Or, Confidence to Survive Ministry Underbelly

Ministry is hard. By “ministry” I don’t mean the vocation, I mean the work. The work of the ministry is not limited to those who are paid to do it or those who oversee it. Actually, the primary work of pastors / elders is not to do the work of the ministry but instead to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.”

The work of the ministry is also known as making disciples of all nations, seeking to present every man complete in Christ, building up the Body by speaking the truth in love until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That’s all. The work of the ministry is not less than changing hearts, changing families, and changing churches. That is hard work.

If the ministry we’re doing isn’t hard, it probably isn’t gospel ministry. If we’re not at least tempted, on occasion, to bury our head in our hands, to give up, even to walk away, we’re probably not very interested or involved much in the gospel ministry that mirrors that of the apostles. If you care, if you’re engaged with people in this work, you’ve probably had moments when you wondered if you would be able to survive the onslaught.

Most of the time ministry is an onslaught. The long queue of people who need help will rain sideways like a storm and you realize you haven’t finished building an ark yet. People will bring their theological debates, moral bankruptcy, petty squabbles in the church, and messed up marriages or prodigal kids. They may even make it personal, questioning your motives, criticizing you, undermining your work. That’s all normal ministry. Paul faced this kind of onslaught from the Corinthian congregation.

There are other circumstances that make ministry hard. Things don’t always go as we had planned. The car breaks down (or the ship wrecks) leaving us stranded. There isn’t enough money to pay the bills. You staid up all night but still didn’t get caught up. You’re enduring some physical pain that not only distracts, but also limits the amount of work you can do. Paul faced all of these circumstances and more and worse, to the extent that he felt “so utterly burdened beyond [my] strength that [I] despaired of life itself” (2 Corinthians 1:8).

Then there is the onslaught of personal, internal doubts and discouragements, along with a nagging sense of inadequacy for the task. Paul had these. When he couldn’t find Titus in Troas he found “no rest for his spirit,” meaning that he was anxious and upset (2:13). He was so upset that even with a ministry opportunity right in front of him, a door wide open, he walked away. When he considered himself next to the light of the glorious ministry work, he wondered, “Who is sufficient for these things?” (2:16) God will not let those of His ministers who have great privilege be proud. He will test their spirits that they would not rely on themselves, but on God. That is hard.

So when Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:1, “Having this ministry just as we received mercy, we do not lose heart,” I want to find some two-by-eights and frame my house on that foundation. He repeats it in 4:16 as well, and the two statements are cornerstones on which to build a solid ministry for the coming storm.

A dead man pointed me to this chapter. John Bunyan is perhaps most well-known for his classic book, The Pilgrim’s Progress. He is also a man who knew the difficulties of life and ministry. He was imprisoned for over 13 years because of the ministry, refusing to give up gospel preaching. He watched his second wife and his four children scrape by during his long incarceration. I thought: this is a man who I want to listen to.

In his autobiography, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, he talks about preparing for prison.

Before I came to prison, I saw what was a-coming, and had especially two considerations warm upon my heart; the first was how to be able to endure, should my imprisonment be long and tedious; the second was how to be able to encounter death, should that be here my portion…[T]hat saying in 2 Co. 1:9 was of great use to me, But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but God which raiseth the dead. By this scripture I was made to see, that if I would ever suffer rightly, I must pass a sentence of death upon everything that can properly be called a thing of this life, even to reckon myself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all, as dead to me, and myself as dead to them. …

The second was, to live upon God that is invisible; as Paul said in another place, the way not to faint, is to “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Co. 4:18…

You can’t cut into any paragraph in this chapter without boost juice squirting into your face. It’s a necessary chapter for souls tempted to lose heart when ministry is hard.

Ministry Confidence (verse 1)

In a great flood of trouble, the anchor of this chapter is We do not lose heart. Not losing heart is the point of this paragraph, as well as the final paragraph in the chapter (verses 16-18). The phrase also could be translated, “We faint not” (KJV) or “We never give up” (NLT). Not losing heart means that one doesn’t lose motivation or enthusiasm for a goal. He might be tired, but he doesn’t get so tired of it that he quits. He grows weary, but he doesn’t give up. Stated positively, it means he stays the course, not only persevering, but keeping on in confidence.

