I count it one of the privileges of my life to have grown up in a time and a place when so many people have accepted the challenge to go into full-time Christian ministry. Historically, it has been quite extraordinary: since the mid-1980s, here in Sydney several thousand gifted young men and women have abandoned jobs, careers and lucrative futures in order to give their lives to gospel work—as student workers, pastors, evangelists, youth workers, missionaries, and more besides. MTS-style apprenticeship training is now a standard feature in many churches. Moore College and SMBC are bursting at the seams.
It has been an amazing move of God—certainly without equal in the history of Christianity here in Australia, and (I would suspect) in any western city in the last 200 years. Who knows what impact all this will have for the gospel in the next generation?
However, I’ve been thinking recently about one of the negative by-products of this incredible history. Because the challenge to give our lives to ministry was so powerful, and because so many heard and accepted that challenge, what of those who, for good reason or bad, chose not to accept the challenge? What of those who stayed in their jobs, got involved in their local churches, and were just ‘normal’ Christians? Did they end up feeling a bit second-class? Did they wonder whether they had compromised or copped out because (often for good reason) they had decided not to pursue theological training and full-time ministry?
I’ve been thinking about this especially in light of Katoomba’s Engage conference, which seems aimed at this group—that is, at the young 20- and 30-something professionals who didn’t end up in full-time ministry. The implicit message of Engage seems to be, “It’s perfectly all right to stay in your career and be a faithful Christian. It’s okay. You’re not second class, and if the full-time ministry thing is not for you, don’t beat yourself up about it.”
This is a perfectly correct and reasonable thing to say, and, no doubt, it needs to be said. Whether or not someone ends up in full-time paid Christian ministry should, in no respect, be some sort of litmus test of their faithfulness or godliness as a Christian. All the same, I can’t help thinking that this way of addressing the question perpetuates an unhelpful dichotomy.
When I was first challenged about full-time ministry (back in the mists of time—1983, I think it was), the revolutionary message was not that all Christians should become full-time paid gospel workers, except for those losers who didn’t make the grade; the truly radical idea was that every Christian should be utterly committed to God’s work in the world, as he fulfils his cosmic purposes in Christ Jesus. That’s where the action is; that’s what’s happening in the world. And—almost unbelievably—God is calling me (and you and every Christian) to be a fellow worker in this incredible cause.
Now I can support myself by working a job as I get involved in God’s work in the world, or others might support me financially so that I can do more of it. This is a matter of gift, opportunity, circumstance and the wisdom of those around me. But either way, there is only one thing really worth doing in this world: being part of God’s plan to sum all things up in Christ Jesus.
The difference between being a self-supporting servant of this gospel, or a financially-supported servant of this gospel, is really very small. The Apostle Paul, after all, did a bit of both. But there is all the difference in the world between giving up our lives for Christ’s cause as a fellow worker in the gospel and choosing to live a comfortable life in a nice suburb with a nice career, a nice family and a bit of Christianity on the side.
Here’s the test: someone who has denied themselves, who has taken up their cross and who wants to serve the gospel of Jesus makes their decisions in this order:
- What’s the best gospel work for me to be involved in?
- Where do I need to live in order to share in that ministry?
- What sort of job do I need to fund living in that place in order to do that ministry?
Let me be provocative and say that if you’re making your decisions in the reverse order (i.e. 1. Which job? 2. Which house? 3. Which ministry?), then you haven’t grasped the radical nature of the normal Christian life.
Thanks Tony, this is as great discussion to have.
I agree we need to emphasise the ‘revolutionary idea’. One of the things that this safeguards is the theological uniqueness of gospel minsitry itself.
However, I’m convinced that there need to be times/platforms when we primarily emphasise the value of godliness and hard work… <i>without the disclaimers</i>.
If we don’t, I think we imply dualism or at least are <i>heard</i> to imply dualism.
I 100% agree that Sydney Christians are too caught up in their real estate (like everyone else in Sydney).
But the 3 questions you’ve laid out just don’t seem practical, they assume more flexibility in career choice than I think most people have. Career selection is based upon abilities, opportunities, and interests.
For example, most people can’t just say, “I want to minister in Double Bay, therefore I will become a neurosurgeon.”
