It was a not a perfect book – but it was good. Four friends and I had read it together over the summer. I was challenged to pray more for my wife and my friends could no doubt talk about the good things they also got from it. Weaknesses? The chapter on ‘ministry’ mentioned evagelism where “four of whom made professions of faith…three of whom continue following Christ today, two in the ministry!”. Why my unease?
Simply that this subtly reinforces (in fact, not so subtly, given the exclamation mark) the message that ‘the ministry’ [I assume the writer meant being paid to exercise one or more spiritual gifts] is the best measure of committed discipleship. There is no room for sold-out disciples of Christ who grapple with databases for the counci; sell kitchens; or dispense careers advice (as threee of our reading group do). Of course, the author would disagree, but out of the overflow of the heart does a man write – and speak. The writer would, no doubt, vehemently defend Christians living and speaking for Jesus in one’s everyday work – but why does he therefore hold out ‘ministers’ as a great proof of the effectiveness of evangelism?
Last month I got together with other friends – these were people with whom I had become Christians in my late teens in a church youth group. Of the men now aged around 50, all five were still walking with Jesus and – get this – only one was in ‘the ministry’. I think that is an achievement worth celebrating – ie, we had found ways to serve Jesus in the City, in a high-tech company, as a school teacher and in IT. People will hear the gospel only when ordinary men and women are living and speaking extra-ordinarily in their everyday lives.
And, Eddie, you’re the minister – but don’t feel too bad about it.