We do not lose heart. Paul and Timothy (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:1), and perhaps other ministry associates, and by application—all of us doing the work of the ministry—do not “throw up our hands and walk off the job” (The Message). Losing heart, sinking into an inconsolable and paralyzing funk, is a constant threat. Sometimes we despair of life itself. So what is our confidence?

There are two sources of, or reasons for, confidence provided in verse one.

Ministry is driven by the life-giving Spirit.

Paul begins verse one with Therefore, or “because of this” or “for this reason.” When we’re doing ministry right, it is supernatural, life-giving, life-transforming, because it is moved by the Spirit.

The Spirit of the living God makes people into living resumes (3:3); His work product is that obvious. The “Spirit gives life” (v.6), the Spirit brings freedom (v.17), the Spirit transforms us into the image of the Lord (v.18), and the Spirit’s ministry leads to exceeding glory (vv.8, 18) as He enables us to behold the Lord.

Because our ministry is a Spirit-driven, Spirit-empowered ministry, we don’t lose heart. We’ll see more about this in verses 5-6 but, if our confidence is in us, our hearts are goners.

Ministry is defined as a life of service.

Not only do we lose heart when we try to minister in our own energy, we also lose heart if we have the wrong expectations. Self-glory Avenue is a one-way street to the city of Disappointment.

We do not lose heart having this ministry just as we received mercy. The word ministry means assigned service; ministry is an appointment to your pain for someone else’s gain. And we’ve received this Spirit-driven, righteousness-producing, life-and-glory-giving ministry “just as we received mercy.” It’s a comparison.

How does receiving ministry compare to receiving mercy? I think it means that (1) Ministry is sovereignly initiated. Just as God determined to give us mercy, so God designated us into a position of service. (2) Ministry is an undeserved privilege. Just as there was nothing worthy in us that obligated God to be merciful to us, so there is nothing sufficient in us for God to employ us. We aren’t worthy to serve any more than we were worthy to be saved. And (3) Ministry is a mercy mission. No one who ministers was without need for God’s pity and patience, why would we withhold mercy from the unworthy?

Paul talks about this life of service in verse five again, “We proclaim ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” If we take up this work in any other uniform than that of slaves, we will be let down. The light socket is assigned to hold the bulb, not be the bulb.

We don’t lose heart because this ministry is driven by the Spirit and defined by service. When the elephant of difficulty sits on us and crushes the air out of our chests, the Spirit fills our lungs with confidence.

Ministry Contrast (verse 2)

Paul says we do not lose heart, But we have renounced the hidden things of shame. Isn’t it odd to contrast something he was not doing with something else he was not doing? He wasn’t losing heart but he wasn’t utilizing secret and shameful ways. If we compared ministry to a marathon, he was confident he would finish but he wouldn’t take shortcuts.

One of the greatest attacks on the heart is a sense of irrelevance or ineffectiveness. It regularly seems like people don’t get it, or they don’t want it. Ministry is full of ignored or rejected messages, as well as unappreciated or criticized messengers. The most natural response (and we 21st century, Pragmatic-American evangelicals fit the profile) is to do whatever it takes to fix the problem, make the process smoother, repackage the product, even if the advertising is questionable.

Paul’s main idea in verse 2 is that he renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. It means that he disowned, he refused to be associated with anything that, if exposed, would bring humiliation. Not every inappropriate method or motivation is immediately visible, though some show more than others. But ministry is an integrity issue for Paul. He wasn’t hiding anything a Dateline reporter could dig up.

Three (participial) phrases clarify this renouncement, two of avoidance and one of pursuit: not walking in craftiness, neither distorting the Word, but commending his integrity to them before God.

Ministry must never manipulate people.

We renounce the hidden things of shame by not walking around in craftiness, or “practicing cunning.” We refuse to use people by giving them false impressions or disguising our intentions. We don’t trick, deceive, or mislead.

Ministry must never misrepresent Scripture.

