In Defense of Ministry

A prevailing public view dismisses charitable endeavors as lacking substantive contribution to the “for profit” world. Worse, Christian ministries like FCA whose focus is evangelism are held in the lowest esteem for their inability to produce a tangible product. Even in my own family I have listened to comments that have amounted to:
· When are you going to get a ‘real job?’
· The rest of us work hard for our money so people like you can ask for it.
· Ministry seems like a fun hobby, not a career.
· You should leave changing society up to the 'professionals' who have proper training and skills.

In all of this remember the words of Christ:
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

We must not admit for one moment the truth of a statement often made, that the man who devotes himself to the establishment of the church, declining to be involved in all sorts of activities for the improvement of social conditions, is indifferent to, or heedless of, the sufferings and injustices under which men suffer. He is nothing of the kind: he is simply a man who is sure of his foundation, and is convinced that the only way to any true advancement is spiritual, and is Christ; and therefore he persists, in spite of all appearances, in clinging to Christ as the only foundation, and in building all his hopes for the future on the acceptance of Christ. He is not content with attacks upon symptoms of evil; they seem to him superficial: he goes to the roots. He cannot be content with teaching men Christian
principles of conduct, "Christian ideals of social life"-- still less with the establishment of colleges and clubs. Nothing but Christ Himself, faith in Christ, the obedience of Christ, seems to him equal to the need, and nothing else is his work but the establishment of that foundation. In doing this he is not showing indifference to social evils, he is not standing aloof from beneficent movements; he is actively engaged in laying the axe to the roots of the trees which bear the evil. That is not indifference.
... Roland Allen (1869-1947), Mission Activities [1927]

The fact is, true Christians are the most compassionate people on earth. And true, lasting change happens from the inside out. May we not grow weary in well doing!

Not so Fast!

Perhaps the most impactful sermon I have ever heard is "Ten Shekels and a Shirt" by Paris Reidhead. Paris, who died in 1992, had a great grasp of the balance between law and gospel and was a champion for lordship and a preacher against self-centered easy believism. Here is a great quote from Paris:

“If I had my way, I would declare a moratorium on public preaching of ‘the plan of salvation’ in America for one to two years. Then I would call on everyone who has use of the airwaves and the pulpits to preach the "holiness" of God, the righteousness" of God, and the "Law" of God, until sinners would cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ Then I would take them off in a corner and whisper the gospel to them. Such drastic action is needed because we have gospel hardened a generation of sinners by telling them how to be saved before they have any understanding "why" they need to be saved.”

Let us be finished with hurrying people into praying the "sinner's prayer" before they have a proper understanding of their need of God and His standard of righteousness. May the focus be on the Lord and not on man.