Message and Means

Message and Means. One of the primary thrusts of Jesus’ teachings was that the Kingdom of God could not be brought about by aggressive means. The tactics of the world are antithetical to Gospel. Love, forgiveness, truth, and selflessness could not be advanced by political methodology. The means of the Gospel had to be in line with its message. Thus we get a counterintuitive vision of the world where the first are last and the last are first (Matthew 20:16), where the leaders are servants (Luke 22:25-26), and where the supreme example is that of self-emptying (Philippians 2:5-11). This is how God advances his Kingdom with the preaching of the Gospel. This is the method Jesus taught Christians to follow. How easy it is for believers to be in the world and of the world! How easy it is for us to think that we can further our ministries through politics, force, and aggressive behavior!

The problem is not just the poor witness that is exhibited from such actions. The problem is not just that it is hypocritical. Those are legitimate problems, of course, but the central problem is that one cannot actually advance the mission of the Christian Faith, either personally or through the church, by means that run counter to the message. To do otherwise is like running an engine with the wrong fuel – you can advance only so far before the gears begin to grind and the engine fails. You cannot effectively advance ministry through bullying, lies, and general bad behavior. Whatever real gains that are made already contain the seed of its own destruction. Eventually a ministry or church will grind down. The message will become confused or lost. The inner contradictions will manifest themselves. The people will lose focus. Conflict will disrupt ministry and wound people. Transparency will darken. The truth gets buried. Cover-up for bad behavior will become a focus and create more problems. Appearance will supersede substance. Intimidation and harassment will become staples. People will resent the bully. People will abandon the ministry. In effect, the minister and ministry become a poison to everything it touches.

When faced with such a toxic missiological conflict, the Christian has three options 1) leave the situation for better pastures, 2) stay and attempt to change the ministry and be attacked, 3) stay and ignore the problem and slowly and unknowingly become corrupted yourself. If you choose the second option, then the means of change must align with the message of the Gospel.

The change comes from repentance of the ministry back towards a mentality, position, and process of humbleness. That repentance must start at the recognition of the need to repent. And that recognition comes from truth.

The only way to change a culture of lies and bullying, the only way to change an organization built and run on fear is truth. Speaking truth, exposing lies, and calling out bad behavior for what it is must be the method of change.

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)

“But everything exposed by the light becomes visible--and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.” (Ephesians 5:13)

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32)

“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18)

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

Showing how the ministry does not line up with the message of the Gospel and the teachings of Scripture in order to bring it to repentance is the only means by which people can bring the means of the ministry in line with its message.