My Thoughts About Ministry Offenses

All of my life I have been involved in church, thanks to my parents to start off with and to Jesus who, once I got to really know Him made me want to obey the Bible and the Bible says to not neglect meeting together with other believers. I have also felt called to actually DO ministry in the structured form of a Christian organization (of course every job is a ministry no matter what it is!) since I turned 14. I worked at a summer camp, in several churches, spent four years in a Bible major at college, been involved with Younglife, K-life, small groups, women's ministry, youth ministry, children's ministry, and though technically not on staff, I am involved with the house of prayer here in KC and with youth ministry via Logan's job. ;) Oddly enough, I've worked in a different denominational setting in almost everything I've done as well, so I've seen a lot from potlucks, to revivals, dancing and raising of hands, just standing or sitting in worship, screaming amens from the crowd, quiet contemplation from the congregation, hymns, contemporary, charismatic, conservative...you get the point!:) I honestly love it all and I see God everywhere I have worked or been and feel like I have a little bit of it all that makes up me. I don't really fit into a category and can't say I've ever really fit in with a church either. I'm too charismatic for the conservatives and too conservative for the charismatics... but oh how I love it all.

Unfortunately, everywhere I have been and I'm sure anywhere I will go, I have found that the church is made up of PEOPLE, real, fallen people just like me. I have seen many "behind the scenes" horrors and offenses that come up in the ministry setting and with other believers. From gossip to, sexual misconduct, affairs, greed, envy, arguments, miscommunication, laziness, pride, selfishness and well I guess pretty much anything a sinful nature can conjure up when not submitted to the Holy Spirit. Thankfully, I haven't been a part of them all, just around or too close for comfort. I've been treated really bad by someone in leadership in a ministry before, what I now see as spiritual abuse, but at the time I was too naive to question. If this person is the leader, this is God... right? people come to the House of Prayer hoping to find a final spiritual safe haven of people who will do only what is right, but even here there are day to day offenses and people who are fallen. God uses us all and definitely speaks through his people, but no matter where you go you will run into the problem of PEOPLE, just like they'll run into well... you ;) or me I should say :) fallen, depraved, in need of the Lord, broken, sinful, humans. That's what the church is made of. Why do people blame God for what sinful natures have done? I guess... what I'm trying to say is, don't lose heart with God, because you have suffered injuries from his people. I think the way I try to not be offended with ministry in the organizational form is separating Jesus and people instead of putting them in the same category. If a ministry leader wrongs you or a Christian brother or sister, it is not Jesus. Focus on Him when the storm is raging around you and sinful natures are clashing. I think people in ministry WANT to do what is right, I know I do, but we blow it. We need to give grace, have grace, submit to the holy spirit who will give us the fruits of the spirit, and keep going back to the Bible to read about who God is when you feel like its hard to figure out if it's God's doing or not.

I don't know why I wrote this... maybe one person needed to hear it. Don't give up on church or ministry, because you've been hurt or seen hurt. Don't be jaded by sinful natures that come with working with others. Focus on God, who he is, and what he is calling YOU to. Maybe you will be the one to rise above, die to self, and live through the power of the Holy Spirit and not the sinful nature in the situation.