Out of Order

Secure housing – check! Secure latest and greatest small group material – check!  Secure young relevant college-aged bible study leaders – check!  Secure amazingly humorous yet doctrinally assertive speaker – check!  Secure new and innovative recreational supplies – check!  Secure graphics for promotional sweetness – check!  Intercede for the lives of people in ministry, fast and pray for God to demolish strongholds in students’ lives, seek the Lord’s guidance concerning what to teach, repent, ask Holy Spirit to speak louder than words – job left undone. 

The old cliche “you save the best for last” certainly does not apply when it comes to ministry in the kingdom of God.  I don’t know how it happens, but somehow ministry, especially when dealing with a media-crazed generation, can become so overwhelming we often neglect the necessities of a holy calling.  None of us are immune to this alluring trap.  On the brink of the greatest outpouring I had seen in ministry, I realized I had become overwhelmed and ill-focused on things that did not matter.  Somehow ministry became strikingly complex.  It use to be up to God – His power, His message, His work – but somehow after eighty different conferences, the increase in notoriety, the pressures of church expectations, and scores of people, I found myself more interested in the appearance of the our themes, logos, presentations, and personalities than the condition of students’ hearts.  We had completely gotten “Out of Order”.

This seems to be the constant resurfacing theme of God’s people.  God’s elect desperately plead for a transition in their cultural climate…then as He begins to deliver and bless, His people slowly begin to prioritize trivial things.  The nation of Israel, Saul, Samson, even Elijah fell as they slowly promoted circumstances in their life above God.   The graphics glamor, and goods slowly supersede God.  It is what some theologians have called “poor substitutions for God’s best.”  It is the history of mankind, and unfortunately it seems to plague most youth ministers today. 

The tidal wave of increased professionalism in ministry has unfortunately left God out to a large degree.  Not that we should act like rabid monkeys, but professionalism in the marketplace and in the ministry are almost completely unrelated.  We are called not cultured.  After sitting through 91 hours of graduate level theological classes (at three prestigious seminaries), attending the nation’s greatest ministry conferences, and talking to masses of “successful” youth ministers, I have found the mainstream of advice largely to be in want.  The best tools, tactics, and teachers can often be poor substitutes for the presence and blessings of God in your ministry.  In fact they can often distract you from the most prominent thing in ministry – the One who called you in the first place.  We spent countless hours reading the latest books, debating pnuematology, previewing material, and listening to creative ideas for ministry, but rarely, if at all, did we stop to intercede for our nation, our students, our even ourselves.  Perhaps the answer lies less on man’s advice and more on the supernatural work of the Father.  In most ministries, creativity, professionalism, and expectations are exalted above holiness.  Please notice – none but holiness are mandated by scripture. 

Sometimes our excellence at graphics, stage sets, and recreation overshadow the fact that there are more important elements that breed true, lasting success.  Are these things important, certainly, but are they priority – absolutely not.  And before all the perfectionists start to scream, rip the article out of the magazine, and neatly place it in the perfectly positioned garbage bag, we should most definitely do everything we do to the best of our ability, but not when it takes the place of holy devotion.  Though graphics, promotion, materials, and good leaders are somewhat necessary they should follow our personal quest to understand the heart of God in the ministry He has placed us. 

ractical Tips for Maintaining Order

1. Maintain Your Private Prayer Life

2. Plan with Discipleship in Mind instead of Entertainment

3. Ask God First

4. Gauge your effectiveness upon obedience instead of numbers, popularity, or

response

5. Don’t just do something because you think it is cool

6. Don’t just do something because you saw it work somewhere else

7. Beware of exalting yourself

Practical Tips for Maintaining Order

1. Maintain Your Private Prayer Life
2. Plan with Discipleship in Mind instead of Entertainment
3. Ask God First
4. Gauge your effectiveness upon obedience instead of numbers, popularity, or response
5. Don’t just do something because you think it is cool
6. Don’t just do something because you saw it work somewhere else
7. Beware of exalting yourself