Authentic Gospel Ministry: Tough But Tasty

There is something deliciously and transformingly wholesome about true gospel ministry; like from-scratch pasta sauce with its layered texture and complex flavour that inevitably prompts the singing of (silly) songs late into the night thereafter. Or that could have been the pinot noir.

Bad simile, bad bad simile. Go sit in the naughty corner.

Right.

Authentic gospel ministry is deliciously and transformingly wholesome. It concerns the authentic gospel of course (1 Thesslonians 1). But mainstream Martha Stewart fans would snub it, as would the editors of the most niche food or shelter magazines. It's just not pretty enough. It does not rely on effective technique or any display of human power.

(Jesus, who displayed more out-of-this-world power than any human in history, was not keen on making it the cornerstone of his ministry. He did not seem to think that healing and driving out demons were great evangelistic tools to draw the crowds (though they did in droves so he could not enter a town openly (Mark 1:45) or even eat (Mark 3:21)). Instead, he was far more concerned about preaching the gospel of God (Mark 1:39) - the fulfilment of Scripture (Mark 1:14), the repentance of sins and the good news that he had come as king (Mark 1:14, 2:17), the promised Son of Man who would have the authority of God to, inter alia, forgive sins and give real rest (Mark 2:9, 2:28) and usher in a new era (Mark 2:22ff).)

Paul arrived in Thessalonica beaten black and blue from his reception at Philippi. It would seem that both he and Silas still had the dust of shame of failure on their cloaks (1 Thessalonians 2:2) and could be sure of more of the same in Thessalonica. There was no triumphalism in their coming nor anything impressive about them as messengers. Boldness in continuing to preach the controversial gospel required more than human courage - it required the power of God and for us today it will always depend on the power of God (1 Thessalonians 2:2). For if the gospel belongs to God, then the courage to proclaim it will come from God as well.

Because it comes from God and is all about God, authentic gospel ministry also always seeks the approval of God(1 Thessalonians 2:4a). God is not hoodwinked by the doing of seemingly right things with impure motives for he knows and tests men's hearts (1 Thessalonians 2:4b).

And since it is God's gospel and depends on God's power and seeks the approval of God, then it would be smack-forehead silly to use deceptive methods to get people to believe in Jesus, no matter how desperate we are for the salvation of those we love. It would completely miss the point to flatter men or become the nice, tame religious person they would prefer, allegedly to win souls. Jesus, who wept over Jerusalem and died for the sins of the world, did not hesitate to alienate those of his hearers who were opposed to his gospel (not his personality) (Mark 3).

The authentic gospel, because it must have already transformed its messengers, is communicated with the love of God (1 Thessalonians 2:6-12). Like a nursing mother thoroughly committed to her child, Paul and Silas' whole lives revolved around sharing the gospel and their very beings with the Thessalonians without wanting anything in return and concerned not to burden them. Only God could have given a love that was/is not content with the mass spraying of the gospel but was/is eager for a long-term commitment to sharing lives. Like a father with his children, this love is keen to nurture: to come alongside, to put strength in and to demonstrate how to walk in a manner worthy of God.

Do we minister to each other depending on God's power (not relying on the latest sure-win-others-for-Christ technique), for God's approval (not to demonstrate to the Evangelist Idol panel that we are godly or effective workers for Christ), with God's love (not just human interest)?

Do we minister with the authentic word of God? For the authentic gospel carries authority of God, not of men. And it will work in authentic believers so that after they have accepted the objective truth of what has been proclaimed, they will have faith in God and in the message and turn to the living and true God and serve him, waiting for his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead who is coming oto save from coming wrath, and because of this hope, be prepared to suffer as Christ did and as church always has rather than deny truth of gospel or to desist from proclaiming it. (1 Thessalonians 2:13-16)

Are these very basic requirements part of our church leadership selection criteria?


Someone was demonstrating a guitar technique with this song yesterday and now its a earworm.

Everlasting God (Lincoln Brewster, popularised by Chris Tomlin)
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

It's just crying out for an 80s drum machine. Anyway, horrible paucity of lyrical substance made up by embarrassing riches of 1 Thessalonians 1-2, Mark 1-3 and Acts 10-12 (see the St. Helen's Bishopsgate series on The Advance of the Gospel). Yums.

Fast (But Satisfying) Food (1 Thessalonians 1)

Paul and Silvanus (Silas) had served up some very good food indeed (the bread of life) in Thessalonica for three Sabbaths before they were forced to leave by jealous Jews (Acts 17:1-9).

