“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by all her children.” ~Luke 7:33-35 (NKJV)
I am always very cautious to criticize a person's style of worship or ministry. God made each of us unique on a molecular level to keep us from comparing ourselves to one another; but, also to give us unique approaches and perspectives to life and everything that life entails, including ministry.
Jesus and John the Baptist had drastically different approaches to ministry, but they had the same message. Different goals, same message. Different styles and appearance, same message. One was The Son of God, and The Son of God spoke of the other as "among those born of a woman, no one is greater;" but, they had the same message. The style and approach matters not, as long as the message is the same!
We may often look at how others, either individually or collectively, approach worship and ministry and find fault, even based on scripture. We often hear criticisms like, "There needs to be balance in the Body of Christ." Well I have never found or heard a scripture that speaks to having balance in ministry or worship. Neither Jesus nor John the Baptist seemed to have a "balance" based on this week's focus verse. They were both extremes of the other. They were both radicals, outcasts, misunderstood, offensive...severely lacking "balance." I'm certain that were John the Baptist alive today, I would be among those to cross the street when I saw him coming.
I've heard it argued that Paul, "became all things to all people." Well this sounds anything but balanced to me. At best it seems scatterbrained, at worst schizophrenic. Paul was one of those gifted, even genius, ministers who never believed in taking the same balanced approach to soul winning. He utilized every platform, avenue, and outlet at his disposal to bring the singular message of : Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Most Believers are gifted with one, two at best, effective approaches to ministry. But that is why we are a BODY of Believers. This Body avails the world of almost countless approaches to ministry, for the sake of winning ALL to the Kingdom.
What am I saying? I'm not saying that every Believer has to appear crazy in order to be sold out for The Lord. But we should certainly not be somewhere in the middle. We should worship and minister according to our gift and calling with reckless abandon and passion. And regardless of our approach to ministry and worship, we will be known, and justified, as wise Kingdom builders by the fruit we bear, not by how "balanced" we appear. Both Jesus and John the Baptist were validated in their calling and approach by the works and legacy they left behind...
Are you sold out?
Blessings,
Dawn~
~Pouring my life out in worship, like Costly Oil~
Jesus and John the Baptist had drastically different approaches to ministry, but they had the same message. Different goals, same message. Different styles and appearance, same message. One was The Son of God, and The Son of God spoke of the other as "among those born of a woman, no one is greater;" but, they had the same message. The style and approach matters not, as long as the message is the same!
We may often look at how others, either individually or collectively, approach worship and ministry and find fault, even based on scripture. We often hear criticisms like, "There needs to be balance in the Body of Christ." Well I have never found or heard a scripture that speaks to having balance in ministry or worship. Neither Jesus nor John the Baptist seemed to have a "balance" based on this week's focus verse. They were both extremes of the other. They were both radicals, outcasts, misunderstood, offensive...severely lacking "balance." I'm certain that were John the Baptist alive today, I would be among those to cross the street when I saw him coming.
I've heard it argued that Paul, "became all things to all people." Well this sounds anything but balanced to me. At best it seems scatterbrained, at worst schizophrenic. Paul was one of those gifted, even genius, ministers who never believed in taking the same balanced approach to soul winning. He utilized every platform, avenue, and outlet at his disposal to bring the singular message of : Jesus Christ and Him crucified! Most Believers are gifted with one, two at best, effective approaches to ministry. But that is why we are a BODY of Believers. This Body avails the world of almost countless approaches to ministry, for the sake of winning ALL to the Kingdom.
What am I saying? I'm not saying that every Believer has to appear crazy in order to be sold out for The Lord. But we should certainly not be somewhere in the middle. We should worship and minister according to our gift and calling with reckless abandon and passion. And regardless of our approach to ministry and worship, we will be known, and justified, as wise Kingdom builders by the fruit we bear, not by how "balanced" we appear. Both Jesus and John the Baptist were validated in their calling and approach by the works and legacy they left behind...
Are you sold out?
Blessings,
Dawn~
~Pouring my life out in worship, like Costly Oil~
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