My Philosophy of Ministry

My understanding of what “ministry” is and ought to be is as follows:

Biblical “ministry” is, in every case, a calling of God, a passion, a natural outcome of thanksgiving and debt to God for grace. It is always carried out through the power of God’s Spirit as we submit to God’s authority and shun the notion of coercion or dominance over others. At its heart, ministry is serving God, by serving others.

A biblical philosophy of ministry centers around a ministry of mutual service, brotherhood, and submission.

• Such ministry focuses above all on serving God by loving and serving each other for the good of the body.
  
• Such ministry champions the concepts of shared leadership, mutual respect, reciprocal accountability, and communal responsibility, and an atmosphere of encouragement, respect, and trust in the pursuit of ministries of all kinds.
  
• Such ministry was exemplified and enjoined by Jesus (in washing feet and much more) and encouraged in numerous other biblical texts which promote “one another” concerns in our life together.
  
• Such ministry is especially important in a time when ministers, leaders, and churches are increasingly influenced by secular business models, in which the primary concerns of money, property, and issues of power and control rise to the top in actual practice, even when these are not the stated concerns. When these issues become the main agenda, the ability to pursue and accomplish authentic and joyous ministry is undercut and sometimes brought to a halt.

The purpose of a “ministry of mutuality” is to encourage and accomplish genuine and joyous service to God by serving others, regardless of how a particular ministry is defined and set up. For example, ministries of preaching, of education, of children, of the elderly, of music, of building maintenance, of prayer, etc., may take different shapes depending on the need, but are all driven by the same spark: God’s Spirit at work in our hearts for the sake of service.

The goal in all cases and with all people (both inside and outside our walls) would be the pursuit of the biblical mandate called the ministry of reconciliation, in which we are all reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

The result would be a win-win strategy for all parties involved. Concerns about problems, inequities, and the like could be adequately addressed and healing could occur in a context of mutual respect, trust, accountability, and shared leadership.