Monday, February 13, 2006

The Work of Ministry

One of the things I've learned in my few (7) years of serving as a pastor is that your focus is so important. We've had a lot going one at church recently, business meetings, Valentine's Banquets for our adults and children, and lots of sickness. And in these times of business, it is easy to lose track of what is the better thing. You remember Mary and Martha from the Gospels. Martha was so busy doing good things that she neglected to spend time with Jesus who was right there with her. Mary wasn't doing as much, but she spent that time with her Lord, and He told them that was the better thing.

So often in ministry we neglect the better thing. We get busy doing and going, working and preaching, that we can forget what really matters. It is relationships that matter. First with the Triune God, and then with God’s people. We can get so focused on forms and meetings, so focused on programs that we forget the people that the programs should reach. I'm blogging later today that I normally do because I had a friendly breakfast with a church member. I thought about maybe canceling to get some work done, but then I remember that was work. It was the work of ministry. That is what I cannot and we cannot forget. What is the real work of ministry.

5 comments:

  1. I agree totally. We have to find time to get away from the programs and meetings and stuff that church can become, and get back to some basic people time doing real ministry. Some of my favorite times in ministry have come with one on one conversations with folks that were Spirit filled.

    And speaking of which, I leave out on Feb. 27. I'd love to get together before then. You busy this Friday? Give me a call.

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  2. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now the important stuff: what did you eat for breakfast? And I want in on this meeting between you and Greg -- I need to be in the presence of such men as yourselves.

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  3. Prid, where is your blog? Aren't you digital? I need to register www.theprid.com. I ate pancakes, sweet, sweet pancakes.

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  4. You know, I should blog. I have a lot to say. As for your breakfast, I hate you. Not hate in the pagan sense but, rather, in the Christian sense.

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  5. Yes, Prid, you do need to blog. I am sure that all you have to say would just eat you up if you didn't have a good place to express yourself.

    As for this meeting, I still have not heard from the Stud...I mean Stod.

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