Sexy Ministry

I'm very thankful for the development and growth of what has come to be know as the "Young, Restless and Reformed" movement. I know I myself and many others, even outside the United States, have been deeply encouraged, resourced and just generally blessed by many figures and members of this movement. It's exciting and in many ways many churches in other countries (like Chile) dream of seeing a inter-denominational, reformed, dynamic church planting movement in our own cities and countries. Praise God for what is happening!

Having said all that, the short time I have spent thus far in full time ministry has begun to help notice some serious problems that can result from looking to these sorts of movements. There seems to be a tendency that seeks to be hip (maybe even hipster), cool, culturally astute, etc. Now, these things are not necessarily bad in of themselves —well, maybe being a hipster is bad, probably bordering on sinful. Except that I'm being ironic... Any way, where was I?

Ah yes! These things are not necessarily wrong in themselves. I'm more than happy for Christians to avoid creating a reactionary subculture in their local churches, and acting in peculiar ways that have more to do with human tradition, legalism, or simply a detachment from everyday real life that make them unable (nevermind unwilling) to even have a conversation with a normal non-christian person. And related to this, I'm certainly happy for Christian Ministers (evangelists, pastor-teachers, and the like) to be thoughtful about knowing how to "engage" non-christians and to be clever—in the good sense of the word—in their interactions. Jesus himself tells the Twelve to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves" (Mat. 10:16). So there you have it!

That's one thing. However, as tends to happen with our sinful hearts, there is a tendency to move towards a desire to be—dare I say!—sexy. Because we covet approval, we covet acceptance, we covet comfort: the comfort of not being the weird, awkward one who actually has that opinion about marriage, sex, drugs, and so on.

Hmm... is it me, or do skinny jeans and converse sneakers seem to be key in all of this?

Not only are we tempted to play it cool from a "world" perspective, to be more "missional", but we find ourselves pressured to be more trendy "from within" so to speak. There are other, though similar pressures. Pressures to entertain and draw a crowd. Pressures to be like "that ministry". Pressures to more charismatic and lead people into deeper experiences in the worship service. Pressures to be more "practical" and offer people the "10 steps to something", and knock-off all the theology and have a little less Bible reading. 

And this is a challenge, particularly from a Reformed perspective of ministry. If you're a reformed guy in christian ministry, you probably take your ministry cues (I hope) from the Apostle Paul. He laid down the ground rules himself, when he left the Presbyters at Ephesus. He says in Acts 20:18-21; 26-27:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, 19 serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, 21 testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. [...] 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

I want to point out just a few things from this passage:

1) Paul reminds the elders about what he taught them: "the whole counsel of God" (anything that was profitable, v.20, 27), "testifying [...] of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ". That is, He taught the Scriptures centered on the Gospel and the call the Gospel makes to repent and trust in Jesus the King.

2) Paul reminds them of how he taught them: "with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me [...]  I did not shrink". That is, at great personal cost, with much suffering and sacrifice, as well as courage.

3) Paul reminds them of the way he taught them: "declaring [...] teaching you in public and from house to house". Paul's "ministry philosophy" was (a) public declaring and teaching, and (b) personal, home-centered teaching. On top of this he reminds them about how he lived among them (v.18). He invites them to remember and observe his lifestyle, and it seems obvious that his desire is that they imitate him! (Cfr. 2 Tim. 3:10-12; Heb. 13:7).

So Paul's ministry was one in which he taught and declared the Scriptures day in and day out, calling people to repentance and faith in the Gospel. He taught with humility, with tears and with a lot of sacrifice and suffering. He taught publicly and he taught at a more personal, maybe familial level. He lived his life out in the open and sought to be followed and imitated (presumably, including his own constant need to repent for his own sins!).

He loved people and His Lord deeply, dedicated himself continually and tirelessly to teaching and preaching, with a consecrated life, willing to courageously suffer for Jesus and the Church He had bought with his own blood (v. 28).

But suffering, teaching, loving, life. That's not as cool or sexy as having a great band, with a good lighting system and tattoos. 

But hey, maybe that's so old school that some hipsters will take it up, even if it's just to be ironic, right?