Same with choice of housing, especially in Sydney where it so expensive. People who are starting out essentially take what they can get. Those who are established have more options, for sure.
At the end of the day, though, every suburb in Sydney has massive needs in the area of ministry. Even our best churches are only reaching a few percent of the population. So it doesn’t really matter where you move, there will be much ministry work to do.
Tony,
I think you nailed it in your last “provocative” sentence. Further, I think this is something to be shared / addressed / communicated at the High School / Uni /TAFE level. When considering career planning etc – do we encourage our youth to consider God’s mission before they consider which degree to pursue?
More often it’s a case of, well I want to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant, engineer, brick layer, plumber, mechanic etc – then later on – “Now how can I do something for God here…”
I know you SAngy’s don’t like to use “call” terminology, but Tony already did here, so I’m just playing along
But what if God calls you to the “Latte set” and you’re only trade qualified or skilled labour – there’s a huge learning curve to negotiate in education, qualifications etc. Likewise (my own case!) what if God’s mission takes you to a blue-collar working class town/suburb and all you can do is “geek-speak” – Again, there’s an enormous learning curve, both culturally and otherwise to navigate that could have been avoided if you had your priorities sorted a little earlier.
Ok we’re all involved in cross cultural ministry and the gospel is counter cultural regardless, but first things first – seek God’s kingdom and mission, then find out how you can fit in and get involved by getting a house and job there that will enable maximum effort for the glory of God.
Hi Craig
Thanks for the comment, but I think my question may be even more radical than you think.
Who said anything about ‘career choice’?
Someone who has really grasped what God is doing in the world in Christ can have only one ‘career’—to work as a servant of the gospel in whatever way he or she can. What you do to support yourself and your family along the way might better be called a ‘job’ than a ‘career’.
Of course you’re right—there is lots of gospel work to do everywhere. What I’m interested in is the thought-process. The person who chooses ‘career’ first, then the house, and then looks around for what might be done in their local area will (in almost every instance) have their time, energy, gifts, resources and thinking consumed by career and house. It’s where their treasure is.
The person who who really lives for the gospel work they are doing, and chooses a house and job to match, won’t care very much about the house and job. They but means to an end.
See what I’m driving at?
TP
Thanks Mikey. Just clarify for me: what sort of dualism do you mean?
TP
Hi Tony, I meant the sacred/secular dualism. I suspect many Christians feel that only the Sunday school teaching and financial support of ministry is valuable at all.
This tendency can end up undercutting our gospel mission, because we have Christians who are unenthusiastic, unremarkable and uninvolved in the secular world, and hence not making many significant connections for the gospel… but that’s another thread…
What does one do when one has made the choice to train for full-time ministry, in response to a “call” or whatever, and sold one’s house to fund three years of theological study? Having done so and eventually graduated, one applies for one or more pastoral ministry positions but faces the prospect that none of these pay enough to afford to live near enough to the church building to adequately minister within that congregation’s community.
Some denominations do pay more than others, but while this might be the case for the senior or ordained minister, the other full-time workers in that denomination (for example, the children’s, women’s, youth or family ministry workers) are generally paid a pittance. And I don’t think you would advocate choosing the denomination one works for purely from a financial perspective anyway.
So, short of sending the kiddies off to long day care and the wife off to work in a secular job to make ends meet (when one really needs her support at home and with the congregation) what does one do?
Sharon makes a good (but unfortunate) point.
This is exactly the position I find myself in and without being too glib, perhaps the Apostle Paul (from time to time) – thus the “tentmaking”.
You might have to make some hard calls. If a congregation invites you to minister as paid staff but won’t/can’t pay enough for you to afford rent, food & utilities then they must be flexible to allow you to work part time to supplement your ministry stipend. If they don’t – then question the fairness of their expectations.
To willingly and knowingly go into debt – because you’re “serving the Lord” is naive and foolish – I speak from painful experience here. My wife and I, probably due to inexperience and over-zeal, entered a full time overseas ministry several years ago without adequate support. I blindly believed the sending pastor’s promise to reimburse and provide full re-establishment expenses – but the money never came. After 7 months of living on $500/month and an overdrawn credit card we had to give up! We arrived back in Australia without any means of support and in huge debt! God is good and provided in spite of our foolishness (or ignorance!) but the “cost” of that bad decision had lasting consequences.
