Our college has a lunchtime hour called Pizza with the Profs, a time when students can ask a professor questions they wouldn’t normally ask in class. Last week I had the privilege of being with a dozen students as we munched on pizza and talked about the possibility of a Justice League of America movie, my favorite Marvel and DC characters, WWE wrestling, and watching scary movies. Eventually the conversation landed on the topic of ministry and how to balance one’s life in the midst of so much activity.
I could empathize with the students. Back when I was in college in the 80’s, I was pretty busy. I was attending the University of Hawaii, at first pursuing my accounting degree until I started getting D’s in Beginning Accounting, then switching to a Bachelor of Arts in Speech because I thought I was going to be a radio DJ. I was taking twelve credits per semester, working 20 hours a week part-time in downtown Honolulu as a messenger for a law firm, and then logging 20 hours a week doing youth ministry. My ministry schedule felt non-stop: Mondays had youth meetings, Tuesdays had staff meetings, Wednesdays were discipleship meetings with a group of guys, Fridays were an outing with the students like a movie or volleyball game, Saturdays were large youth gatherings, and Sundays there was Sunday School with the teens. Six out of seven days had some sort of ministry activity. Add to that early Monday morning meetings with my discipler. The schedule was exhausting but back then I thought, “These teens are lost and most people decide to start a relationship with Jesus during their teen years. Therefore, what better way to use my time than to use it by getting more teens into heaven?”
The college students I was having lunch with may be in a different generation but their schedule is no less busy. They are also dealing with youth meetings, discipleship groups, staff gatherings, and outings. However, it seems students are busier today, particularly if they are involved in a large church. No longer are they doing ministry to just the youth, they also need to participate in the life of the larger church. I find this particularly affects those who are gifted in the arts: instruments, vocals, hula, dance, and video. The students are being pulled from every side. Why?
I think there is a thinking within the church that starts good but then swings wide to one side. When most people accept Jesus into their lives, there is a desire to start serving. Serving doesn’t necessarily start at conversion; I’ve seen non-believers serve very well within the church. But the tendency is strong when one crosses the line from eternal separation to eternal life. A believer starts serving in small ways – set-up, take-down, greeting, or light administration. But as a believer grows, is faithful in church attendance, and finds his/her spiritual gift, there is a natural progression to get more involved in a ministry. This is a good thing. It’s a way to execute one’s spiritual gifts, natural abilities, and acquired skills.
But here is when the pendulum starts to swing wide to one side because of two reasons. First, as one serves, a small deception begins to develop. The thinking becomes, “My service is a sign of my spirituality. Therefore the more I serve, the more spiritual I must be.” One’s spiritual life is no longer solely reflected in one’s relationship with Jesus, it’s reflected in one’s service to the church. Christianity is no longer based on the atoning work on the cross; Christianity is based on one’s ability to serve.
Second, there is a thinking that one needs to pay back for what you received. This is particularly prominent in ethnic cultures where you must return in equivalent . If someone gives you a gift, then you must reciprocate with a similar gift. I remember I got a call from my mom one day asking how much money my aunty gave me as a wedding gift. My mom was going to my aunt’s son’s wedding and wanted to give the same amount. She wanted to reciprocate. People think they need to pay Christ back for their gift of salvation. Therefore they get involved in ministry. I’ve seen announcements that communicate this. “Christ died for you so the least you can do is serve Him.” In this case, Christianity is no longer based on the atoning work on the cross; Christianity is based on one’s ability to pay God back.
With this kind of thinking, people will do more ministry to show they are spiritual and to try and pay Christ back. No wonder the lives of these college students I had lunch with are so overwhelmed by ministry. No one has taught them to serve with the correct mind and heart.
One of the reasons we don’t have good leaders who last is because they are serving for the wrong reasons.
Questions to Think About:
Think about the reason you serve in the church. Is it for the right reason?
Can you identify those around you who serve too much? What do you think will happen to them in the long run?
© Gary Lau 2013
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