Once again, I am going to post an entry from my friend, Dr. Michael Johnson. He usually hits the nail on the head, and this entry is no different. Enjoy...and be uncomfortable!
Ministry as Industry
This is an ugly concept, but a good friend of mine laid this on me today. He talked to me about ministry as industry.
We need the poor. Our job security depends on hungry, naked, ignorant, thirsty and unhealthy people. If our donors perceive that we are no longer needed in our sites of service, they will quickly find someone else, somewhere else to send their money. We need to be needed.
The poor need us. Their future jobs, family, health and financial security depend on our ability to adequately portray their plight with compassion and conviction.
Our donors need us. Our donors like the pictures. They feel good as they reach into their pockets to give. We give them that chance to feel good.
The problem with these three very extreme points of view is that much of it is true. We are incapable of ourselves to discern when our hearts slip from ministry to industry.
This can only be done by keenly listening to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that ‘our hearts are deceitful above all things…, desperately wicked…, who can know it?’ Jeremiah 17:9
We must allow the Holy Ghost to constantly reexamine every single thing we do in Christ’s name to determine our true intentions.
When does what we do become the objective as opposed to whom we serve and why we serve? How do we assure we are not just tantalizing our donors as opposed to informing them? How do I know that I don’t create a co-dependency climate with the people I serve?
Do we create our own ‘niche’ in ministry in order to remain relevant? Do we seek to invent and carve out needs in the missionary market?
Is our ministry fulfilling a need, advancing the gospel or giving us relevance as missionaries? Is it a ministry from which people have a chance to meet Christ, or a place where we can build institutions, programs and industries?
Ministry is becoming big industry around the world. Faith industry around the globe is producing mega-churches with mega-bucks. This same industry influences politics, medicine and many issues of economic and social planning.
Can we continue to do the work being hypnotized by the success in the work? Is our ministry an industry? Are we really serving Christ?
To keep our ministries from becoming industry, we must pray as the Psalmist prayed.
Ps 139:23
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Ps 139:24
And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
A very insightful critique!
Posted by: Rob T | November 22, 2006 at 04:10 PM