This thing called "Ministry" (Part 10)

Near Skagen, Denmark, visitors can see the tower of the Tilsandede Kirke, the Sand Covered Church. The tower is visible because this 14th century church has been buried since the 1700's. Shifting sand from the coast of Jutland has covered much of the surrounding farmland and the church as well. Only the tower is visible. What a metaphor for the danger the church always faces; the danger of being buried beneath the sands of human opinions, power struggles, and personality clashes.*

As we continue our thought about "This thing called ministry," I come again to what Paul said.

"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body." (1 Corinthians 12:12-20)

The more I minister in the church today I get that there is a sense of uneasiness about the roles of the membership. There becomes a vision of opposing forces or different "sides" in this essence known as the "church" or the "body of Christ."

The greatest struggles come when someone hurts someone else and now both are "gun shy" about how to handle the future with all of its potential altercations. Pastors beating up on the sheep; sheep questioning the vision and direction of the pastor. Back and forth goes the power struggle and in the end, nothing is accomplished. Both sides become deeper entrenched and in the end both sides lose. Campaigns are waged and the tug of war drags unaware bystanders around like rag dolls.

So where then lies the hope of not seeing such chaos and destruction in the church? The only way we will ever see such a united church is when we as a whole adhere to unity passages like 1 Corinthians 12 and Philippians 2. Both "sides" appreciating that God has established leaders and established roles within His body. But yet remembering.....

Leadership is not Lordship.

"The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:1-3)

It reminds me of the game of chess. Each piece is vital. Each piece has a purpose and moves in designed fashion. (Do not take the analogy too far.) The object is to win without losing as many pieces as possible and of course to capture the opponent's king. Being the poor chess player that I am, I find myself losing pieces pretty quick and then I am left in the end on the run trying to figure out a way to keep my King alive. A lonely king is an eventual "check mate" in the game of chess.

Pastors, you are participants in this body. Breaking away from the analogy above, you are not kings for Christ is the head; but in keeping with the analogy, you most certainly are not able to stand alone. This body is one, yet its members are many. Each member is vital. As Senior Pastor, Assistant Pastor, Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, Charter Member, or "Church-Pew Warmer" Member do not forget that when you crush the spirit of another member you are hurting the body. When you abuse the membership you abuse the body. However, when you fulfill your Ephesians 4 prerogative to edify, build up, and encourage the membership, you are doing so to the body of Christ. "Speak the Truth (i.e. things pertaining to God) in Love."

"The church is the most complex of all human organizations," says Ed Dayton of World Vision. "It's what we call 'goal-conflicted.' One goal is to send people forth, and another is to care for them. People are always either getting on a stretcher or getting off. You've got this continual dynamic where relationships, not bottom-line numbers, are the key product." *

Ministry is people! Ministry is not us and them; it is us working together and there is not a "them" in this body of Christ. As ministers we stand opposed to sin and the destruction that wishes to come in its wake. As ministers we proclaim the Word of Truth to the ears of the saints inside the body and to the sinners outside the body. As ministers we are to hold our place in the body local in which you serve. Peter teaches that we are to "take the oversight," but do not take it for self-serving gain. Ministry is participating with the other members to build Christ's body and not our empire. May we Serve as the Holy Spirit serves us (John 14-16). May we communicate the Word of God as it communicates itself to us.

This past Wednesday evening in our church's Bible study we were focusing on Encouraging One Another. The last verses we went to were found in Colossians.

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:15-17)

Now that is Ministry!