Ministry Maxim #1

 ONE

Ministry Maxim #1: Stop trying to accomplish kingdom work in your own human strength.

I came up with this maxim while preaching through Colossians 1:28-29.  In verse 29 Paul notes, For this reason I labor, striving according to His power which mightily works within me.  The proper balance in life and in ministry is maximum human effort (note the holy perspiration Paul puts forth) yet with total reliance on Christ (for apart from Him we can do nothing)!

So many times I find myself trying to accomplish kingdom work in Caleb Kolstad's strength.  This pattern of behavior is a perfect recipe for burn out and failure.  In God's patience He often allows me to fall flat on my face.  Once we are on our backs (or knees) we often cry out to Him for help, which in turn, strengthens us for the task at hand! 

The Apostle Paul had come to understand this "maxim" in his own ministry context  (note specifically 2 Corinthians 12:8-10).

Hardship + Struggle = Spiritual Maturation

Image from http://www.talkjesus.com/threads/take-up-your-cross-and-follow-me.47644/

We must learn to trust God especially when life hurts.  In other words, the trials and tribulations of church revitalization ministry are exactly what this author/pastor/Christian needed.  The pain has not been enjoyable but all of the hardships and set backs over the past 10 years in ministry have been spiritually profitable. 

Our loving Father often uses "various trials" to burn away sinful dross and to refine us into the image of Christ.  In this we rejoice. 

In the words of J.I. Packer, “We are spiritual dwarfs.  A much-traveled leader, a native American (be it said), has declared that he finds North American Protestantism, man-centered, manipulative, success-oriented, self-indulgent and sentimental, as it blatantly is, to be 3,000 miles wide and half an inch deep…. Ease and luxury, such as our affluence brings us today, do not make for maturity; hardship and struggle however do.”

Romans 5:1-5, "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

"Show Me a Sign For Good"

Psalm 86:15-17; Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.  Turn to me, and be gracious to me; Oh grant Thy strength to Thy servant, And save the son of Thy handmaid.  Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed, Because Thou, O LORD, hast helped me and comforted me. 

When it comes to government bailouts Americans are pretty divided.  When it comes to Divine intervention and Supernatural provision  however Christians are totally united.  Philippians 4:19-20; And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.    Or we simply pray, Jehovah Jireh (God our Provider).  In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.  

In this light, a friend recently encouraged me to post more articles that highlight the "LUX" of ministry lest God's people get lost in the darkness along the way.  That was very helpful counsel.  One of the great blessings of dark trials is that these seasons help us better appreciate answered prayers!

In the last six years of revitalization ministry First Baptist Church has gone through two seasons of somewhat intense spiritual pruning.  I have briefly summarized our first season of pruning here and here.  The second season of refining has been summarized here.  Suffice it to say, as we entered into the final quarter of 2013 our ministry was down (numerically and financially).  During one of the low points I candidly remember one of our financial guys saying, "Only God can save us now!"  Collectively we wondered, "How are we going to maintain this massive four million dollar church facility long term?"  "How will we continue to do X, Y, and Z?"

The Lord had already shown us His abundant provision a few years earlier in the unexpected provision of a massive estate gift from a very unlikely source.  The Lord certainly did not owe us that grace gift nor did He owe us anything else.  Nonetheless, in our better moments we poured out our hearts to Jesus knowing that Thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious, Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth!  

During this season of waiting on the Lord I received the following letter (see picture above).