The second journey is missiological. It is God's outward journey through us to other people. It is our unique life purpose, our destiny. As we consider our life design - gifts, life message, calling, and vision, God uniquely uses them to fulfill His eternal purposes, through us.
The third and most important journey is upward to God - our knowing and worshiping Him. The other two journeys are only understood in view of our God-ward journey, and it is this upward journey that we have been focusing on.
The balance of these parts of life has been a challenge since Bible times. Jean Fleming, writing some time ago in "Women of Influence," observes concerning the Mary-Martha syndrome, "To set aside everyday concerns and gaze uninterrupted at the Lord seems utopian and escapist. But the continual giving of ourselves in service for Christ brings a sobering awareness of our frail humanity and limited store. We become caught in the Mary-Martha dilemma, weighing the active life with the contemplative life. True service for Christ, however, occurs only when Mary and Martha marry – when neither isolation nor compulsion characterize our life...The Christian life should have a rhythm...doing and resting, speaking and listening, giving and receiving. The life of Jesus illustrates that perfect balance."
And Bill Hybels points out; "The way we do the work of God can destroy the very work of God in us."
What are the consequences of a lifestyle of doing the work of God as our passion? What are the red flags suggesting that we are making ministry our passion? Here are a few suggestions. Perhaps you can discern other danger signals.
A. We begin finding our self worth and identity in performance, production, doing the ministry and pleasing people. Whenever ministry becomes our passion, it becomes our identity. And whenever something becomes our identity, we begin to look there for our self-worth, and for our needs to be met. What happens in the inner world of leaders is pivotal to how they lead. Our True identity comes out of our relationship to God, belonging to Jesus and who we are in Christ. It is never found in who I know, what I own, or what I do. The world finds a false sense of identity in these things. The quality of our leadership emerges from both our identity and relationships.
Through my experience of being confined to bed for three years, God smoked out my dependence on my reputation, accomplishments, position and title. I was having no visible ministry to people. I discovered that I had been placing my identity in ministry and God had to strip that away if He were going to use me for His glory.
B. We begin finding greater joy in ministry, than in our relationship to Christ. Ministry to people consumes our talk with others. We become ministry-centered people, rather than Christ-centered people.
Experiencing Worship, The Study
Used by churches all over the world to help teach worship, the Experiencing Worship study can help your worship team too.
Your team will learn why we worship and gain a better understanding of how to worship.
One user said..."Your 5 week study course has made a tremendous impact on my life in the study of worship... I would like to express my thanks for a well written study course that leads into a higher realm of praise and worship."
Experiencing Worship, The Study