I've been wrestling a little with the modern management-ministry model. You know the one: minister as CEO. It's amazing that books and writing on management have basically merged with those on ministry--they've become indistinguishable from one-another!
I don't want to name names, but there is a sense that if a minister were to attend a certain conference or read a certain book THEN they might experience God's blessing.
I know that management (or leadership) can and should be viewed as a valuable skill like any other, but does our minister-manager mentality have some flaws?
It made me think about a few things.
Recall the account of Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. Here was a man who was accustomed to fame and notoriety (even saying of himself that "he himself was somebody great"!). When he heard the gospel he believed and began spending time with Philip. Seeing the miracles and signs performed him, we're told Simon "was amazed." When Peter and John came to Samaria, they prayed that the new believers would receive the Holy Spirit, and they did (something I'm not going to get into here!).
Simon's yearnings for fame and notoriety got the best of him, and he offered money to Peter and John saying,
"Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." [v. 19]Peter and John rebuked him saying,
"May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God." [vv. 20-21]Essentially they said his request was vile and that he had no business viewing himself as a minister of the gospel! Why? His heart was not right before God.
Does this episode not beg some questions of our current American church and ministry culture?
What is the heart behind our insatiable quest for successful ministry models?
Why is it that when ministers experience success, the very next thing they do is quit the pastorate so they can lead ministry seminars and publish books?
Don't we really want a movement of the Spirit? If so, can such a thing really be bought or obtained through books and conferences?
Didn't Robert Murray M'Cheyne state, "The greatest need of my people is my personal holiness."
The greatest need of ANY ministry is, above all, that it's leaders are consecrated to God.
To John and Peter, Simon's motives were plain as day. "You're offering money to minister with power? We know what this is about."
Why would it be any less obvious for us?
What did they tell Simon to do?
"Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." [vv. 22-23]I could really get going on their commentary of the origins of Simon's motives ... but I won't! I just hope to have the words of the apostle search my own heart and yours too.
I'm not against learning nor would I deny that some methods are more effective than others. But are our ministries built on methods or consecration? Are we ministers of the gospel or managers with methods? And what outcomes should we really expect from each?
Thoughts?
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