You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can't believe is happening
You're standing right in front of me with arms wide open
Every day is filled with hope
'Cause You are everything that I breathe for
And I can't help but breathe You in
And breathe again
Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart
You are everything
("You Are Everything," by Matthew West)
This is a question I have been wrestling with for as long as I can remember. Before becoming a Christian, and early in my Christian walk, I believed that in order to be a good Christian, one had to spend the majority of one's time practicing such spiritual disciplines as prayer, meditation and study, so that one might totally devote one's thoughts and attention to God at all times, as He deserved. But even this, it seemed, was not enough. If following Christ literally meant that I was to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him, then how could I confine Him to just a few portions of my day--morning and evening--when I read my Bible and prayed? I knew, in the deepest way of knowing, that there had to be more to it than that.
This question led me to read such books as "The Practice of the Presence of God," by Brother Lawrence, a lay brother of the Barefoot Carmelite Priory in Paris, France. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to grow in their attention to and focus on God. It was said that Brother Lawrence believed that "it was a great delusion to think that the times of prayer ought to differ from other times; that we are as strictly obliged to adhere to God by action in the time of action as by prayer in the season of prayer." Brother Lawrence himself wrote:
"Men invent means and methods of coming at God's love, they learn rules and set up devices to remind them of that love, and it seems like a world of trouble to bring oneself into the consciousness of God. Yet it might be so simple. Is it not quicker and easier just to do our common business wholly for the love of Him?"
I was reminded of this book, and quotes such as these, when consideration of the question--What is holistic faith?--came up again this week. I could sum up my understanding of holistic faith with three simple words: Life is ministry. However, I am aware of the fact that this three word summary will require a little bit of explanation. Most people's first reaction to that statement is, "Oh, of course it is, I mean... of course." But let me encourage anyone who reads this to carefully digest that statement. Do you consider your life--your entire life as a Christian--to be your ministry?
Human beings define most objects, events, or experiences as profane, from the Latin, meaning "outside the temple", that which people define as an ordinary element of everyday life. But we also view some things as sacred, that which people set apart as extraordinary, inspiring awe and reverence (Macionis, "Sociology"). This is true of both Christian and non-Christian people, and it is also true across cultures--regardless of their religious background or where they grew up, most people draw a distinct line between the profane and sacred elements of life.
This is why it is so easy to relegate our faith to just a certain day or days of the week (Sunday and Wednesday, for most of us), and hardly give a thought to it at other times. This is why it is so easy to devote our attention to God during a worship service or a time of prayer, but so hard at other times. However, this is a natural tendency that Christians need to pit themselves against, and strive to overcome.
There can be no compartmentalization of a life wholly devoted to God.
Christ has called us to more than church services and Sunday school. He has called us to more than times of musical worship and prayer. He has called us to more than the Lord's Supper. He has called us to more than church programs, youth conferences, and mission trips. The measure of the Christian life does not lie in the number of sacred practices and activities in which we participate, as opposed to those that are profane. Please do not misunderstand me; all of the things I listed above are good things--things that a Christian ought to participate in and practice. However, these things are only a very small part of a much bigger picture. Let's take a look at scripture:
"So here is what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering." (Romans 12:1, MSG)
The measure of the Christian life lies in the understanding that, for the Christian, the profane has been sanctified, and has become sacred. We are called to live out our ordinary lives in the world with the extraordinary purpose of embracing and advancing the gospel of God. Permit me to ask you to consider several questions, which I have recently been reconsidering, myself:
Am I a minister within my own family?
Am I a minister amongst my peers?
Am I a minister in my workplace?
Do I consider my daily interactions with family, friends and coworkers to be ministry opportunities?
Do I live out my faith on a moment-by-moment basis, every day?
These are hard and convicting questions, and when I first began to consider them, the answer to most of them was no. I used to believe that ministry was something that missionaries and pastors did; I used to believe that lay people within a congregation were only doing ministry if they volunteered within the church or with non-profit organizations. However, I have since come to the realization that ministry is simply loving and serving people, wherever they may be found, and whatever my relationship to them may be.
When I clean house so that my mother can sleep, I am serving her, demonstrating love to her, and ministering to her. When I listen to a hurting friend and offer comfort and encouragement, I am loving and ministering to him. When I offer to cover a coworker's shift because she isn't feeling well and would like to go home, I am serving and ministering to her.
I know that these things sound ridiculously simple, and that they might be hard to recognize as ministry, at first glance. We're so used to seeing ministry as something big--a worship service with awesome music that helps people to feel close to God and experience His presence, a sermon that brings a congregation to its feet, a youth group building houses for Habitat for Humanity or collecting cases of bottled water to send to the victims of a natural disaster, a missionary team planting a church in a country where Christianity is persecuted--that it's often difficult to realize that ministry is also something small.
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." -Helen Keller
Ministry is also going out for coffee with a friend and talking about what God is doing in her life and encouraging her as she goes through a confusing and somewhat frustrating period of spiritual growth. Ministry is also stopping to talk to the homeless guy on the corner as you drive home from work everyday and ask him about his day, and offering to drive him to McDonald's and buy him lunch on a particularly cold and rainy day, even though you're a woman and alone and don't know the guy from Adam. Ministry is also striking up a conversation with a coworker when the night shift is slow and asking about what's going on in his life, and talking with him about religion, Jesus, church, and the Bible.
