Comments on: 21 Century Ministry and 2 Corinthians (Part 5) http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/ Attempting to connect life to what matters most Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:24:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jim Martin http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9019 Jim Martin Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:56:57 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9019 J.S., yes prayer and an over all dependence upon the Spirit for his work in our lives. On the human end of things, I want to prayer. However, I do that realizing that on the "God end of things," he is doing what I can see, fathom, or grasp. Sometimes his involvement may seem clear. Very often it is not. As a wife/mother, J.S., it might look something like this-- You do what is right and God honoring trusting that somewhere God is at work. It means that you realize that you can't control your husband/children but can only love them. It is like the lifestyle of Jesus (as I understand it from the Gospels) where he went about his daily life, loving God and loving people. Often the work of God in this was not evident. In fact, his lifestyle and teachings led him to the cross (appearing to experience total defeat.) Yet, God was faithful and raised him from the dead. I suspect our lives will be similar. J.S., yes prayer and an over all dependence upon the Spirit for his work in our lives. On the human end of things, I want to prayer. However, I do that realizing that on the “God end of things,” he is doing what I can see, fathom, or grasp. Sometimes his involvement may seem clear. Very often it is not.
As a wife/mother, J.S., it might look something like this– You do what is right and God honoring trusting that somewhere God is at work. It means that you realize that you can’t control your husband/children but can only love them. It is like the lifestyle of Jesus (as I understand it from the Gospels) where he went about his daily life, loving God and loving people. Often the work of God in this was not evident. In fact, his lifestyle and teachings led him to the cross (appearing to experience total defeat.) Yet, God was faithful and raised him from the dead. I suspect our lives will be similar.

]]> By: J.S. http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9018 J.S. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 13:45:00 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9018 So would you say PRAYER is the key to having "Holy Spirit" power in your life, so that you are able to make God your #1 focus, loving Him, yielding to Him, and listening to Him, which in turn makes whatever ministry you have "successful"? How does this look in day to day experience? A humble spirit, a teachable spirit, an open heart all day long... like that? I'm a wife and mother... and am still looking for the power of God in my life to be and do what I can't seem to be and do on my own, namely, wanting my marriage, let alone working to make it successful. So would you say PRAYER is the key to having “Holy Spirit” power in your life, so that you are able to make God your #1 focus, loving Him, yielding to Him, and listening to Him, which in turn makes whatever ministry you have “successful”? How does this look in day to day experience? A humble spirit, a teachable spirit, an open heart all day long… like that? I’m a wife and mother… and am still looking for the power of God in my life to be and do what I can’t seem to be and do on my own, namely, wanting my marriage, let alone working to make it successful.

]]> By: Jim Martin http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9017 Jim Martin Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:52:47 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9017 James--You express this very well. Your first sentence is one which resonates with me and I'm sure a number of people who are reading this. I really like the points you make regarding ministry and loving God. Very good. I like what you say about messed up priorities and placing loving others before loving God. Thanks very much. I appreciate your comment. James–You express this very well. Your first sentence is one which resonates with me and I’m sure a number of people who are reading this. I really like the points you make regarding ministry and loving God. Very good. I like what you say about messed up priorities and placing loving others before loving God. Thanks very much. I appreciate your comment.

]]> By: Jim Martin http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9016 Jim Martin Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:49:18 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9016 Wade, it is good to hear from you. Very good. You express this well. Reliance upon the power of the Spirit certainly changes my perspective on this work. One of the by products is the reduction of stress since if doesn't all reside on the shoulders of one person. Wade, it is good to hear from you. Very good. You express this well. Reliance upon the power of the Spirit certainly changes my perspective on this work. One of the by products is the reduction of stress since if doesn’t all reside on the shoulders of one person.

]]> By: Jim Martin http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9015 Jim Martin Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:43:57 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9015 Greg, this is great to hear! What a great ministry you must have. I am glad you are doing this work at this point in your life and ministry. Greg, this is great to hear! What a great ministry you must have. I am glad you are doing this work at this point in your life and ministry.

]]> By: Wade Tannehill http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9014 Wade Tannehill Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:26:17 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9014 It has taken me a long time to learn this (and sometiems I still don't apply it too well), but I am finding that it makes all the difference. Prayer is closely related to our reliance on the Spirit as I realize that the outcomes aren't up to me or how hard I work. I am not in control of changing hearts or growing a church (spiritually or numerically). I can only ask that God use me as a tool in this process. This removes a lot of weight from my shoulders when my fuflfillment in ministry does not depend on "outcomes" or my own agendas. God is in control and I am only his instrument. It has taken me a long time to learn this (and sometiems I still don’t apply it too well), but I am finding that it makes all the difference. Prayer is closely related to our reliance on the Spirit as I realize that the outcomes aren’t up to me or how hard I work. I am not in control of changing hearts or growing a church (spiritually or numerically). I can only ask that God use me as a tool in this process. This removes a lot of weight from my shoulders when my fuflfillment in ministry does not depend on “outcomes” or my own agendas. God is in control and I am only his instrument.

