I won't go into details about what I did there, but as I was thinking and struggling with the thoughts and ideas as to how I can explain the ministry to the young men and women.
One important thing I re-discovered was that ministry is purposeful.
Yes, there is no ministry that lacks its purpose. There is no ministry which we call "we just did it".
Our ministries need to be purposeful always.
As my mind was going through all the things I wanted to share and impart, I searched the reason why I do what I do.
"Why do I do what I do?" is a good question to ask yourself if you are in ministry.
Because we do things sometimes because it has been always that way, it seems to be accepted by everyone or you're simply told to do so. None of these is bad or wrong, but not enough.
"But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance,......." 2 Timothy 3:10Paul had a plan in his ministry. Of course, he was obedient to God's leading, yet, remember how eager he was to go to Rome and visit believers there? Furthermore, was it just for his liesure or vacation? No!! He wanted to have fellowship with them and to encourage them and be encouraged by them. That was his purpose.
Likewise, I think we can and need have plans and their purposes.
For instance, our time of worship consists of four songs; two fast songs and two slow songs. Main service follows mostly same pattern as well.
But allow me to be cynical a bit here.
Am I ready to give an answer when I'm asked why I do that way.
"Why did I choose this song?"
"Why do we greet after songs?", "Why do we stand while Scripture being read?"
There are so many "why"s we can come up with, and I am not saying we need to answer to all the question people throws at us.
But, the bottom line is that we know what we do and why do do.
Because that directs our behavior and how we interact with people we serve.
Our goal in ministry is to see "who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.".
So I started thinking, "what can I do to serve for the purpose?", "how should I do it?". The gospel fuels my ministry for Christ. and Bible provides so many examples of fruitful and faithful ministries.
Our ministries must purposeful and it needs to be Gospel-centered.
Let's not forget this.
That is a good reminder. Thank you for encouraging us to be purposeful. I found this article a couple days ago, and I think you would find it interesting:
ReplyDeletehttp://gungormusic.com/#!/2012/09/worship-and-performance/
This article by Michael Gungor (Musician/songwriter) articulates the tension between leading worship and performing. I agree with most of what he says, and I can understand his frustration with the term "worship music", but to add to his definition of "worship", worship is praising God and thanking Him for who He is; therefore, worship music is music written to thank and praise God. I think it's a necessary phrase. Yet, I think all music worships something. Music can worship love, or relationships, or pain.
Ellen: Thanks for nice words and sharing the article. I knew him but never had read his blog. and it was very inspiring, I shall say. I'd never had such perspective and made me think deeply.
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