Best option I can recommend is get the best paying job you possibly can that won’t interfere with ministry committments and plod ahead and “wait on the Lord”. This is my current position. By God’s grace I work in the lucrative IT industry (but I have no formal education or qualifications apart from experience). But sometimes, those in ministry might have to be prepared to do things they don’t like (I for one don’t really “enjoy” working in IT!) but a servant’s heart of one committed to God’s mission is going to see past the inconvenience of a secular job as it’s a means to an end. I doubt “tentmaking” was considered all that prestigious. Perhaps somewhat socially akin to mowing lawns or cleaning – which mind you is needed in every suburb from Point Piper to Pitt Town.
If you’re committed to God’s mission & “calling”
then you won’t baulk at swalling your pride by working in the “service industry”, and thus unnecessarily keep the kids out of daycare etc.
Thanks Mikey, I see what you mean. I wouldn’t like to see that sort of dualism either. Although there is one dualism that I do support and that is the ‘do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus – or not’ dualism.
The radical thing about becoming a Christian is that all of our lives (including our life goals, our priorities, the way we think about money and other resources) are all placed on the altar as part of the living sacrifice.
Our jobs fit into this as well. Whenever we work it should be done enthusiastically, cheerfully and in love—not to win the boss’s favour or to earn more money, not to satisfy or fulfil ourselves, nor even just to earn money to give away. It’s always primarily because we live now for Christ, and so (I’ve been paraphrasing Col 3 and 4) we do everything for him and in his name. When we work (at even the most menial task) it is as for him.
But as you say, another thread, another time!
Thanks again
TP
“It has been an amazing move of God—certainly without equal in the history of Christianity here in Australia, and (I would suspect) in any western city in the last 200 years. Who knows what impact all this will have for the gospel in the next generation?”.
I understand your comment, but I have to question a little the timeframe of your suggestion. Perhaps it is true for the last 20 or 30 years, but I think 200 years maybe stretching it.
I would argue that London was simarlarly impacted in the 19 Century by the work of Spurgeon and the ministries to the city (such as London City Mission and the Salvation Army, and by the preaching of John Stott and Martyn Lloyd Jones after WW2.
As a close SydAng follower from afar, it is great, and very encouraging, to see a city – Sydney – having such an abundance of faithful evangelical ministries, from theological colleges, MTS, church planting, CASE, Christians in the Media and so on, not to mention the Anglian diocese fully evangelical.
It is also encouraging to see ethnic ministries develop in Sydney, such as the multiplying Asian churches, and fully strategised plans to reach out to ethnic comminities (especially during Connect 09).
In London, the scene is different, because of the different dynamics (very different in a lot of ways). Church planting is growing in vision, which is really exciting. London City Mission and the Good Book Company co hosted a church planting conference in November called Urban Plant Life, where London church planters shared, networked and presented, amongst them Richard Coekin of Co-Mission, NewFrontiers, New Wine and the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Tim Keller was the speaker. In regard to ethnic church planting, the London situation is different, due to London’s far greater ethnic diversity (compared to Sydney). This is where the Nigerian churches, in particular are making waves. The Redeemed Christian Church of God a pentecostal, and in some places prosperity, is planting vigorously, especially in London, where according to its own statistics 240-250,000 attend its churches in London alone weekly.
Albert and Sharon raise a important issue, that lies at the heart of living within Tony’s radical idea. Those bursting the seams at Moore and SMBC graduate, and if they do full time christian work an ever increasing number of christians are needed to support them. So the christians in “Normal jobs” (and I agree with Tony about the need to seek jobs that enable/support our personal ministry – and with Craig that it is easier said than done) need to provide resources to those in full-time ministry.
(I know that Tony is saying being a christian is full time but I am struggling to find a way to talk about peoples source of income…)
Some will work part time, in order to have time for ministry. Others who work full time may be providing more money to full time christian workers.
(In my family until recently we had one of each).
It is possible for either to feel “second class” when compared to the full-timers in christian work. I hope Tony writes some more on that.
Just picking up on something you’ve mentioned, John …
I think it’s possible for everyone to feel second-class.
I think this is why such discussions can be difficult – because they are always personal, and because we will tend to make inferences. (You know: where we might hear ministry is good then infer my workplace is not good.)
