There are really no secrets or shortcuts in ministry. There are tools (ways of starting conversations or events), there are crutches (tracts, cheap dramas, and other things that oversimplify and shut down conversation), but when it all comes down, ministry is simply people helping people. We can either understand this in terms of "one beggar telling another where to find bread" or discipleship, "follow me as I follow another" (hopefully Jesus, but we have others who lead us too). Discipleship is doing: this might look like serving the poor, creating community, praying for others, studying the Bible, etc etc etc.
As for outreach, true outreach is simply this: "Hello, my name is James. What's your name? Where are you from? What do you do? What do you believe?" We can't force, cajole, or convince anyone to love Jesus, and if we could, we wouldn't want to. I only hope and pray that, if Jesus is the first thing in my life, He will come up in natural conversation and others will see that. If we are passionate about our beliefs, we will ask others about theirs. Sometimes, they will give us a chance to share, but often times not, and that's okay. Especially if you are going around for the purpose of "outreach" they're going to be on the defensive. Don't escalate. Ask questions. Don't debate or get upset, unless you have a close relationship.
Are you truly interested in the people around you? Curious about what they can teach you? Do you love them, and will you still love them, even if they decide to go further away from God after meeting you? If you can't answer yes to these things, or at least strive for these things, you don't need to be doing ministry. As long as your trying to build your kingdom and make yourself or your church or your ministry into something, you are not loving your neighbor, you're just being self-absorbed and trying to be cool. Don't use the name of God in vain. Don't pretend to know things you don't know. God is God, and you are not. If someone doesn't want to hear it, you can offer, but don't be a jerk. Show respect to everyone.
Don't talk in generalities, except when necessary. You weren't there when God created the world, you weren't there when Jesus died, and you haven't been to heaven yet. You were there when you were convinced that God was real and that following him was your purpose in life. Talk about that instead.
I try to introduce myself to everyone I meet, everyone who piques my interest. (and if they don't, I question my preconceived ideas) If I see someone on the bus reading a book I like, or I see someone alone and they look interesting, I try to say hi. Our American society is very strange and unnatural, in that we pretend not to see the people we walk past. I always try to greet them, make eye contact, to keep my eyes open and in whatever way possible say, "I see you." If I see someone doing something cool, I ask them about it, if I see a girl who has cool shoes I say "Hey, cool shoes." Why do I introduce myself to everyone I can? 1)Because I have a lot to learn. The people I talk to have taught me as much or more as I've learned from school or books. 2)Because God has put them in my life. Maybe God wants to teach me something. Maybe I have something to give them. I feel like two gifts all Christians should strive for is the ability to pray over others' needs and to listen. 3)Because life's too short to play these funny social games where we save face and stay alone.
Young Life teaches that we should "earn the right to be heard." Covenant House taught me to "seek first to understand." Outreach for conversion's sake, on the spot, is usually ridiculous, and somewhat unhealthy. It's not discipleship, and the stats from Billy Graham crusades, when it comes to follow up and who actually ends up involved in a church, are pretty dismal. It's just not effective. Jesus limited himself, on some level, to twelve people. Full-time. If you really want to make a difference in the lives of others, you need to look for quality, not quantity. Quality time, deep relationships. To love someone is to allow yourself to be changed by them.
The most effective means of outreach I've seen is just to meet people and offer to pray for them. It brings God in, most (NOT all) people are open to it, and it is genuinely concerned for their well-being and what they are concerned about. We're listening, and in turn, representing and bringing our new friends before God. Offering literature (not cheesy, simplistic tracts) that people might actually want to read is another example. I also like the "confession booth" idea from "Blue Like Jazz."
As for sharing life, I've seen many different examples of what that can look like, really, any activity can be a "church" activity. When I'm travelling, ministry for me often looks like letting my friend show me their town while I try to help them sort through their lives, doubts, and just whatever's bothering them. When it seems right and honest, I point them to Jesus. Our culture has a hunger for places of connection. I mean, especially once you're out of high school, you can meet people in bars, online, at work, or in church. Most people probably fall somewhere between the hardcore bar crowd and the church crowd. So churches and ministries have been doing things like coffee shops, sports leagues, and movie nights to get people connecting. My mentor's church in Lithuania goes on bike rides together and hosts open mic nights at a local pub. I think the church should try to create "sanctuary," a place where people are free to be themselves and meet with God.
