The Christian Arts community—I’m clearly convinced—is often clearly confused about what ministry is. Not that other parts of the Christian community aren’t confused—they are. But Christians out of arts backgrounds oftentimes certainly face confusion when it comes to ministry.
Why are Christian Artists Confused about Ministry? Cutting to the chase, it’s at least because of three reasons.
First, human beings in Western civilization began to think of “the arts” the way we do—abstract objects and activities of creativity created as ends in themselves having no or little tie to everyday life and living other than their artistic value—during the 1500’s or so; mostly apart from the community of true believers in Jesus. This is a time when “secularism” began to take hold in the thinking of normal “marketplace” people; people who were separating themselves from any “religious” involvement, Catholic or Protestant. Why? Because the “protesting” church backed away from the “religious humanism” of the Catholic church (a form of religion with no connection to a “regenerated personal relationship with Jesus”—remember: Martin Luther was just trying to be a good Catholic believer, getting back to the Word of God and a vibrant personal walk with Jesus; he was not trying to cause a fuss).
Second, as the “protesting” (Protestant) church separated itself from both the Catholic church and the “secular society, in the process of backing away from the human corruption of the Church and the community, it backed away from a lot of the creative art that played a role in the Church, and it backed away from the entertainment art and the art-of-the-elite that was being developed in the “secular” market place (a “throwing out the baby with the bathwater” sort of thing).
Third, the “protesting” church (most of the Reformers, with the exception of Martin Luther and a few others) seemed to buy into a non-biblical view that there exist “things secular and things sacred”; and “the arts,” which already had prominence in the Catholic church and were gaining prominence in what they were beginning to view as “secular” society, were therefore seen more and more as worldly and thus inappropriate for “sacred” life, living and worship.
With these three reasons in mind, it’s time we got back to the Bible, and God’s perspective on things. God wants creativity and artistic expression. He designed it into the fabric of the human species. Our ability to imagine and to “recreate” reflects His image (His perfection of creativity) in us. Animals possess instincts. People possess imagination, a much more god-like capacity. People, not animals, are made in God’s image (Genesis 1: 26). When those creative and imaginative endowments are under the redeemed Lordship of Jesus, God’s Messiah, they are “sanctified”—set apart for special service unto His glory and purposes.
Do not see artistic expression as “secular.” Don’t consider artistic expression as “worldly.” As God created them they are reflections of His image in us; and in fact, it is our duty to dedicate them—all our imaginative expressions and efforts—to His glory and for His purposes . . . of reflecting His truth, and beauty, and reconciliation in Jesus!! (1 Cor. 10:31)
Now, seeing a bit not why we are confused, what is Ministry? Simply defined, it’s . . . serving God; serving His purposes and others on His behalf. In other words, ministry is . . . Dealing with God about people, and dealing with people about God. That is it. Anything else beyond that, and it gets too complicated.
Ministry practices seem to be five (5) simple things: 1) assuming God works supernaturally (in and through the fullness of His triune Self). (Humans can’t initiate the supernatural work of salvation, or the miraculous working of God for conviction, enlightenment, forgiveness, healing, change, etc.; the supernatural part of ministry is only and always effected by God Himself. We, the humans, are simply pots. He’s the Potter and the Water, so to speak.); 2) praying for and with people. 3) caring for people in the Name of Jesus (not just doing good in some abstract way—but intentionally doing the good because of your life from, in and through Jesus’ work in you!); 4) guiding people for help into God’s Word, the Bible; 5) sharing your faith simply when the time is right. That’s it. No matter what your title or education is or is not if you do these things you are ministering. If you do NOT do these things—no matter what your title or education is or is not, you are not doing ministry.
Ministry price? Ministry is always FREE. payment related to the doing of ministry is technically something else—ministry support, or occupation, or business—but don’t get confused; ministry is always FREE.
How is Ministry supported? The Bible (OT or NT) only shows two ways of ministry support: a) support from the believing community, or b) a side job. Yes I know the Levites were allegedly full time. But they were supported by the tithes and offerings of the believing community. Yes I know Paul defended the right for full-focused ministry workers to be supported full time (e.g. 1 Corinthians 9 l& 2 Thessalonians 3). But he modeled that it was not always tactically wise to exercise that right. And, yes I know it is assumed that ministry-related products were sold at the Temple; and that folks like May and Joseph at Jesus’ circumcision would bring or buy doves at the Temple to use as offerings (e.g. Luke 2:21-24).
But there is absolutely no place in the Scriptures where an indication is given that the Temple ministry was supported by sales of ministry products as a major source of ministry funding, not is there any assumptions or direction that believers should support ministry through the sale of ministry products. Sales are related to business (which almost every believer is to be in—e.g. 2 Thessalonians 3:10. And though ministry ought to happen in every business context (because we never stop being believers, ministry is categorically different than ministry.
Keep these definitions in mind: Business is the sale (or exchange) of products, performances or services in exchange for value in return: Ministry is serving God; and His purposes and others on His behalf. Occupation is where you get your money. In a fallen world rarely is your ministry assignment the same as your occupation; and never is business—strictly speaking—ministry.
When am I in ministry? Because you are a believer priest (1 Peter 2: 9-10) no matter what your occupation is or isn’t, you ARE in ministry full time. If your business furthers ministry, praise God; but if it doesn’t, you are still in ministry, and responsible for ministering in that context.
When does ministry happen? When three intentions actually occur: 1) when you intend to engage people about the purposes of God; 2) when you are consciously faithing that God is at work (where there is no faithing going on, generally speaking no supernaturally initiated transaction goes on); 3) when you actually make contact with people about God and His purposes. That means that, at a Christian concert where none or few of these things are intentionally going on, event though it’s a concert of “Christian songs” there will generally be no or little actual ministry effected . .. or affected.
Summary: Do not define ministry as occupation. If you do you are Biblically incorrect!! Ministry is NOT occupation; it is simply something else—that often happens in the context of occupation. Do not define ministry as business. If you do you are Biblically incorrect!! Ministry is NOT business; it is simply something else—that sometimes, the income from which the mature believer often very generously invests into ministry—via donations, offerings and tithes. You will know you are in business, if when it does poorly or fails you think you no longer have a ministry.
Also, do not buy into the strategy of trying to fund ministry by business income. Only a few have done this, and it’s only worked because they have not let the business tail wag the ministry dog; and they are still confused about what business is, and about what ministry isn’t. Jesus said that we cannot serve God and mammon (Mt. 6:24; Lk 16:13-15).
If you try to tie ministry to business . . . and fail at business, you may think you’ve failed at ministry, when in fact your business failure may produce a context for great ministry in your life and lives of others. Or on the other hand, if you succeed business selling Christian things (and still have not been doing the five things I listed above), you may think you have ministered when all you’ve done is the natural function of selling Christian things while in substance seen no spiritual transaction moving through your efforts..
If you try to tie ministry to occupation and for some reason your occupation ends, you may mistakenly think your ministry has ended. If you keep the simple definitions in mind I’ve suggested while continuing to do ministry (which is always free), you’ll be certain to progress in fruitful ministry—whether or not the Lord releases you to earn your living through the doing of ministry.