But how boring and useless would Christian conversation be without getting personal! I’m not suggesting we’re telling Tony to make this error. But I suggest that we must deal with the feelings second. In first place comes the matter of God’s word on ministry, work, and so on. Then in second place we’ll need to address feelings of being second-rate (or of being smugly superior, or whatever).
Thanks Chris. I think that is a really helpful observation.
Maybe it is partly to do with not having learned contentment. “If only I was that person, then everyone would respect/like me.”
Chris,
Indeed it is possible for every one to feel second class, and I have certainly come across all of the examples you mention.
But remember it was Tony who asked if it was possible the non-fulltimers might feel second class. I thought it was an issue worth talking about – even if it comes second to other things. Are we disagreeing here? I hope not.
As to inference. “You know: where we might hear ministry is good then infer my workplace is not good.” I think the more common inference is that the workplace is LESS good. And that is surely what Tony said. And I do not disagree with him!
Part of the problem of differing perceptions is that (for good reasons) we seperate those who are headed for full time ministry into a separate stream very early: MTS, then Moore. This creates strong bonds between those who share those experiences, and separates them from those who do not. Like the feelings we spoke about this needs to be handled.
I take it that Tony is saying that we need to emphasise the great things Christians have in common, in particular the priority of the gospel. And that we are co-workers. It is a delicate balance for a full time leader to do that without saying too loudly “I am doing more important things than you”.
Some manage the balance well it very well, knowing that the “success” of their ministry depends often on the work of the ordinary christians in bringing people within the sound of the gospel.
One of the things we pastors can do to help is to ensure that in our MTS and other apprenticeship programs, we keep saying that for someone to do the apprenticeship and then (in fellowship) decide that the best thing to do is to return to the workforce in their old profession is a great success – not a failure!
Unless we have failed them by offering poor training, care and supervision, they will return to the workforce all the better for it, equipped for ministry in the world and in the church.
And people will have made thoughtful assessments about where this person can best serve.
I am very pleased that one person who did MTS apprenticeship with me has returned to his old IT field; another finished his delayed university degree, then began ministry without theological education, which he is getting part time now; while others have gone on to Moore College.
Under God, I don’t think any of them are failures.
Hi John, & thanks for the thoughts.
And I certainly wasn’t disagreeing with you by commenting before. You just got me thinking, that’s all. (And that’s probably why I went off-topic from Tony’s original post.)
In my mind (and hopefully in action) I’ve been emphasising the family nature of church. I’m hoping that it undercuts some of the potential pitfalls of full-time/part-time language. I think it’s necessary at times to speak of f/t or p/t, but by remembering that God is our Father we remember that we are Christians all the time.
So Sundays, for example, aren’t about what job I do. They’re a family reunion.
Tony
Thanks for this challenging post.
Just have a couple of questions
1. How does one work out ‘the best gospel work’ to do in the first place?
2. If you are an evangelist how do you work out where to go?
3. If you are gifted at washing up after church how do you work out where to go?
thanks Di
Tony’s statement,” there is only one thing really worth doing in this world:being part of God’s plan to sum up all things in Christ Jesus”,reminds us that for each christian God has a plan for our life and always we should be seeking to do God’s will in all things.
For many christians the challenge to give their lives to full time ministry needs to be addressed and if one is convinced this is God’s will for them to pursue then Tony’s test could be given careful consideration.
For me, to be doing God’s will, whatever that may be ,for me, removes any kind of classification,superior or inferior.
Hi Dianne
Good questions!
1. ‘The best gospel work’ could be anything—something you can do, a need that comes before you, an opportunity that you hear about. It could be something right where you live, or something on the other side of the world. (And by calling it ‘best’ I don’t mean to imply that if you choose the wrong one you’ve ended up with the ‘second best’!)
2. As for choosing which particular place to go to, see a little book I helped write called ‘Guidance and the Voice of God’. (I know you’ve read it!)
3. And as for washing up, I think I’d like to suggest that while washing up is an important and valuable job in any group, and the true servants are often found out there doing it, I’d like to see every Christian equipped to speak God’s word to other people (each in their own way according to their gift). That’s the gospel-growth work that we’re all fellow workers in, whether in speaking to each other, or to non-Christians.
TP