What Ministry Looks Like

When I grew up I heard stories about Gene Arnold and others slicing through the Iron Curtain, smuggling Bibles under cars, and having high-speed shoot-outs through the Swiss Alps. I heard tales of the Terry family in the Philippines and even had a wooden toy version of those crazy, colorful taxis they ride there. Most of those were stories I actually heard, but I may have made up some of them while I was daydreaming during the sermon (not telling you which preacher!).

After several years of experience as a "missionary", I've come to realize what ministry really looks like for our family. Sometimes we eat crazy food. Sometimes there's a slightly wild adventure. But usually we wash dishes. And go walking, bake cookies, etc. Now don't get me wrong, there are Bible studies, serious conversations, baptisms, and high-speed shootouts. But more and more I'm learning that the real heart of ministry and the fuel that gets it started is loving service. Lisa excels at genuinely loving people and then serving them in a really selfless way. And it just naturally leads to people who are willing to listen to her and who are eager to open up to her. It's tempting to want to jump right into the "real" ministry of teaching, preaching, evangel-eaching. But Jesus came to serve and love. He waited 30 years before getting to the "real" work. And even then he focused most of his time on those people to whom he was the closest. When I'm in too big of a hurry or just too uncaring to patiently love and listen, it usually results in me not really viewing a person with God's eyes of love, but instead as one more piece in my own game of "Be a Good Missionary".

I used to spend so much time preparing the perfect lessons or designing a "home-run" worship meeting, but my focus (and family) has changed a lot. Rather than "doing" ministry in a really slick, professional way I'm putting more emphasis on "being" the kind of ambassador Jesus wants. There often are no Bible studies or conversion without the hours spent cooking, walking & talking, or washing dishes. To remind us of that we have this Celtic poem up in our kitchen:

Thank you Lord for tasty foods
And the company of friends and family.
     After such times Lord,
Bless the washing of these dishes,
     That they may be clean and ready for another meal,
To be used to break bread and share Your word.