]]> By: Greg England http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9013 Greg England Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:19:25 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9013 Yes, I had a similar journey. Thankfully, the final 10 years or so of my 30 years of preaching were the very best years of my life. Don't regret leaving that aspect of ministry to embrace this present ministry of serving families in the context of dying and death. People often ask me how we do it, that they don't think they could possibly do what we do. They have no idea the incredible sense of joy we have in helping a family walk through this maze and then have them tell us how much it meant to them to have us alongside. It truly is a ministry that has to be empowered by the Holy Spirit because the human heart simply can't stay in this context for that long in and of it's own power. Funeral directors come and go and far too many of them have the reputation of used car salesmen. We look forward to every day and every family God sends our way. It get exhausting physically, but we go home at night filled with something that can't be explained. Yes, I had a similar journey. Thankfully, the final 10 years or so of my 30 years of preaching were the very best years of my life. Don’t regret leaving that aspect of ministry to embrace this present ministry of serving families in the context of dying and death. People often ask me how we do it, that they don’t think they could possibly do what we do. They have no idea the incredible sense of joy we have in helping a family walk through this maze and then have them tell us how much it meant to them to have us alongside. It truly is a ministry that has to be empowered by the Holy Spirit because the human heart simply can’t stay in this context for that long in and of it’s own power. Funeral directors come and go and far too many of them have the reputation of used car salesmen. We look forward to every day and every family God sends our way. It get exhausting physically, but we go home at night filled with something that can’t be explained.

]]> By: JamesBrett http://godhungry.org/2009/11/19/21-century-ministry-and-2-corinthians-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-9012 JamesBrett Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:07:40 +0000 http://godhungry.org/?p=3235#comment-9012 I've been there -- the weight of ministry bearing down, operating out of my own power, and for me losing focus on what's truly important and allowing sin in my life. It all started with some messed up priorities; I wanted to love and help people more than anything. When asked the greatest command, Jesus echoes Deuteronomy 6, that we should love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. The second is to love our neighbor. I'm sad to say that for the majority of my life in ministry, until the last two years or so, I had the two switched. My chief objective was to serve others and help them into a mature relationship with Jesus Christ. I had it all backwards. Only when God is our first (and only) love are we fit to minister to others. We talk a lot about ministers and missionaries having a heart for the lost, being passionate about ministry -- I know what being passionate about ministry got me... My love is so imperfect, so finite, so conditional. Yet God wants it -- all of it. And the most amazing thing happens; when I give God ALL of my love -- not holding back any for ministry or the lost or even my wife and family -- he takes my pathetic, sick, and sometimes twisted attempts at loving him as much as I can... And he transforms them. I think really what he does is open me up to receive the unconditional, limitless, and perfect love he's always had for me. But he gives me so much of it in my life that it overflows into the lives of those around me. My wife benefits, receiving God's love through me, rather than what I myself had to offer. Those to whom I minister benefit, my love no longer limited in quality or quantity. Where I used to have to slice up my love pie -- 40% to wife and family, 40% to God, 10% to other Christians, 10% to the lost -- I now have a greater source of love. By loving God with my ALL, and trusting that he'll solve the problem of what I offer my wife, church, and others, everyone benefits. Most importantly God, who receives all the glory. I wish I'd really realized all this a long time ago... I’ve been there — the weight of ministry bearing down, operating out of my own power, and for me losing focus on what’s truly important and allowing sin in my life. It all started with some messed up priorities; I wanted to love and help people more than anything.

When asked the greatest command, Jesus echoes Deuteronomy 6, that we should love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. The second is to love our neighbor. I’m sad to say that for the majority of my life in ministry, until the last two years or so, I had the two switched. My chief objective was to serve others and help them into a mature relationship with Jesus Christ. I had it all backwards. Only when God is our first (and only) love are we fit to minister to others. We talk a lot about ministers and missionaries having a heart for the lost, being passionate about ministry — I know what being passionate about ministry got me…

My love is so imperfect, so finite, so conditional. Yet God wants it — all of it. And the most amazing thing happens; when I give God ALL of my love — not holding back any for ministry or the lost or even my wife and family — he takes my pathetic, sick, and sometimes twisted attempts at loving him as much as I can… And he transforms them. I think really what he does is open me up to receive the unconditional, limitless, and perfect love he’s always had for me. But he gives me so much of it in my life that it overflows into the lives of those around me. My wife benefits, receiving God’s love through me, rather than what I myself had to offer. Those to whom I minister benefit, my love no longer limited in quality or quantity. Where I used to have to slice up my love pie — 40% to wife and family, 40% to God, 10% to other Christians, 10% to the lost — I now have a greater source of love. By loving God with my ALL, and trusting that he’ll solve the problem of what I offer my wife, church, and others, everyone benefits. Most importantly God, who receives all the glory. I wish I’d really realized all this a long time ago…

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