Ministry Metaphors

I always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. As I pray to our God and Father about you, I think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ. I know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people. 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4 (NLT) I want you to know how special you are to the Lord, to me and to this ministry. Keep your eyes focused on the prize! Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT)

I want to highlight and remind you of the two ministry metaphors that we discussed on Saturday so that it doesn’t get lost in the midst of your busy lives, but instead motivates you towards abundant life for Him.

More Trees!

Donald McGavran, the father of the modern church growth movement, who asked a life compelling question: “What is the fruit of an apple tree?” Most would say, “an apple.” But McGavran, believes: “the true fruit of an apple tree is not an apple, but another apple tree.” With that said, the true fruit of a small group is not a new member, but another group. The fruit of a teacher is not a well-informed student, but another teacher.  I want to empower others who in turn empower others. Jesus is the one who will multiply our ministry’s, our task is to simply share what we have received, to pass on what we have gleaned with the expectation that they will pass on what they have gleaned from us.  You pass on your loaves and fish to Jesus who in turn multiplies it in the lives of others.

So who are you praying about that will carry on your ministry and take it even further? Who will be the trees you plant in your forest? Make a list of all the ministry principles that you gleaned through the years. You will be surprised at how many you come up with.  You really do have more life transforming ministry ammunition then you think.

What are you doing?

It’s the story of two stonemasons who have the same skills; the same experience, and do exactly the same work. A passerby approaches the first stonemason and asks, “What are you doing?” He looks up and replies, “Can’t you see? I am laying bricks, one on top of the other. The stones are heavy, and lifting them can be backbreaking. I’m not even sure if this project will be completed in my lifetime. “It’s rather monotonous, that’s for sure.”  About thirty feet away, the passerby approaches a second stonemason and asks him the same question. He looks up and replies, “Can’t you see? I’m building a cathedral. Actually, the work is sometimes monotonous, and it can be incredibly hard. I am not even sure if it will be completed in my lifetime. But I’m building a cathedral! While listening to this man’s words and looking into his eyes, the contagious energy of the stonemason floods into the passerby’s heart.

The point of the story is obvious, easy to communicate, and yet rarely understood: people aren’t inspired by the task of bricklaying. They want to build cathedrals. When people complain about the tedium of placing one brick upon another, the solution is not to grant them more money, nor necessarily to change anything about how they carry out their task. First and foremost impress upon them that they are building a cathedral; paint a picture for them as to what their ministry could look like.

·       Teach vision until they are able to teach the vision.

·       Show them that are part of something significant for the kingdom of God and not just another ministry at church.

·       Repeat the latter two bullet points

I look forward to seeing the fruit that your lives produce in others and the transformation that is necessary for spiritual growth.