Keep the Lean 2

The problem with being in ministry even for a short while like myself is the cumulation of hoards of ministry handouts and materials. I'm a spry young 27 yr old and already I find myself far too often thinking, "now where did I put that again?" I'll dig through my materials (a large percentage of which is self-created), and most of the time I'll find it. But still, it takes some serious time to to this, and I'm a rather organized guy.

This has led me to thinking, if I were 25 years into ministry how large would the temptation be to rely on preexisting material as a crutch and do ministry as a resource guru with tons and tons of file cabinets and no longer as a shepherd? My guess is that it would be pretty enticing.

25 years from now will I seek to hear the voice of God afresh, or be content with a handy-dandy handouts whose effectiveness has been approved by church x and church y? Will I care to listen and have a breaking heart for my people, or can I solve all issues of sin with another photocopied handout?

Even already at this point in ministry I find myself giving people handouts or some canned material I prepared in the past. Sure, this CAN BE fine AT TIMES, but it is never a substitute for hearing afresh the voice of God. And sometimes after these meetings, I wonder, was this what they really needed? Did I hear their heart, then God's heart, and then respond? Or maybe I just heard, well, this works for 1.3 million people (or at least the back covers say it), and let me slap this on you too.

Canned cirriculum although it is good at times is also a negative for sinful scheming humanity. This happens when I'm dry on God's voice in a particular passage and have nothing to say, and therefore look to the canned cirriculum gods and collected materials and handouts over the years and let them speak. That way I can do ministry without ever having to do the dirty work of listening to God in my own heart.

If handouts from 1962 are being repeated far beyond their useful years, throw them out. Don't let them become a crutch hindering you from hearing God's voice. Throw them out. Keep the LEAN, throw out everything that hinders the vibrant voice of the Lord in the pastor's life.

Jesus didn't go through canned cirrculum too often, at least I don't think. Jesus said, "follow me." And so today, let us THROW OUT THE LIVELESS WORDS ON COUNTLESS PAGES, and follow instead. Maybe today Jesus will pick up a muster seed and teach from that, maybe tomorrow he'll examine a vine and it's branches, we'll play it by ear each day. Hear afresh God's voice everyday. Each day Jesus heard from his Father and responded to his disciples saying, "ok, I'm ready, follow me."