Campus Crusade (now just "Cru") has long held a goal that everyone would know one committed Christian. I think on some level, this is a good goal. I think we should be involved in the lives of people who are like us, and people who are not like us. I've also seen events like topic-based discussion groups (Relationships, religions, you name it. As long as you keep the playing field even and respecful, you'll have a chance to share what you believe, you'll learn a lot, and you'll have a starting point for many deep and meaningful conversations.), testimony/worship times (either in public or in small groups). I've had testimony nights where agnostics and atheists felt comfortable sharing why they believe what they do, and many people come to worship nights just cuz they like to sing. It's just a matter of being respectful and relational. As long as both sides understand what's going on, we're good and we're all better for these kinds of interactions. (And if my atheist friend invited me to hear a speaker or a rock band, I'd hopefully make time to go.) Another thing would be to patronize or do events with the arts, and start discussions and relationships that way. And we shouldn't rule out Bible studies, inviting our friends to church, or prayer groups. Many people are open to these things, and if we're respectful and clear about our expectations and really host people (realizing they come from another culture), they'll be grateful, even if they decide they can't agree with what the Bible or preacher is saying. (I can't always agree myself if I'm honest.)
Eat together. You're not sharing life if you don't. Let your home be the hangout, a place for games, prayer, and where anyone can drop in when they want to. My favorite event (although I've never thought of it as ministry) is a "music night" where my friends all bring three songs that are very meaningful, listen to them, and we guess who brought each song. After we guess, the person shares why that song is meaningful.
Finally, I would say is "be about God's business." Part of that means talking about God and urging people to be reconciled to him. We are all called to repentance each day. But many people aren't interested in the church today because it isn't doing anything. In Europe, most people I meet agree that the church has done a lot of good. Americans sadly cannot agree. Work for the betterment of your community. Clean up parks, build your own co-ops, libraries, networks. Get involved with the events already going on. Make volunteering and helping out part of what it means to be a part of your group. Most people are bored with an intellectual faith that doesn't leave the building and the church's own programs, but they can understand loving their neighbors, oftentimes long before they might understand loving God. While the church must maintain its identity and its prophetic witness (hosting a political rally...probably not okay), if the church is a servant of its community, its state, its world, and especially of the parts that others have given up on or deemed "untouchable," each sphere and both servant and served (or equipped) will be transformed by love.
Lastly, and by that I mean firstly, bathe everything in prayer and walk in the Spirit, doing what you see God doing. None of any of the other things I said really matter, if God and love are in them. Ministry is just serving God and serving others. Serving others doesn't mean convincing them of anything. It means helping them, praying for them, and if they're willing, helping them sort their beliefs. God didn't bring you into the world to save it, and many times, your "mission" might be to give someone a hug, buy them a meal, or just smile or listen. Don't be afraid to talk about God, but don't get hung up on who's saved and who's not. At the end of the day, all you can really do is pray and point people to Jesus, they have to take care of the rest themselves. God loves the people I meet way more than I ever will, and he's gonna have to show up in their life somewhere if they're going to grow, be transformed, and have real relationship with Him.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Kingdom #1: Sell Your Stuff
Luke 12:32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Sell everything? It doesn't say that. But it does say sell. It does say to give to the poor. And it doesn't tell you when to stop. Where is your treasure? What are your prized possessions?
Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. When was the last time we went without food, water, a bed, or even just internet or tv? Do our neighbors have all of these things? Some of them, yes. But if you're reading this, you're rich. And kids are still starving around the world.
But let's face it, giving money to the poor is messy, and if you're just giving money, you're hardly helping. Most poor people who ask you for money use it for alcohol or drugs. I almost never give away my money to these people, instead I ask what they want, and if I can give it, and it's something that will help them, I'll get it. Ideally, if someone is asking for food, I get to take them to lunch. One time this lead to me letting a homeless guy who had been kicked out of all the shelters stay over, even though his daughter told me not to, that he deserved it. I was so nervous he would rob me blind, I even slept by the front door, but nothing happened. In the morning he went on his way.
