bounce it with. They find safe, people that they know, and bounce it and roll it around with them at first. This is normal and natural. Then, a little later, they get better and more sophisticated with the games that they can play. Maybe now they're playing dodge ball, instead of sit around in a circle and roll it back and forth. That's pretty good. Later on though, maybe someone else on the playground, maybe someone that they don't know very well wants to play. Well, we don't know that guy, and mayble he'll steal the ball - so let's not let him play. Makes the other guy feel bad, and the guy with the ball look selfish. Maybe a little later, someone wants to play kickball. Now, the ball owner is unsure, because not only does he not really know all the rules for kickball, he doesn't know if kickball might damage his ball in some way. At best, he takes his ball back over to a small corner of the playground and bounces and rolls it with his friends, when the most poeple would have gotten joy and happiness out of playing kickball. At worst, he takes his ball and goes home - depriving everybody of the fun.
I have begun to think that ministry is more like a huge pizza or a bucket of chicken. It's meant to be shared and distributed. If we're using a ball analogy - everybody needs a ball. Then everybody can share and play with the ball as they see fit. One of the things that I have had rattling around in my head the past few weeks is a quote from John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard Movement on ministry. And while I may or may not agree on everything John did in his life, I think he was powerfully used by God. The quote is simply this - "everybody plays". Ministry is not an exclusive club. Jesus, in His ministry here on earth chose even Judas Iscariot - whom He foreknew (there's a word I seldom use) would betray Him. He chose fishermen, a tax collector, a terrorist (see Zealot), and even a murderous Pharisee (see Saul of Tarsus). I have heard all the arguments on only letting certain people in your "inner circle", and the wolves among the sheep, and we all agree that stuff like that happens, but as Solomon says - "There is nothing new under the sun. Paul in his ministry apparently had a lot of problems with a guy named Alexander, who did a lot of harm to his ball. But, apparently Paul did share it with him.
So, my question is - do we really believe in the concept of "the priesthood of the believer"? Or have we, over the past two thousand years built walls between the "clergy" and the "laity" that were never designed to be there in the first place? How does a guy in the pew break through the glass ceiling that exists in so many churches to move from being a spectator to having a ball? Well, you could spend a whole lot of time in school, surrounded mainly by people who know a lot about balls and different ball games, but many times, have never taken their ball into the playground. Or, you can go renegade, and take your ball to the new vacant lot down the street. Having done both, I don't really know which I prefer - but I guess I would lean towards the latter. More "doing the stuff" and less standing around talking about the stuff.
So, what is the point today, Jeff? I don't know. These are just a few items that have been rolling around (no pun intended) in my head. If you do have a ball, I'd encourage you to be more open minded about who you let play with it, or maybe get a few more balls and distribute them freely. Maybe you'll be surprised at what happens.
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If the “ball” represents individual ministries then I think this analogy accurately describes the current state of the “church”. A lot of those who “have” tend to play keep away from the “have nots”. Many of those who do play they want to maintain ownership by developing rules to keep the have nots in line and playing by their rules. It’s a control issue that results from ministries not being truly submitted to the Giver of the “balls” (gifts – not earned).
ReplyDeleteJohn Wimber’s “everybody gets to play” teaching challenged this corruption in the church. At one point God asked John “If you didn’t pastor this church would you attend here?” John’s reply was “No!”. It wasn’t long after that God told him “I’ve seen your ministry (and He wasn’t very impressed). Now I want to show you Mine!” John replied “That’s what I’ve always wanted!” I think deep inside all of us want to see God’s ministry. How can you read the amazing stories in the New Testament and settle for what is readily available in today’s church? There must be more!
God wants to complete what was started in the Reformation but was never completed. He wants to fully restore the Priesthood of the believer, putting ministry back into the hands (and feet) of all believers (not just the professionals). For too long God’s plan of reconciliation has been short-changed by bad doctrine and a clergy that is more interested in keeping their failing ministries afloat than to appropriately equip and train and deploy the rank and file believers, launching them into their own ministries.
God wants to restore His kingdom on the earth. It is His desire to restore the authority lost through the fall back to His sons and daughters. What the first Adam lost through sin the second Adam (Jesus Christ) regained through His righteousness. The complete penalty for all sin was paid in full on the cross, not only saving us from spending eternity separated from God but also restoring the rule and authority of God to the sons and daughters of God (those to whom it had originally been given).
The last words Jesus spoke before ascending to Heaven were “All authority in Heaven and Earth have been given to me. Therefore, go…”. The Great Commission is directly tied to the authority that Jesus regained through His death and resurrection. In fact, the Great Commission is impossible to fulfill without the authority of Jesus!
And this is the ministry that our Father wants to co-labor with us in. It is a partnership ministry between the Father and each of His sons and daughters. It’s not something that man can organize, strategize, structure or control. Without the Father’s participation all we have is… well just look around (you get the picture?). This is not the church that Jesus was hoping for when He endured the cross, scorning it’s shame. This is not the church that we “gave up drugs for” (another quote from the “Doin’ the Stuff” Wimberism).
Why is the church so weak and powerless? Now there’s a loaded question! I think a large part of it has to do with sons and daughters not knowing their Father. If they truly knew Him they would willingly co-labor with Him in His ministry of reconciliation. That is the ministry that He is calling us to.
Reconciling the lost into a right relationship with their Father includes teaching, modeling, empowering and equipping the sons and daughters of God and deploying them out into the world. I think most of the church stops prior to the deploying part. It’s not enough to teach, model, empower and equip! If they are not deployed in a timely manner then the Father’s will is not being accomplished. Like young eagles at the appropriate time they need to be pushed out of the nest and forced to fly. The church is full of overgrown, lazy and dysfunctional eagles that don’t know how to fly! They sit around in nests that are too small squawking and fighting with each other because they have not been forced out of the nest and into their God-given roles as priests.
Here is an interesting read on Eagles I just found at: http://www.prophetic.net/eagles.htm
strong word, Gary!
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