“I should not proceed by land to the East, as is customary, but by a Westerly route, in which direction we have hitherto no certian evidence that anyone has gone.” – Christopher Columbus from his journal (1492)

Travis Stanley posted a thought on his site last week concerning “change.” I loved how he summed up his thoughts on what true change is. it isn’t found in new songs, powerpoint, or new paradigms. It is is firmly rooted in Christ’s sacrificial life. He states:

Whether we consider ourselves modern or postmodern, older or younger, traditional or liberal, sin lies not in our particular positions but in our unwillingness to be hospitable to the other position. For Christ did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking on the very nature of a servant, and became obedient to death–even death on a cross.

This is the path of ministry–the journey of the cross. If change must occur, it occurs by disciples of Christ emptying themselves of all selfish desire and seeking the needs of the other. Change occurs when we are willing to change in order to make the other comfortable. The change a minister should bring is not simply changes in forms of worship and ministry, though these may be good and necessary at times. The change that should be brought by the minister is a change of life–a change into the likeness of Christ. For if we do not look like Christ, what good does our post-modern, missional, emerging, progressive, liberal worship styles do us? If we don’t act like Christ, what good are our innovative programs and ministry styles? To form people into the image of Christ–this should be the goal of all ministry.

Yes! That is what true ministry is. It isn’t razzle dazzle. It’s real. It’s relational. It’s love.

I ran into Lifeway tonight because a) I was on that side of town and b) I like walking around bookstores. I was in the Pastoral Helps section when I saw some book with a title like Church Out-Side the Box or Out-Side the Box Church. Something along those lines. I never pick up those books because they all espouse the same “wisdom.” I kept walking down the aisle but quickly took a second look at the book’s cover.

“Forward by Rick Warren.”

For what it’s worth.

Brian Brophy is a Youth Minister in Pennyrile, KY. I had the privilege to attend university with Brian and we had many of the same classes. Brian is a good minister. Brian seeks to serve God and serve his students everyday in everything that he does. I am proud to know Brian and I am proud to endorse him here.
Brian has had his second article published on the Youth Specialties website. The latest article is entitled, Jesus Called. He Wants His Students Back. As I read the article, I fought back tears because I realized that I’m not alone. Here is another minister, who I graduated with, who is my friend, who deals with the same insecurities and the same feelings of insignificance that I deal with. The article (and the reminder) is summed up in the final paragraph:

Sometimes we don’t know the impact we have. Sometimes we never will. When we feel inadequate, helpless, and unsuccessful, those may be the times that God received a great return on an investment. We may not be able to get church boards and youth committees to understand the logic of the upside-down kingdom, but we can be assured that our vocation is understood by the One who matters most.

This article couldn’t have come at a better time. For me, it is spring break. I have been taking these few days to reevaluate what it is that I do. I am a campus minister. I do not work for a church or eldership. I work for a school. This job has a whole different set of headaches. I realized that I have been a little like the wicked servant found in Matthew 25. I have taken the “talent” that God has blessed me with (this ministry, its freedoms, my calling) and effectively buried it by living and ministering cautiously. Through the article, I was again reminded that, in ministry, Christ said that his “grace is enough; it’s all you need.” His strength in made powerful, effecive in my weakness. So, like Brian and the Apostle Paul, I can say “Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen (the headaches, the weaknesses, the insecurities). I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness.” Thanks Brother! Press on. Fight the Fight. Stand Firm.