Making Wise Ministry Choices

By Mike Rose, Senior Pastor

Life is filled with choices: some easy, some more complex. But there’s no getting around it, we must make choices.

For example, if you want to get up early in the morning, fresh and well-rested, you must choose to get to bed at an early time. Making that decision means choosing not to watch the late news or David Letterman. Sometimes we can find creative ways to get around such choices. If you can afford Tivo, you can set it to record The Late Show, get to bed early, get up early, watch the program later in the day, thus accomplishing all you wanted. However, sometimes there just isn’t any creative solution so you must establish priorities.

Many are beginning to realize the need to make wise choices as we move toward our three-service format. To offer three separate worship services that speak the unique cultural language of our people and community, choices must be made. Which of the three speaks to me? Will my extended family choose that same service? How does my choice affect my schedule? Will my decision impact my ability to be involved in other ministry areas? These are just a few of the choices on the horizon as we seek to be more effective in our ministry.

Believe me, Connie and I have wrestled with the same questions. The choices we have to make to support the upcoming changes affect our family greatly. Already we are wrestling with decisions that require us to say yes to some things and no to others.

In the end, the prevailing question is this: Is ministry about my comfort and ease, or is it about service to others and effectiveness in communicating the life changing truth of Jesus Christ? Through the years, followers of Christ have been called upon to establish certain priorities to be effective in ministry. Missionaries must choose to leave family and friends to carry the Gospel to distant lands. Some believers face severing family relationships to openly proclaim their faith in Christ. To grow in passion and commitment to Jesus, all believers must choose to deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus.

In the weeks and months to come, we all will have to wrestle with making wise ministry choices in order to more effectively reach our community for Christ. First Federated Church has made a choice to sacrifice our normal way of doing church and is challenging our comfort zones with the goal of reaching more lost people in the greater Des Moines area.

In these exciting days of moving into new territory for Christ, Satan will be hard at work to discourage us and tempt us to run back to familiar, but less effective territory. Do not succumb to his deceptive work. Rather, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and the ministry to which He has called us. Finally, be submissive to the work of the Holy Spirit as He guides you in making wise choices. God has a place for each of us. Let us fill that place with joy and expectancy as we trust God to use us for His glory, the benefit of the body of Christ and the Christ-less world around us.