Afraid that the Thessalonians might have gone on to ruin their lives with poisonous junk, they sent Timothy to check in on them and encourage them to keep feeding on the good stuff (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:10).

Fruity

Paul, Silas and Tim were now writing to provide (further) assurance that they did really have the gospel of God and were on track.

The gospel of Paul/Silas/Timothy/God had objective content. The Thessalonians had neither been persuaded by Paul/Silas' eloquence nor their cutting illustrations nor confident speech. Rather, they had been convinced (1) by proof from scripture (Acts 17:2-3) that Jesus was the Christ who had to suffer and rise from the dead; (2) by proof from the lives of Paul/Silas/Timothy (1 Thessalonians 1:5) that they were really convinced about their message - suffering for the proclamation of the gospel and leading holy, righteous and blamesless lives (Acts, 1 Thessalonians).

The Thessalonians then came to trust in objective realities: they had faith that Jesus was the Son of God, that he died on cross as an atoning sacrifice for sins, that he was raised from dead and that he would come to save them from God's coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10). Knowing the love of God (1 Thessalonians 1:4), they loved others (1 Thessalonians 3:12, 4:9-10). They had a sure and certain hope of the future when God's Son would come from heaven and deliver them from the wrath to come.

Therefore, there was two-fold (or perhaps just one-fold) proof that they were alright by God: (1) that they were intellectually persuaded and had accepted the gospel; and (2) evidence that they had really accepted the gospel was that their lives had been changed and shaped by these doctrines (their faith worked, their love laboured and their hope was steadfast) because they had come into a relationship with God who was now their Father (1 Thessalonians 1:3). So the three letterwriters observe that the gospel had come to them not only in words but, as evidence that they had been chosen by God in power, in the Holy Spirit and in full conviction and so they received it with joy.

Remembering Babel

If this is so, then:
- one cannot claim to be on a "mission trip" or be serving God if one is merely building houses in a developing country or being hospitable to all and patient to the longwinded and, by common consensus, irritating. These were certainly not the things Paul/Silas/Tim/the Thessies were concerned about and persecuted for. If it is the word (1 Thessalonians 1:5,6,8), and the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5,6) through that word (and the choice of God ultimately), that transforms lives, then any work of God must include the proclaiming of the good news. After all, this was also why Jesus came to earth (Mark 1). And after all, this shows that one's own life has been transformed so to the service of the living and true God who wants all to be saved and not perish.

- while there is a place for bridge-building to, eg. the yet-unnamed post-cyberspace generations, it is the pure gospel that must be preached, not adulterated in the desperate but baseless hope that leaving out sin or Jesus might make "Christianity" much more attractive to unsubscribers. The God who is to be worshipped must be proclaimed in his full justice and glory so that he can be worshipped, and in so doing show that the preacher does actually worship this God. His Spirit will work in those who are his.

- we know we are alright by God and really believe the gospel not because we are in the right (Bible-believing) church or that the church leadership demonstrates their approval of us by appointing us to positions in the church hierarchy or because our friends so assure us, but by the proof in our lives that we have turned from idols to serve the living God, with love for all, while clinging steadily to the hope of Jesus' coming.

- elders, pastors, overseers, leaders and the like who have to account for their flock and who see their sheep wandering off cliffs and taking candy from wolves, need, themselves not to lose sight of the way God has designed lives to be turned back and transformed - by the Spirit, through the word - in both the sheep's lives and their own. Therefore, better music with emotional song leaders, a more persuasive and/or emotive preaching style, church-wide programmes for unity, love and service, a push to missions, more rules on what should or should not be done, accountability groups, topical comments on the latest scandal or political hot potato etc will, of themselves and despite the best of intentions, never bring anyone into a living relationship with God because they point to man rather than God. Better to be preoccupied with God and concentrate on teaching faithfully from the Bible the Christ to be worshipped (or rather, not to obfuscate God's word in proclaiming what God says about the his own glory) and praying, and also (and simultaneously by so doing) demonstrating the conviction of one's faith in one's life, setting the example of living according to the center of one's faith, love and hope. The gospel must first convict the undershepherds before they can so speak and so live in a way that, with the power of the Holy Spirit, generate conviction in the sheep.

********************

Fruit tart recipe from Keiko Ishida's Okashi.
Double chocolate cookie recipe from Donna Hay.


Blood sugar high and failure to make much sense not completely attributable to Mark Bittman's macaroni animal pasta and cheese recipe (accidentally left for too long while Rabbids invaded the Phone).