This kind of ministry is not easy. It's not easy, because it's 24/7, and it involves people you have to interact with on a daily basis. It's inconvenient, tiring, messy and uncomfortable. However, this is the kind of ministry a holistic faith demands.
"Let every detail in your lives--words, actions, whatever--be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." (Colossians 3:17, MSG)
I'm still working on this; there are days when the conviction that my entire life is ministry seems overwhelming and impossible to live up to. I am often tempted to retreat back into my safe little compartmentalized world, where I feel pretty good if I've put in my time at the church building for the week, given my tithe, served by stacking up the chairs in the sanctuary after church service, and prayed six out of seven mornings this week. But I know that I am called to so much more.
Holistic faith may not be easy. It may not be understood by others. It may not always be rewarding. But it is the faith that Jesus, to whom we say, "Lord, Lord!", has called us to to live out.
"Then [Jesus] said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23, NIV)
This is why it is so easy to relegate our faith to just a certain day or days of the week (Sunday and Wednesday, for most of us), and hardly give a thought to it at other times. This is why it is so easy to devote our attention to God during a worship service or a time of prayer, but so hard at other times. However, this is a natural tendency that Christians need to pit themselves against, and strive to overcome.
There can be no compartmentalization of a life wholly devoted to God.
Christ has called us to more than church services and Sunday school. He has called us to more than times of musical worship and prayer. He has called us to more than the Lord's Supper. He has called us to more than church programs, youth conferences, and mission trips. The measure of the Christian life does not lie in the number of sacred practices and activities in which we participate, as opposed to those that are profane. Please do not misunderstand me; all of the things I listed above are good things--things that a Christian ought to participate in and practice. However, these things are only a very small part of a much bigger picture. Let's take a look at scripture:
"So here is what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering." (Romans 12:1, MSG)
The measure of the Christian life lies in the understanding that, for the Christian, the profane has been sanctified, and has become sacred. We are called to live out our ordinary lives in the world with the extraordinary purpose of embracing and advancing the gospel of God. Permit me to ask you to consider several questions, which I have recently been reconsidering, myself:
Am I a minister within my own family?
Am I a minister amongst my peers?
Am I a minister in my workplace?
Do I consider my daily interactions with family, friends and coworkers to be ministry opportunities?
Do I live out my faith on a moment-by-moment basis, every day?
These are hard and convicting questions, and when I first began to consider them, the answer to most of them was no. I used to believe that ministry was something that missionaries and pastors did; I used to believe that lay people within a congregation were only doing ministry if they volunteered within the church or with non-profit organizations. However, I have since come to the realization that ministry is simply loving and serving people, wherever they may be found, and whatever my relationship to them may be.
When I clean house so that my mother can sleep, I am serving her, demonstrating love to her, and ministering to her. When I listen to a hurting friend and offer comfort and encouragement, I am loving and ministering to him. When I offer to cover a coworker's shift because she isn't feeling well and would like to go home, I am serving and ministering to her.
I know that these things sound ridiculously simple, and that they might be hard to recognize as ministry, at first glance. We're so used to seeing ministry as something big--a worship service with awesome music that helps people to feel close to God and experience His presence, a sermon that brings a congregation to its feet, a youth group building houses for Habitat for Humanity or collecting cases of bottled water to send to the victims of a natural disaster, a missionary team planting a church in a country where Christianity is persecuted--that it's often difficult to realize that ministry is also something small.
"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble." -Helen Keller
Ministry is also going out for coffee with a friend and talking about what God is doing in her life and encouraging her as she goes through a confusing and somewhat frustrating period of spiritual growth. Ministry is also stopping to talk to the homeless guy on the corner as you drive home from work everyday and ask him about his day, and offering to drive him to McDonald's and buy him lunch on a particularly cold and rainy day, even though you're a woman and alone and don't know the guy from Adam. Ministry is also striking up a conversation with a coworker when the night shift is slow and asking about what's going on in his life, and talking with him about religion, Jesus, church, and the Bible.
This kind of ministry is not easy. It's not easy, because it's 24/7, and it involves people you have to interact with on a daily basis. It's inconvenient, tiring, messy and uncomfortable. However, this is the kind of ministry a holistic faith demands.
"Let every detail in your lives--words, actions, whatever--be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." (Colossians 3:17, MSG)
I'm still working on this; there are days when the conviction that my entire life is ministry seems overwhelming and impossible to live up to. I am often tempted to retreat back into my safe little compartmentalized world, where I feel pretty good if I've put in my time at the church building for the week, given my tithe, served by stacking up the chairs in the sanctuary after church service, and prayed six out of seven mornings this week. But I know that I am called to so much more.
Holistic faith may not be easy. It may not be understood by others. It may not always be rewarding. But it is the faith that Jesus, to whom we say, "Lord, Lord!", has called us to to live out.
"Then [Jesus] said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" (Luke 9:23, NIV)
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