Why are the poor God's treasure? I mean, doesn't God like rich people? I think people in general are God's treasure, but God often has harsh words for rich people. The "sin of Sodom" a city that according to Genesis, God destroyed because of its sin, was that they didn't take care of the poor: ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
"With all your power, what would you do?" (the Flaming Lips)
Sell everything? It doesn't say that. But it does say sell. It does say to give to the poor. And it doesn't tell you when to stop. Where is your treasure? What are your prized possessions?
Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. When was the last time we went without food, water, a bed, or even just internet or tv? Do our neighbors have all of these things? Some of them, yes. But if you're reading this, you're rich. And kids are still starving around the world.
But let's face it, giving money to the poor is messy, and if you're just giving money, you're hardly helping. Most poor people who ask you for money use it for alcohol or drugs. I almost never give away my money to these people, instead I ask what they want, and if I can give it, and it's something that will help them, I'll get it. Ideally, if someone is asking for food, I get to take them to lunch. One time this lead to me letting a homeless guy who had been kicked out of all the shelters stay over, even though his daughter told me not to, that he deserved it. I was so nervous he would rob me blind, I even slept by the front door, but nothing happened. In the morning he went on his way.
Why are the poor God's treasure? I mean, doesn't God like rich people? I think people in general are God's treasure, but God often has harsh words for rich people. The "sin of Sodom" a city that according to Genesis, God destroyed because of its sin, was that they didn't take care of the poor: ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."
"With all your power, what would you do?" (the Flaming Lips)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Those who are trusted with something Valuable (by Kate M.)
I know the whole world says that your possessions are yours and all that money is yours and time is yours. You earned it. You bought it. You needed it. Good job. But what if we as a church decided that the things we own, the money we’ve worked for and our time awake or asleep really aren’t ours.
I’ve been personally playing with the idea for awhile now. “My money is not mine.” This is an easy thing to grasp for me because what is not the random earnings of playing with someone’s baby is given by my parents. Usually too willingly, I almost am begging to do some chores to make up for it. My residency card says “Be teisės dirbti” (Without the right to work); it's a bit humbling now that I think about it...
At any rate, whether the money and possessions I have are ‘earned’ or an allowance from my parents, isn’t everything ultimately from God anyway? Didn't He give me the ability to obtain these things? “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?” [1 Cor 4:7]. Equally, “The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his,” [Psalms 24:1]. Why do we insist that we own these things?
When friends have borrowed money, I’ve wanted for so long to say, "You owe me nothing. You don’t need to pay me back. What’s a few dollars/litas between friends anyway?" [Actually in one secular fiction book that inspired me, it was ‘forbidden’ say “I’ll pay you back,” between friends.] What if we could have a similar ‘policy’ between our brothers and sisters in Christ, between ministries, between missions’ organizations, between churches? The money we are given is God’s money. The comforts and necessities we are given are from God. Our time is a portion of God’s grace. Not that we give away everything we own RIGHT NOW AT ONCE and end up homeless in a financial crisis; but that we would take every day to give up everything we own back to God to ask, “How do You want me to use this for Your kingdom and people?” and if[when] the Spirit instructs/directs us, whether individually or collectively, towards a need, that we would give freely what is needed... How much more unified we would be as His body.
In the words of so many before me – all is Grace
-Kate
I’ve been personally playing with the idea for awhile now. “My money is not mine.” This is an easy thing to grasp for me because what is not the random earnings of playing with someone’s baby is given by my parents. Usually too willingly, I almost am begging to do some chores to make up for it. My residency card says “Be teisės dirbti” (Without the right to work); it's a bit humbling now that I think about it...
At any rate, whether the money and possessions I have are ‘earned’ or an allowance from my parents, isn’t everything ultimately from God anyway? Didn't He give me the ability to obtain these things? “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?” [1 Cor 4:7]. Equally, “The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his,” [Psalms 24:1]. Why do we insist that we own these things?
