I should also confess that I am struggling with this for selfish reasons. I'm on fire with the Holy Spirit. I'm reading the Bible and praying more than I ever have in my entire life. I am putting myself out there, meeting people, which is huge because, believe it or not, I'm really shy. But I've given my personal shyness over to God in order to be bold. And nothing. No fruit. The church service I am so passionate about is dying. The young adult group completely tanked and I am floundering with how to re-launch. My fear is that it's me. It's funny, I've worked so hard on my confidence in who I am in God. But this last major stronghold remains steadfast. No fruit, or very little fruit, causes great doubt in my soul. To be honest I probably need to just remain faithful and keep at it. I'm just afraid it'll all die before it really gets a chance.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Fruit
So I am thinking a lot about the connection between being faithful and seeing fruit in your ministry. I mean we talk about fruit a lot don't we? Should we focus on numbers or should we focus on discipleship? If don't see numbers does it a ministry is not viable? Etc, etc, etc. Thinking about the Biblical prophets has only added to this issue. Look at Ezekiel (one of my favorites.) He did some extremely strange things because God asked him too, and what was his fruit? Did the people listen at all? Not that I can find recorded... Then there is Jonah. He was practically pushed through the city of Nineveh and the entire metropolis converted. *Sigh* I have to confess, I don't understand God. What is the secret? There is no secret is there? Why are some ministries seeing explosive growth? Why aren't others? Why does one minister in one location see not only amazing growth in numbers, but also deepening faith...then move them somewhere else and they struggle? It doesn't even seem connected to the Holy Spirit. Or maybe it's connected to how open the congregation is to the Holy Spirit and has little to do with the minister's connection. Who knows?
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5 comments:
Lex, First of all you need to hear that we (I) see great passion, faith, fruit, and obedience in your life. There is no doubt in my mind that God is using you in powerful ways right now and in every ministry that you currently feel to be a failure. Remember the fruit that you are so earnestly seeking (in the lives of others) is the work of the Holy Spirit and not yours.
The only fruit that you can worry about is your own faithfulness, passion and fire - that is obviously burning very hot - halleluia.
As pastors part of our role is to be prophet, and sometimes seeing the fruit is much like Ezekiel or Jonah - almost void - and yet we know that God worked through their ministry.
If I could turn your focus toward one thing it would be perseverance. Faithfulness and passion find their limit when a person is not willing to persevere through the desert/storm which we know will always come.
In every ministry I have been a part of there have been failures and flounderings. Right now the small group studies that started so strong with the young adults are absent and I am praying over how to reestablish them. I am fearful of even starting a new service for the very reasons that it may faulter. But in reality I know as pastors we are called to persevere and to continue to share the gospel both in good times and the bad.
So I am encouraging you sister. Don't worry about the fruit of others - leave that in God's hand. But keep on persevering and loving God with a passion that will overflow onto all those around you. (You have been doing just that for Academy X - Keep it up)
In Christ, CF
CF-
Thank you!!!!
Blessings,
Lex
Sorry I am behind on the blog, but I totally agree with Craig's words of encouragment.
You stay on fire girlfriend!
We all think you are a Holy Spirit rocker!
And I personally think you are such a fantastic example of a true follower of Jesus.
A lack of obvious, short-term "fruit" often leads people to question the faithfulness of the pastor. Or we can even question ourselves. This may be appropriate, and indeed, accountability to remain faithful is an admirable thing.
But too often a lack of short-term “fruitfulness” weakens our resolve to endure, even though a Biblical call for endurance is exactly what is needed in so many cases.
What about the fruitfulness of prayer? Or the fruitfulness of obedience? Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Hosea, and others were faithful in their calling, but none of them saw "fruit" in the way we usually think of it. They called people to repentance and no one repented. Yet God seems to make much of their fruitfulness of obedience, their fruitfulness of endurance, their fruitfulness of faithfulness, their fruitfulness of doing what is right even if the stars fall. Stay tuned to the Holy Spirit, as you are, Lex!
Great comments Terry. It is funny when we consider that something seems like it takes a "long time" when in the big picture, each of our times in a certain church, our ministries as clergy, or even our lives are "short time" when looking at eternity.
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