Mindset for Ministry

Ok, I take the first moment to apologize about making the readers sick regarding my affection for my wife. However, you may chose to live in a meaningless and loveless world, but I choose to woo the woman I love and whom I want to love me. She has brought me from the boy who would only cry when caught in a bear trap (and then only to lubricate the gears for escape) to the man I am now who cannot watch Extreme Home Makeover without falling apart.

Now, I have begun the process of demonstrating a different mindset for ministry. This mindset is not new for me, only a process of the past few years that I am now implementing into the culture that surrounds my life. It's a "coming out" if you will. The thought process is this:

I am the Church. As a believer in, and follower of, Christ, I am His Church. This is not a religion or dogma, but the reality of who He says I am because I have been brought into His family. It is relationship, and now I live for Him. I am different, set apart. I am not "better than" or perfect, but I put my trust in the Creator of all, knowing that I cannot brag about how I have achieved or arrived. He calls me blessed. He calls me a saint.

I don't have to like church to be the Church. I have written about the institution (little "c"hurch). I have tried to work for it and build it, but I know that God hasn't called me to. The machine of things can fail without the Whole falling. God has actually said that He will take care of His Church. We can all be different and still be the Church.

God has a mindset about the Kingdom, not the church (little "c"). He is for the Kingdom. The Kingdom involves things, but is not a thing. It is a way. So, if God is about the Kingdom, I should be about doing the ministry (work) of the Kingdom and not the church.

I will work to do ministry, not build a church. There are things that seem to be expected of us as a church. If you do not do them, you are looked down on or seen as somehow less effective. However, I really believe that if we concentrate on doing the ministry that we can do, everything will fall into place. You see, a "church" has a choir, Sunday School classes, a youth room and nursery. There is a fellowship hall and carpet and a sound system. A ministry, on the other hand, sees a person in need and helps them. A ministry knows that others need to learn about God and shares His love then disciples (mentors) them. Visiting the skate park replaces the room. The aisle at Wal-mart replaces the carpet and sound of the sanctuary. Look to do ministry, not build a church.

This is where we are going. It is the direction. It is the way. I am looking forward to the ride.