When friends have borrowed money, I’ve wanted for so long to say, "You owe me nothing. You don’t need to pay me back. What’s a few dollars/litas between friends anyway?" [Actually in one secular fiction book that inspired me, it was ‘forbidden’ say “I’ll pay you back,” between friends.] What if we could have a similar ‘policy’ between our brothers and sisters in Christ, between ministries, between missions’ organizations, between churches? The money we are given is God’s money. The comforts and necessities we are given are from God. Our time is a portion of God’s grace. Not that we give away everything we own RIGHT NOW AT ONCE and end up homeless in a financial crisis; but that we would take every day to give up everything we own back to God to ask, “How do You want me to use this for Your kingdom and people?” and if[when] the Spirit instructs/directs us, whether individually or collectively, towards a need, that we would give freely what is needed... How much more unified we would be as His body.
In the words of so many before me – all is Grace
-Kate
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Home (by Kate M.)
"Where do you consider home?" I have been told more than once, “Come home. I miss you.” by people living in very different places. Where do I consider home? To one of those people, I answered--I AM home. Where’s home? Where I lay my head? That makes home a somewhat impersonal object, objective to my whim and unimportant to everyday occurrences/doings.
It is with all of those who I count as family.
To quote a song appropriately called “Home”:
2 Cor. 5: 1-10
Psalm 5:7
Psalm 133
John 16
My mother recently told me, “I never quite feel I am totally at home anywhere.” Innocence is bliss, but discoveries and travel make a wandering (or a wanderer's) heart.
“For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For this tent--we groan--longing to put on our heavenly dwelling...while we are still in this tent (our earthly dwelling, our temporary, nomadic living place), we groan...that we would further be clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life...we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
I am not--we are not--truly home. All we can really construct for ourselves is the equivalent of a tent--like the tabernacle carried throughout the desert with the Israelites--the temporary house of the Lord in the Old Testament. And in the New Testament, the wanderings of Jesus Christ foreshadow the wandering of my own self. Where was Jesus’ Home? His own family criticized him--definitely not making him feel welcome in his own hometown. "The son of man has no place to rest his head."
The homes/houses made by man can only be temporary and whether we realize it or not, Christian or Atheist--we all long for some kind of eternity. The psalms sing of longing to dwell with the Lord that they long for and hope: “But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house...” Eternity equals “at home with the One-who-makes-everything-whole": the Lord God almighty, the creator of the heavens and earth.
Where is my home? What do I call home?
Jesus, I believe, found home on earth. In his years of ministry, at times rejected by his family, he was able to find a home wherever he traveled. Everything was provided for; he was welcomed with prepared meals, welcomed with ears longing to hear of his travels/thoughts, doused in perfumes and given a place to wash his feet...and a place to also wash the feet of his friends.
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers (sisters) dwell in unity...it is like the (tender, calm, refreshing) dew that falls upon the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”
...How good and pleasant.... like the dew on mountains, dew bringing water, and therefore life on the young plants and flowers--perhaps an image of God’s provision in and for nature, even maybe an image of love and harmony? How beautiful it is when those who hold each other as a beloved family are together, when they come together from the places that have kept them separated for any length of time. “It is here that the Lord has commanded blessing, even life forevermore.”
Eternal life, a piece of home--our True Home--has been blessed upon us in our unity, and in our unity in Christ, who has redeemed us.
It is with all of those who I count as family.
To quote a song appropriately called “Home”:
“Let me come home/Home is wherever I’m with you...Let me come home/Home is whenever I’m with you.”
Jesus spoke to his disciples--his friends and makeshift, motley family before he was crucified-- saying, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me...so also you [will] have sorrow now [when I’m gone], but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
And as time must come when we part--we will, in a little while, see each other no longer, may our sorrow turn to hope and joy--for, in another little while--we will see each other again: where we will again come home and rejoice.
Kate M. is a military kid, American ex-pat and student at LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
2 Cor. 5: 1-10
Psalm 5:7
Psalm 133
John 16
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