BradHoffmann.com

I had this thought the other day about how we create, staff, and do ministry. I think we often start out with the best of intentions, but somewhere along the way the integrity of the intention is sometimes compromised. Here’s what I’m thinking. We come up with an idea for ministry – to minister to others. In the creating process, the original idea becomes colored with opinions, prejudices, and personal motives. The funny part about this is that I don’t think we intentionally do it; it’s something that subconsciously begins flowing in the process. Before you know it, you’ve created a ministry by self and for self. Now that might sound negative, but it’s a stark reality. The finished product has the potential to be more about me than it does about others – those I’m trying to reach.

Another thought along these same lines is an initiative to reach people that soon becomes muddled with the concept of “come to us and be like us.” To be totally upfront on this stuff, that just doesn’t work. You can’t trick people to join you and become like you under the guise of ministry. Here’s where I think we can use some help. Churches spend a lot of time and resources developing schemed concepts to attract people to their home field. I personally think (my colorful opinion) that most of the unchurched have wised up to this idea.

So let’s change the game plan. Instead of expecting people to come to me, why don’t I take a step towards them? Better yet, why don’t I simply begin going to them rather than wasting so much time and energy trying and hoping to get them to come to me? Now we have to be careful, the public eye is very leery of an evangelical’s intentions. Let’s be honest with ourselves. Let’s design, create, implement, and operate without the impediments of opinions, prejudices, and personal motives. Let’s go to them rather than expecting them to come to us.