The Heart of Ministry

Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (ESV)

    From the parallel section in Mark 9:33-37, we know that this question arose from an argument amongst the disciples about who was the greatest. We also get a different insight in Luke 9, also a parallel to this section, saying that Jesus’ response in turn to the condition of their hearts in asking the question. Jesus knew that their motive in asking this was they wanted to know who was the greatest amongst themselves. They had fallen into such a common sin we see in ministry. The sin of jealousy, or to dig a little deeper the sin of comparison. They were basing their actions on the actions of their brother next to them. Trying to outdo one another, but for the wrong reason. To receive praise from man, not to receive praise from God. Their motives were self seeking and hindering the effectiveness of unity amongst the disciples.
    This is now a common place in ministry today instead of an exception here and there. This is where the ministry is destroyed. If the bond of unity can be split right in the heart, then all else from there is work done in vain. A laboring and toiling instead of the body working together, each person bringing a unique aspect, one that complements the others ability. You see but if we are more focused on the next guy, then on ourselves, we are not walking in a manner worthy to the Lords calling. Its once we are able to stop trying to be someone else and be who God has created, intended, shaped and fashioned us to be that we will break through to our full potential. This is not a potential that is obtained so that we may boast in our own work, but one that brings glory to God. Not about who is the best, but about the Lord cause he is the greatest. Its about what the Lord can do with a person that is poured out and seeking to be filled with his strength and might.
    This is a daily battle in the ministry, we tend to forget who is equipping us to do the work we do. We then get prideful, and hard of heart, no longer hearing the voice of the Lord. The sin nature kicks in and we start to compare ourselves with one another, tearing apart the body, battling warfare that should not be taking place on this level of brotherhood. We should save the battle for the battlefield, not for the place of rebuilding. If we are never in a time of fellowship, then we will become spiritually exhausted. Time and time again we see a ministry fall apart not because of persecution from the outside but because of resentments built within the ministry.
    The heart of the body of Christ. We know all parts are of equal value, but the heart is the centrality, the essence of life to the human body. Without the heart there is no life, no blood to be pumped throughout the body, same as in the spiritual realm. The heart being those who we are closet to. In my case the household of the missionaries I live with. If we are being starved of the word (our oxygen), then we have nothing to keep the heart beating, in turn no blood is flowing out (the fruits of the spirit). In this case we are left with a fleshly body, no spiritual life, only rotten decaying flesh. This is not a pretty picture, but without the Spirit giving us life within we are wasting away. "Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." This keeps us spiritually young, although we may be old in the flesh, Gods spirit is giving us vision, guidance, ambition and strength daily to do his work till the flesh fails us.

Application:
Today I will bring this up in our family meeting.