I have wrestled with writing this article but find it necessary as I repeat to myself one of my own quotes: it may not be easy but it is necessary!
I am carefully observing the nature of ministry in this time, season and dispensation and watching many islands of ministry drift, float and be out at sea alone.

Seems everyone has a ministry or persona they desire to promote and within the boundaries of 'their' ministry is a desire to get it out front and be as Simon the sorcerer was in Acts. I find it interesting that even though the people followed the practices of Simon the bible said that he gave out that he was some great one.

Acts 8 lets us know that the people did believe Simon was the great power of God when he was working sorcery but it lets us know that it was Simon that said he was some great one. Far too many ministers and servants are saying "I am a great one".

Before you stone me, understand that faith in who you are in Christ Jesus and confidence in the gifts and anointing on your life are not the same as exalting yourself, arrogance, isolated ministry which is often termed independent and autonomous ministry. We may not like it but such ministry is unscriptural. We have no biblical example of stand-alone ministry that is Christ-exalting ministry. God's plan for the various ministry functions and administrations is that they would be fitly joined together for the common building and edifying of the kingdom of God. And that they be of the same spirit ,but are they?

I have been asked by several people why do we have so many smaller churches hanging on for years with five members on this corner, three on that corner. Why don't they combine? Why aren't they growing? Good Question; but no simple answer. Could it be that each believes s/he is facilitating the vision God gave them the way that God gave it to them and no one else can carry it out. To name a few; Paul had a ministry; so to speak, Peter had one, Barnabus had one, Timothy had one, Matthew had one, Dorcas had one, Philip had one, Anna the prophetess had one but they all promoted Christ and not themselves.

The Body of Christ lost its adhesion, interconnectivity (networking) and unity years ago and we struggle to truly regain it in these modern times. Lines have been drawn in the sand; gender lines, denominational lines, economic lines, hooping-vs-teaching lines, doctrinal lines, Jesus only-vs-trinity lines, dipping, dunking and sprinkling lines, etc. Every imaginable means of division is actively working in the Body of Christ today and we fail to acknowledge it for what it is. And worst than that we fail to do anything about it. Are we comfortable as a divided body failing to realize that a divided body is a dysfunctional body that cannot and does not accomplish its intended purpose.

By the way networking and marketplace ministry are not new ideas or methodology, they are current 'buzz words" see my writing on: What's all the hype about being Kingdom Minded.

It is difficult to unify a body when the pieces and parts of the body are damaged, sometimes infected, of an independant 'me' mentality and doing their own thing or coming with unpure motives and agendas. Placing an infected heart in a healthy body will inevitably lead to toxicity and death. Attaching a gangrene arm or leg to an otherwise healthy body will cause the infection to spread and the whole body will be negatively impacted.

Can we come to a place where we stop self-promoting and start Christ promoting? Where it's not about our ministry but it's about our God. No doubt, many reading this will have someone else come to mind as they read this but this is a reader-oriented word. How does this apply to you? Are your motives pure in ministry? Are you walking in integrity in the pulpit and behind closed doors? The people you are in covenant with, is it real covenant relationship? Are your ministerial associations give and take or are you always on the receiving end?

We have a lot to consider from a pure heart in this season and many areas that we need to allow God's light and purging power to purify. We can continue in our day to day activities pretending and acting as though this doesn't apply but which one of us is without an area that needs to be dealt with.

To cite the actions of the disciples that sat at the table with Jesus when he announced that he would be betrayed; not only did they wonder within themselves which would do the thing but it was followed by their concerns for who would be the greatest (Luke 22) Seems we are still there…tell me which of us will be the greatest?

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Comment by Minister Sharon Jackson on September 22, 2008 at 11:15pm
A good blog...to the point.

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