Natural theology and ministry

I recently watched a movie I didn't think I would ever watch. It was "The Karate Kid". Not the original, which I really like, but the recent Jackie Chan remake. I tend to dislike remakes, even if I like the stars as much as I like Jackie Chan. This said, one quote that seemed to resonate with me from this movie was when Jackie Chan's character 'Mr. Han' said to his student 'Dre', "Kung Fu lives in everything we do. Everything is Kung Fu." Mr. Han proceeds to train Dre using such mundane methods as having him hang up his coat and take it down repeatedly. Using every day motions that come naturally, but realizing their value for Kung Fu become the basis for the teaching he is presenting. Those who are old enough (did I just say that?) may remember the "Wax on, wax off!" of Mr. Miyagi in the original movie.

In the same way I have been made aware that the simplest of things if practiced consistently and with intention can come to form the basis for what I think of as a 'natural martial art'. For example, turning the wheel in a car with one hand in either direction can form the basis for a block or a strike. Opening the swinging door of a bathroom can form the basis for a push-strike or a throw. This is building something martial artists are well acquainted with called 'muscle memory', a muscle reaction that you don't even have to consciously think about in order to use when the time comes.

The larger life-lesson is what matters, though. Over the years, I have come to realize that in order for something to truly make a difference in our lives we must make it part of ourselves. We cannot just take on life-change like a coat and put it off when we no longer feel like wearing it. In the words of a song called "Back Burner" from Greg X. Volz (formerly of Petra), "...the only change that'll ever hold up goes under the skin, clear to the bone". This applies especially to the realm of theology, ministry and holy living. You can't go to church on Sunday and forget about God every other day of the week. If you want real life change, real holiness, real Christlikeness to develop in you, it has to be something made part of your daily life. If you want to see real power in your ministry, you need to be diligent about prayer and reading your Bible. We build spiritual 'muscle memory' into our lives.

So, to paraphrase Jackie Chan, "Christ lives in everything we do. Everything is Christ."

"Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."
Colossians 3:11 (NIV)

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Ministry that is enjoyable?

Over the the length of my ministry I have found a curious phenomenon. If people mention the word 'ministry' they assume it is something more akin to 'work' and dour faces than to 'fun' or laughter. So if you are doing something 'fun', by definition it cannot be 'ministry'! Where did that come from? I thought at first it might be something in our Protestant DNA, like the Puritans or the Pilgrims, until I realized that it infects all faith traditions.

A few years ago I made several key decisions in my ministry. First, I decided that this attitude was ridiculous. The Gospels and Epistles are filled with examples of Jesus and his followers enjoying themselves while engaged in ministry. Sure, there were times when a job had to be done and it wasn't much fun, but there was always room for people to have a meal together, to laugh, to enjoy fellowship together. Therefore I decided to take every opportunity possible to make the work of the church 'fun'.

Another key decision I made was to avoid at all costs ministry that was done simply for the sake of doing something. The church has so many possibilities for ministry that it is simply not feasible for a small church to do everything. That just leads to burnout.

A third decision we made was that out of all of the possibilities for ministry we have, the ones that will actually be started (outside of things like Sunday morning worship) are the ones that someone feels a God-given burden for leading, other than someone in the pastoral staff. When the Men's Ministry started, it was because two men came to me and asked if they could do it. When the Ladies Craft Fellowship started it was because someone wanted to start it and was willing to take the lead. Friday afternoon Bible Study was started when someone decided that we needed it and they were willing to lead. The important point here is that our ministries are not just something the pastor is trying to push. If and when the pastor eventually leaves, the ministry will not perish. The ministries started become something living and organic within the church.

This weekend our Men's Ministry is hosting the "Northwest Vermont Blowgun Tournament". It has two purposes. One purpose is to do something that is going to reach out to people who otherwise would not darken the doors of the church. The second purpose is for us to have some FUN during the winter doldrums. Just think, if we get some of these people to come in and see that Christians can actually have fun like normal folk, then we might earn the right to talk to them about Jesus someday.

"Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.'" Psalms 126:2


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Educational Return on Investment

I have been considering over the last several years the value of education, and what might be termed the 'return on investment' it might provide. I read an article yesterday that dealt with the overwhelming cost of obtaining a law degree and the crippling effect it has on graduates. I can see this in my own daughter; she just completed a year in law school and I know what debt she carries. The article made the point that in most cases the debt is likely to take many years to get rid of, if at all. There is an overabundance of lawyers and the field is shrinking.

Then there are the theology majors. The so-called 'entry-level' degree is a Masters of Divinity. A traditional MDiv will take 3 years of full-time study and cost anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000. The typical graduate will join a field of graduates all vying for pastoral positions which pay in the vicinity of $25,000 in salary (other benefits MAY be included, but no guarantee). As a matter of fact, the average church in the United States has 75 people and the pastor is likely to be bi-vocational. Return on investment? I would say that there is very little.

This raises a question in my mind. If the return of investment is so low, why do it? Especially for a minister who is already ordained, what's the point? There are only a couple reasons to pursue an advanced degree in ministry. One is to advance your skills or keep your skills sharp. Another is for the 'prestige' of an advanced degree. A third reason would be to allow the recipient to teach in a more formal setting (at a District educational center, for instance). A fourth reason, at least in our denomination, is that there is a requirement for ordained elders to participate in continuing education.

A better option might be to take advantage of free or low-cost educational opportunities according to a plan of education you draw up yourself. There are free courses available online from places like Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Covenant Theological Seminary. Low cost courses are available from Nazarene Bible College and others. Why not look at a Master's level program from a legitimate school and see if you can duplicate it, or come close to it, by using these kinds of resources? If you honestly pursue the plan and meet your goals, at the end you could even print yourself a certificate and hang it on your wall.

The typical response by many in our field is that this is simply not the same as earning an advanced degree from an accredited institution. Yet, if it brings the knowledge and skills that you need, who cares? Abraham Lincoln did not seem to find his self-education in law a problem either when practicing law or as a politician. Maybe we are becoming too caught up in the formalities to recognize what the end goal should be...ministry.