Matt's Muzings
Marketing Ministry
My human side
I struggle with marketing; marketing myself, my ministry that is. Periodically, this is hard for me as it seems that the only people who have a successful ministry are those who are capable of marketing themselves. They know how to push and promote themselves.
It almost seems like you have to be driven, performance is vital, and be willing to leave a few people in the dust where things just didn't work out. It often means your wife and kids struggle because ministry is so important. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to get your name out there. All you have to do is watch TV and see the ministries there to see elements of this.
The sad and painful part is that I feel less successful in representing God when I am not willing to do some of these things.
I was just reminded of one ministry that left hurt and frustrated people in it's wake. This ministry apparently mis-communicated (dare I say they lied), left debt, the local pastors were/are hurt. They have moved on and are doing ‘great' things for the kingdom of God .
To be perfectly honest it feels like God blesses them and they can do what they want and be successful. They see people saved, lots of money raised, and people are in awe of them.
Remember
When these desires arise within myself I have to take myself aside and remind myself.
'A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men'. (Proverbs).
I have to be very careful to define what successful means.
‘Seasons' and ‘times' are very important. In the fullness of time, God will do what God will do. I can't compare myself to others in their ‘season'.
Watch over the heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.
I guess if I am really honest I want to be exalted, to be seen by man, to be recognized so that others are aware of me. I know where that comes from, my flesh and I know what I must do with it, crucify it. As Paul said, "I die daily."
So what is the key question? For me it is:
Who has authority to place or market us?
I was reading a parable in Luke 13 and it seemed to answer the question for me.
And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table; saying to them, "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. "But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
It is not my job to exalt or honor myself before others. I am to take the lowest seat, the one of the servant and then let God put me in the place if there needs to be a change. It seems clear that in the long run that is the role that He wants to play. He is the agent for me and my ministry.
I guess the principle that challenges me today is: Am I faithful to what God has given me? To do, say and express as a servant, who He has made me to be? I am called to faithfulness; that should by my priority. I will let him market me as he sees fit. That is His job. When I am a faithful servant, it is enough.
The perfect model for this is Jesus. He was obedient to the point of death, emptying Himself and becoming a servant and trusting the 'exalting' part to God. In this season where his birth is celebrated, join me in remembering the humility of God who became a baby and lived among us in order to 'exalt' us by offering us the chance to be a part of God's family.