Friday, January 28, 2005
Christian Vocation
True Pravda pulls a quote from a piece by Ken Myers at BreakPoint/Prison Fellowship and opines:
"We need to do a better job in dispelling the myth that some vocations (i.e., “full-time Christian ministry") are more sacred than others. After all, all believers are considered among the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10). If indeed all truth is God’s truth, the engineer, physician, homemaker, janitor, teacher—even lawyer!—are all in positions to further God’s truth to a world in need of redemption."
I am going to call Jared and raise him. Not only are the more "mundane" professions an integral part of spreading the gospel -- I think they are the sacred vocations.
Professional full-time Christian ministry is likely a necessity, but I do not think it is a definitive part of God's plan for the church. Our scriptural examples from Acts indicate that the Apostles operated as itinerants, sometimes the offering supported them, and sometimes Paul was sewing tents. Sometimes, Paul at least, would forgo payment for the sake of the gospel. (I Cor 9:11-12.)
I think full time professional ministry comes with a built in conflict of interest and a gross temptation. Do I visit the sick and lonely, or do I call on the largest donor? Do I let my sermon stink this week because I really need to spend time with 'X?' Do I preach what I think the congregation really needs to hear, or do I preach what will keep the pews full and the offerings coming? Do we spend money on an in-house gym, or do we commission a missionary?
I don't know any one in full time professional ministry that has not struggled with questions like these, and I know a whole lot of them that have fogotten to say what Paul said to the Corinthians. I am not saying that professional ministry is definitionally a corrupt vocation -- There are many, many good people in vocational ministry.
I am saying that I think God prefers voluntary, part-time ministry. Jesus came to sanctify our lives, regardless of how we support ourselves. We can spread that sanctification regardless of how we support ourselves as well.
Got a ministry in your church that needs more labor. Let me challenge you NOT to think about hiring someone. Let me challenge you to think about how to get your congregants so excited about Jesus that they step in and get the job done. I think God preferes it that way.
"We need to do a better job in dispelling the myth that some vocations (i.e., “full-time Christian ministry") are more sacred than others. After all, all believers are considered among the royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9-10). If indeed all truth is God’s truth, the engineer, physician, homemaker, janitor, teacher—even lawyer!—are all in positions to further God’s truth to a world in need of redemption."
I am going to call Jared and raise him. Not only are the more "mundane" professions an integral part of spreading the gospel -- I think they are the sacred vocations.
Professional full-time Christian ministry is likely a necessity, but I do not think it is a definitive part of God's plan for the church. Our scriptural examples from Acts indicate that the Apostles operated as itinerants, sometimes the offering supported them, and sometimes Paul was sewing tents. Sometimes, Paul at least, would forgo payment for the sake of the gospel. (I Cor 9:11-12.)
I think full time professional ministry comes with a built in conflict of interest and a gross temptation. Do I visit the sick and lonely, or do I call on the largest donor? Do I let my sermon stink this week because I really need to spend time with 'X?' Do I preach what I think the congregation really needs to hear, or do I preach what will keep the pews full and the offerings coming? Do we spend money on an in-house gym, or do we commission a missionary?
I don't know any one in full time professional ministry that has not struggled with questions like these, and I know a whole lot of them that have fogotten to say what Paul said to the Corinthians. I am not saying that professional ministry is definitionally a corrupt vocation -- There are many, many good people in vocational ministry.
I am saying that I think God prefers voluntary, part-time ministry. Jesus came to sanctify our lives, regardless of how we support ourselves. We can spread that sanctification regardless of how we support ourselves as well.
Got a ministry in your church that needs more labor. Let me challenge you NOT to think about hiring someone. Let me challenge you to think about how to get your congregants so excited about Jesus that they step in and get the job done. I think God preferes it that way.
