It's late on Saturday night. My heart has been heavy in prayer. I have been designing websites lately to supplement my income so that I can continue sharing the Gospel. After much prayer, meditation and reflection, my wife and I know that I would never be completely happy unless I'm on the streets sharing the Gospel full-time. The streets are much more than simply a call - it's a burden. In theological circles these two are often left separated. While I do believe they are separate, I also believe they are one and the same; the call and the burden work hand in hand. The Church has a corporate calling and every Christian has an individual calling, or vocation; and, our burden directs and refines our Lord's specific call on our lives. So, after this time of prayer, we've decided that I'm leaving the website world in order to strictly engage in evangelism once again. In order to do this, I have begun to increase my support raising efforts. A few people, with all best intentions, still ask questions such as, "Why don't you get a job and share the Gospel in your free time?" This blog entry is my feeble attempt to bring the answer to light.
My wife and I just finished watching the movie "Amazing Grace." After watching the movie, Jeannine and I watched the "Extra Features." One of those features was a documentary on the movie. A particular comment in the documentary stuck out to me, "William Wilberforce was a great man. And, he surrounded himself with other great men who spurred him on." As I thought about that statement and remembered how the movie and history portrays his colleagues, I realized it was true. I then reflected upon my current situation and that of the Church and how it is vastly different. Besides the few of you who call, e-mail and write to me, it is very lonely. I remember coming to realize during my years at Carson-Newman how deapening your involvement in ministry seemed to make your life more and more lonely. I am reminded of the statistic of the late Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, "Less than 2% of believers in America regularly share their faith." Anyone who has any ounce of a burden for the lost should be broken by this statistic and many more like it.
Please, I beg you, do not hear me place myself on any sort of a pedestal. As a matter of fact, to be completely transparent, at one point I allowed this loneliness to cultivate bitterness in my heart towards the ministry of the Gospel. I remember sharing with Jeannine and a few of my close friends a few years ago, how I was hurting because people were beginning to have a greater interest in the ministry that I was doing rather than having an interest in me. Each day I was losing more of my own personal identity; the ministry of Christ was increasingly becoming who I was. Only later did I realize (and accept) that this is God's perfect plan for each of us as our identity in Christ grows. "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30) It was still, however, hard to swallow at the time.
Why do we have parachurch organizations? The answer: Because of statistics like the one above. To put it simply, the Church, overall, is failing in its resposibility. Though I'm not speaking of any particular church or group of individuals, but, rather the sum of the Church. I am speaking of a majority of all individuals who acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior. The Church has engaged in foolish fancies that moth and rust destroy and aggressively seeks to be entertained by pasttimes and pleasures that add not one soul to the kingdom of God. We have been reduced to mere children at a circus satisfied with Craker Jacks and Cotton Candy, rather than being engaged in a battle for souls and feasting on the sweetness of God's victories.
Was the parachurch organization evident in Scripture? Is there a model presented in the Bible for such organizations and ministries? I would have to argue that I believe there is not. The only people called to a life of service in the Church are the Levites; they would be congruent to our Pastors (teaching, administrative, and/or worship, etc.) of today and were resposible for the reading and administering of the Word and the playing of instruments. The mandate of resposibility was broadened to the entire Church in Christ's Great Commission (Matthew 28:19). The verb form of the word "go," however is not a command as written but, rather, in the active indicative case. "Active" means "continual;" and, "indicative" means "assumed." In other words, the verse, if translated according to its greek original, would be translated as, "As you go, make disciples..." In this, Christ is stating that no matter where you are or what you are doing, it is assumed, that you will be making disciples. Christ's desire was for every member of the Church to be an active witness by employing their spiritual gifts.
This was demonstrated by the disciples, whether it be the twelve, the seventy-two or those of Acts 2. Paul made tents and preached in the synangogues on the Sabbath. Luke was a doctor and, yet, still shared the Gospel. The members of the Acts 2 Church regularly sold everything they owned to provide for all members of the church. In other words, there was no need for anyone to raise support. All members were active according to their roles and giftings, and all members were provided for through their church.
Why then are there parachurch organizations and so many other ministries? Why is the Church, overall, failing in its responsibility? I believe it is because of two reasons: 1) The local church is not equipped for the call; or, 2) The local church has lost its focus and forgotten its first love. While some may believe that the local church cannot help the first reason, but only the second, be reminded that the Church has been told already that while the harvest is great, the workers are few. And what should our response be? "Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." (Matthew 9:38) The Church must first recognize a need for the harvesters and, then, pray that God would bring them.
Is there any examples of established parachurch organizations contained in Scripture? Honestly, I don't think there is. Again, I believe the model set forth by Scripture is for each believer to engage and influence their immediate audience - their culture. However, is there a need for such organizations to exist today? Yes. Why? Because, as stated above, over 98% of the Church fails to see their personal mandate from their Savior and Lord. And, what's more, unfortunately, unless a ministry has erected various milestones such as, establishing itself as a 501(c)3 non-profit, producing large numbers of converts and advertising various other statistics, holding large events, recognizing the ministry's longevity and its staff size; Churches rarely see the ministry as valid. Please remember that only a few churches have functioning sports ministries. Therefore, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action were established to bring life back to that limb of the Body that once hung limp. Where the Church was failing in the discipling of college students, Campus Crusade carried the torch. Now where the evangelism efforts of the Church have dissipated, ministries such as Starve Me to Life have been birthed in order to stand in the gap.
Honestly, I wish that everyone could "have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ" through actively sharing their faith (Philemon 6). But I recognize that this may never be the case. So, I sit here writing this blog while reflecting on the call on my life, the burden on my heart and the passion in my bones to see this world come to know Jesus Christ.
In regards to money, sharing the Gospel is free; mortgage, food and clothing is not. Because of this passion I am constrained to share the Gospel no matter what it may cost. I'm not the best at raising support. As a matter of fact, I don't like asking for money. But, while I may not like raising support, I must for the livelihood of my family and the sake of the Gospel.
"Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor. 9:16)