Ministry Grows When I Grow

My title may seem too simple, "Ministry Grows When I Grow," but nonetheless I find strong truth in its simplistic nature. Are growth models, endless brainstorming, reediting vision statements, and endless books on how to make ministry successful really what I need taking up the space in my brain? Why read a book on 200 ways to do outreach, at the expense of the Bible sitting on the shelf? No book or creative event can ever compensate for a heart that is cold and lacking the zeal of God for humanity lost. Put the rubbish alternatives away and continue reading this blog.

This entry is the first of three dealing with, "What are a few key concepts that I need to convey to the college students'." The second entry will focus upon an "Outreach Vision That Lasts," and the third will address what are in my mind two large competing theories of going about outreach, large versus small. The emphasis here is on my specific area of ministry for UW-Milwaukee, University of Marquette, MSOE, and MIAD, where I concentrate on outreach.

I've been in a foul mood as of late. I have always been bothered before by another start of a ministry school year with its accompanying high hopes, aspirations, and dreams, and this year holds true to form, I'm uneasy once again. I'm beside myself. Even more than that, I'm flat out agitated and irritated as I stand at the cusp my a new year.

Look at the situation. We just had a retreat where the student servantship team planned out the semester. That is 20 + students and 5 staff, 4 interns and the pastor all pooling resources and knowledge together to try to make this year happen. What is wonderful to see is the great passion and fire from these student leaders. It is great to see, it truly is. What bothers me, is that somehow we as overseers are to make sure we continue to help kindle and nature the fire already existing within these students. In this situation, I personally see my job is to help continue to make the dreams of the students come true. Many ideas, hopes, and various strategies get thrown out on the table on planning weekends such as these. I get upset with myself, because it would be a lack of leadership on my own behalf to waste the wonderful zeal of these students and to see them frustrated at the end of the school year with very little of their initial high hopes worked out and accomplished. So what message can I bring to these student leaders?

It is always a challenge is to help put practical flesh on passionate zeal, but where does the crux of this dilemma rest? What is the black hole that zaps energy and ends so many ministry years in utter disappoint? The worst thing to see is young passionate leaders become frustrated, fizzle, and burn out as the school year full of promises comes crashing down to the reality of another year of mediocrity.

Now, I think that the word, 'mediocrity,' will serve well to address the solution to how I see the current predicament. The reason I fail is because of misplaced and misguided attention. The reason for my agitation has nothing to do with the ministry or with others' spiritual lives. No, that is wrong, dead wrong. The issue and solution does not rest on others shoulders. The issue is internal. The problem is within one's own darkened soul. So, the reason for mediocrity can never be pointed to others, no matter how much I would like to deceive myself that others are the problem.

Mediocrity, is due to the unwarranted concentration on changing others, rather than intense inward focus on changing oneself. We are simply vessels which God chooses to use in His ministry. The truth is that if I spent half as much time trying to change others as I spent trying to change myself, I would be more developed and would be able to be used by God in more powerful ways.

So, a successful year, a year that has slain the beast of mediocrity comes down to getting after one's own mediocrity which we far too often allow to creep into our lives. Do we really expect God to deliver an amazing year, if our own lives continue sinking into the quicksand of mediocrity? I know the answer to that, and so do you. So, I commit myself to grow more, so that I may be able to be used more by God. In sum, the ministry grows, when we each take personal responsibility to grow. So, let us desire this year to get after ourselves in the practice of the spiritual disciplines and take a serious spiritual journey with God. If we do so it will be evident that we are not a mediocre people, who as a resultant do not produce a mediocre ministry.

I do not want my witness to the world be that I worship a mediocre God, of mediocre power, who has mediocre love, and who only slightly desires to let the world know that He loves them. I will not be satisfied with mediocrity in my soul. So let me repent.