Motivation for Ministry

The year was 1972 and I had just settled in on the couch for the Dolphins game. It was Sunday afternoon and I was living in Dunedin, Florida. I had become a Miami fan and they were at their peak. It seems just as I had gotten comfortable with all the snacks on the coffee table that the doorbell rang. I blew a little as I got up to answer the bell and there in my doorway was a man in a suit wanting to invite me to church! Aaarrgh!!! I don’t remember what I said I just remember closing the door rather loudly. Yes, I was running from God and yes I needed someone to help me get back on track with the Lord. However, something about this whole thing really bugged me. I admit that it was a kind of confrontation that at least made me think of the Lord but that is about all I can say about it. The thing I remember thinking was, “this guy’s just out to get his newest Scout badge”! I didn’t like being a part of it.
We are always being told to “reach out, evangelize and minister to people.” Yet, there has to be more to it than that. Does timing, circumstances, or personal connection matter? I think they do. The poor guy that rang my doorbell was certainly trying to be obedient to the Great Commission but maybe the preacher that got him going, left out a point or two. For me it was that we had no personal connection. Yes, I know there are certainly times when we have those special moments when the Holy Spirit opens the door for a “woman at the well” experience. Those times are special indeed. However, on a day to day basis, we need to learn to be more open to the inner leading of the Holy Spirit to help us find the door to a person’s heart in order to bring the good news to them. Now a little more confession of sin: there was a time I had been sick for about a month. I had been overrun by hyperactive Christians who wanted to help me get well. Everyone had an answer. Then a Brother came who said he had “a word for me”. I literally got out of a sickbed to hear this guy. It was harsh, bitter and judgmental. I rose so weak I was shaking and said, “I’m going to ask you to leave my house now”. He seemed a little shocked and said, “Obviously, the bridge of our relationship wasn’t strong enough to hold the load I was trying to deliver to you”. While I still believe his “word” was coming from his own personal frustrations with me and not from the Lord, I learned a lot from his departing statement. Now that was a “word from the Lord”! He hadn’t established a relational connection with me that allowed me to receive such an intimate word of correction from him.
Let me now use a very worldly example to help us better function in the ministry to others. In solving a murder the police look for three important things that point to a person as a suspect. They are “means, motive and opportunity”. I think these three things can be helpful in making sure a person is ready for our ministry rather than just “ringing the doorbell” and seeing what flushes out! Let’s begin with “opportunity”. Be sensitive to the Lord in determining if this is really a moment of opportunity for this person. I had one of those situations recently with a waitress who was serving me. I’m there with my mind only on my meal when the Holy Spirit just opened up this woman to me. I could see her pain and the Lord told to tell her something. It stunned her but gave her hope. You could see the change in her eyes. This was one of those special times. After opportunity let’s look at “means”. We certainly have the means to help others if we have the Holy Spirit in us. We should all accept today that we DO have the “means” to make a difference in the life of another person. Our last check point is “motive”. Here is the heart of my article today. What is our motivation in wanting to help people? Is it condemnation from a church or pressure from others? Is it pride in wanting to put a new scalp on my belt? Am I trying to make God love me more? All these reasons are wrong and distorted. Believe it or not, the person you are trying to help can sense your motivation, whether pure or impure. The Scripture says that when Jesus “saw” the multitudes, he was moved with “compassion”. People can sense and even feel compassion because it is the heart of Jesus coming through you. Join me in asking the Lord for a fresh revival of “seeing” people as they really are in order to have true “compassion”, the only genuine motivation for ministry.

"I take full responsibility for that!"



More and more you hear leaders making this statement. After some fiasco they have learned to go on TV and say, "I take full responsibility for this"! What does it mean? Apparently nothing! Historically, Japanese leaders who took full responsibility for a mistake on their watch either resigned immediately or fell on their sword. That is a picture of taking full responsibility for a problem for which they are truly responsible. In the movie Wall Street, a broker who made a mistake and cost the company money was told by his boss, "this is coming out of your check". That is taking full responsibility. With all the madness of the BP oil spill and with all their troubles and PR problems, at least they are putting out billions of dollars in an effort to take full responsibility.



As leaders, we need to truly take full responsibility for our actions. Certainly forgiveness is ours in Christ. However, forgiveness is not the end of the matter as leaders. We must either resign from our leadership post and allow someone else to maneuver the group or company to a safer harbor or we need to provide for reconciliation as well as restitution for all losses on our watch. Reconciliation will always cost us something. If reconciliation does not cost us personally, it is not true reconciliation.



Restoration comes to failure when the one who failed acknowledges their error, they repent and turn from the error, they make restitution for their failure and have a willingness to embrace their mistake as a building foundation for a new day of success.

Called or Adventurer?



It is a great thing to have a zeal to follow God to the ends of the earth. It is equally as great to follow God in the mundane of the here and now. More people are called to the latter than the former. I remember when Chuck Hall, the President of World Indigenous Missions, left our church in Valdosta, Georgia for his first assignment as a missionary in Mexico. He was so thrilled to get on with his adventure in the Lord. He and his family did a fabulous job in Mexico. I vividly remember talking with him a number of years later as he was preparing to return to Mexico from intinerating in the U.S. He sat in my office and said, "years ago when I first left for the field I went on 90% zeal and 10% obedience. Today I go back on 90% obedience and 10% zeal." I suspect that it was at this point that the Lord received pure worship.



We live in a day where we are told that the average interest level can only be held for a short period of time. Because of this some are attracted to the adventure of traveling the globe in the name of Christ. This must be examined all along the way. "Why am I doing what I am doing"? Am I called to be doing this or am I addicted to adventure?" You might ask, "what is the harm in doing this? I am doing only good things." First, a person functioning in the place of the called who is not called, is a person taking the billet of the one who is called. They are actually stealing from the one who should be there. They are also hindering the discovery of their own destiny. There are those called to missionary service overseas and there are those called to the school house, the factory and the hospital. All are missionaries or sent ones for the sake of the Gospel. It is that calling that will empower them for the long haul. The person who goes "for a season", loses interest and comes home, is not a called one but an adventurer. The calling of the Lord is inescapable. The function and location may change but the call is without repentance. This is not intended as a rebuke but an awakening to honesty and faithfulness in day to day obedience.

Anniversary Day!

Today Teresa and I have been married 42 years! When I reflect on it all I can't imagine a life without her. There was a time in my life when her life and daily presence was the conviction of the Lord. There came a day when her presence represented the forgiveness of the Lord. Now she represents the faithfulness and the unconditional love of the Lord. Living along side her has been a transformation into something better for me and hopefully for her as well.

I am a blessed and happy man!