[Read Disclaimer here. Please also consider that putting thoughts to page is often more challenging than it seems, especially when trying to avoid being accused of slander. And as always, diverging opinions are welcome and encouraged, but please approach me directly before drinkin’ haterade.]
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Hate Speech
I arrived at Trinity planning on going into ministry. I now near my departure date hating every time I hear the word.
Maybe hate is too strong. Sometimes, just sometimes, a feeling rises inside of me that can only be described as hate. I’m not quite there yet. But lately I’ve been close.[1]
The cause of my rage is that one word: ministry.
Actually, the word itself is not bothersome. It is not the phonetics of the word, the spelling, or how it fits into the syntax of everyday communication. I don’t have a problem with ministers, ministering, or any other forms of the root word. The source of my disagreement simply lies in the expectations and attitudes associated with ministry.
Allow me to explain (please).
When people talk about ministry, they use it to legitimatize behaviors and decisions that would be criticized in other settings. In particular, labelling something as a ministry seems to be carte blanche when it comes to management and administration. You can get away with anything as long as you specify it as a ministry-related decision. Having been born in a pew, raised in a church, and directly involved in a leadership role with dozens of “ministries” in the past six years of my life, I am saddened appreciative of what goes into making them function. I know what happens behind the scenes. Either passively or actively, these are some of the messages I have seen communicated by the decision-makers in major Christian organizations.
- Planning for the future? “No need. It’s a ministry – God will provide.”
- Expecting our employees/volunteers to perform with a high level of aptitude? “It’s more important that they care about the ministry than that they perform well.”
- Meeting the budget and being fiscally responsible? “Ministries aren’t meant to be make money so why worry about the finances?”
- Efficient policies? Effective practices? Productive principles? “It’s a ministry, not a business. Those standards aren’t relevant here.”
The message is not always that explicit, but it is certainly implied by those involved in these ministries. In other words, ministry has become synonymous with;
- Poor stewardship
- Unprofessional
- Inefficient
- Ineffective
And, my least favourite,
- Inconsequential
Look around. The average North American organization with any form of Christian focus is likely fighting off insolvency, saddled with tremendous debt, staffed by over-extended and under-paid employees/volunteers, and otherwise struggling to survive. And because of that, these ministries are shadows of what they could and should be. That may seem like a severe over-generalization to you. Perhaps, but I would investigate your closest churches, your local charities, and your nearest Christian university before you discard my statement.
The reality is that Christian organizations are already facing tremendous challenges in this 21st century global climate. There are economic, political, and socio-cultural conditions that are largely beyond our control.[2] That does not excuse some of the crippling practices that have plagued these organizations for decades.[3] My desire is not to undermine the efforts of these valuable and necessary parts of the greater Christian community. I am not suggesting that if a charity does not know where next month’s funding will come from, it should cease its operations and discontinue its ministry. Rather, the enormous challenges facing these organizations should motivate us to find effective and efficient ways to offer the services, structures, and programs that contribute to the betterment of society.
Consider this – your work on Earth is meant to further the Kingdom of God. A discussion on defining the Kingdom of God deserves another forum. Regardless of your perspective, the truth is we should strive to our fullest potential. God has entrusted us with much and we are to be practice good stewardship with what He has given us. Equally so, He has called us to a higher standard and that standard must be applied holistically.
We have no problem expecting a higher standard when it comes to our personal lifestyle choices. But it does not translate as smoothly to our offices and boardrooms. Individually, we pride ourselves on being upstanding members of society. But we cannot be proud of our outstanding balances and debt load. There seems to be no shortage of Christian leaders who have received a diploma in Ministerial Studies. But we rarely can find one who has anything taken anything higher than Grade 12 Math.[4] We have no problem trying to develop effective parenting skills. But we struggle to develop effective organizational and management skills.
It shouldn’t be this way.
President Raymond has spoken in length about the essence and ends of Trinity Western University. For any organization, the ends are often easily identified and their importance is rarely overlooked. When it comes to any Christian organization, the value of those ends is even more important. Our objectives are not only self-serving, they are designed to serve others as representatives of a Greater God. We should not deviate from our goals and tasks. But maybe it is time to reconsider the means by which we fulfill our ends. Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate the methods we follow in striving to meet these goals.
In doing so, we might find ourselves better equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century. We might allow ourselves to move into a place of firm footing, where we can successfully meet the needs of a broken world. We might be able to better minister to those who desperately need to be served.
At the very least, it might slow the hate speech.
[1] By lately, I mean the last 8+ years.
[2] For a great example of the challenges facing Christian organizations, click here.
[3] Or at least during my lifetime.
[4] Yeah, I went there.