The same thing or the new thing

I once was sitting with the inestimable David Jackman in an airport, which is where we often seem to meet, and asked him what the big challenges were looking ahead for The Proclamation Trust. He paused a moment and then said in his characteristically gentle and mellifluous tone, “You know, I think it’s to keep on doing the same thing we’ve been doing for the past 15 years”.

These were wise and very apt words for me at the time. I’d been at Matthias Media and The Briefing for about 15 years as well, and the natural thoughts running through my mind were, “Well, where do we head now? What’s the next thing, the bold new direction, the brilliant strategic shift that will take us to a new level?”

David was reminding me that for all the benefits of dreaming, scheming, strategizing and improving what we’re doing, one of the hardest and most crucial tasks for any ministry is to keep doing the same thing—the thing that our Master has commissioned and commanded us to do: to proclaim, to pray, to work with people.

I thought of this when I read Gavin’s recent post on Luddite ministry. It set my mind meandering on the topic of the Lure Of The New, and how easily we are captivated by new technology and new methods (well, I am anyway). I’m tempted to think that they will do for my ministry what a new 460cc titanium driver will supposedly do for my golf handicap. But if the fundamentals are weak, technology won’t save you!

Gavin’s post also set me to thinking, “If there was a New Testament church that might have been vulnerable to the lure of the latest technology (as a fun and enthralling substitute for face-to-face ministry), which one would it be?” My money would be on Paul’s troublesome show ponies, the Corinthians.

It was to the Corinthians that Paul wrote about the counter-intuitive nature of the gospel word which being all about a guy dying on a cross, looked dumb and weak to most right thinking people at the time (1 Cor 1:18-31). As it still does today.

It was also to the Corinthians that Paul insisted that he was nothing—a weak, trembling and unimpressive servant planting a seed—and that God was everything. God was the one who gave the growth (1 Cor 3:5-9).

The Corinthians were also the church that needed to be reminded about the true nature of ministry success—that it consisted of faithful stewardship as judged by God, and him alone (1 Cor 4:1-5). They had to be told that apostolic ministry was not about looking good, knowing lots and living sweet. It was an invitation become and remain the scum of the earth (1 Cor 4:8-13).

And after their little love affair with the ‘super apostles’, Paul also felt it necessary to tell the Corinthians that despite all his discouragements, anxieties and setbacks, he had not lost heart, nor abandoned true, honest gospel ministry. His ministry featured nothing underhanded or crafty, and no tampering with the message; it was just the “open statement of the truth” that Jesus Christ is Lord (2 Cor 4:1-6).

So if there was a New Testament church that might have been vulnerable to the lure of the latest thing, I wonder if it might have been the Corinthians. Paul’s words to them certainly challenge my own lust for the new—the search for the secret, the technique, the method, the paradigm, the model, the strategy that will Make The Difference, and usher in a bright new ministry tomorrow.

It hasn’t changed. Ministry is still scummy work—continuing to tell people about a crucified king, praying for them that God would remove the veil and give the growth, and continuing to work with them, love them, agonize over them, and train them to minister the word of the cross to others as well.

This is what we’re called to do. Let’s keep doing the same thing.