We renounce the hidden things of shame by not distorting the Word of God, not “tampering with” the Bible. Men misinterpret Scripture by failing to divide it rightly or maliciously twisting its meaning. Men moderate Scripture, editing it to avoid causing offense. Men misapply Scripture, drawing conclusions or requiring thoughts and behavior that the Bible doesn’t. Men misuse Scripture by making biblical points for selfish reasons, mixing personal opinion with verses, making it difficult to distinguish the two.

Ministry must always manifest integrity.

We renounce the hidden things of shame by commending ourselves by the open statement of truth to everyone’s conscience before God. To “commend oneself” is to put on the table for examination. To manifest, to publish one’s life for viewing by others.

Paul and his ministry partners didn’t hide what they were doing. They had no personal or political agendas. They spoke about the truth openly, not less than in public preaching, but it had to be more than that because he was concerned about men’s consciences, and concerned even more about what God could see. It’s fairly easy to look good for show, but what are we like backstage? We want to give no reason for people to distrust or assume wrong motives. The best way to keep people from talking like that is to live and speak like that.

When we’re tempted to lose heart because ministry is hard and it seems ineffective, we must not entertain manipulation or misrepresentation as options. We must manifest integrity.

Ministry Constraint (verses 3-4)

Does it seem like ministry is often ineffective? Of course it does, because it is. Ministry doesn’t always work. There’s a reason for that. There’s also a reason why changing our techniques or approach won’t work, especially if the methods involve selfish motives or immorality—those are cards in the devil’s deck. We’re not going to beat him playing his game with his cards. It’s a stacked deck.

The gospel ministry often looks as though it isn’t relevant or effective. We can’t fix it by wearing a t-shirt instead of a tie, or visa versa. We can’t fix it by having services in a warehouse or a bar, or by not having services in certain places. Well designed web-sites and social media presence can’t overcome it. More apologetics conferences won’t convince the world. Being “nice” won’t work because it can’t weaken resistance.

The reason that gospel ministry is so hard and seems so irrelevant and ineffective is because people can’t see it. Gospel truth is as relevant to an unbeliever as color theory is to a blind painter. You can provide an easel, an expensive brush, a palette full of the richest and most brilliant colors, and he can’t do anything but make a mess. You can engage him in a discussion about saturation and hue, you can take him to a museum of great works of art, but he cannot see what you’re talking about.

Spiritual blindness is the constraining reality for every person who is perishing. Even if our gospel is veiled, and it is, it is only to those who are perishing.

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (verse 4)

The god of this world is Satan. He is the “prince of the power of the air,” the ruler over the kingdom of darkness. He has been granted limited rule for a time, (“god of this aeon” would probably be a better translation for αἰῶνος). By his demon-soldiers and world system—therefore, not by direct influence on each and every person—he has blinded the minds of unbelievers, those who are perishing. This doesn’t mean that he blinds all their thoughts; the blinding is to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. There is a sort of knowledge that natural men are capable of. They can (and do according to Romans 1:18), know true things even about God. But they cannot know Him directly, they cannot know God in Jesus, and they do not love His excellency without supernatural intervention.

They aren’t perishing because they’re blind (though that could be demonstrated in other passages). They are blind because they are perishers. The problem is not a lack of light. The problem isn’t with the signal, the problem is with the receiver. The defect isn’t in the light, it’s in the mind; their mind is blind.

Ministry is hard because people are blind. Our work is often ineffective because Satan’s work is very effective. But, he is potent, not omnipotent; he’s successful, but not supreme.

Ministry Conviction (verses 5-6)

In verses 5 and 6 Paul explains even more about his confidence, he explains why his ministry method happily contrasts with so many, and he explains how any ministry can be effective in light of the constraints of spiritual blindness. It is this ministry conviction that keeps him from losing heart.

Ministry has a clear message.

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (verse 5)

“We proclaim Him,” that is, Jesus Christ (think also Colossians 1:28). He is man—Jesus, Messiah—Christ, and Master—Lord. He’s the message. We’re not talking about us. No one came to the light because they heard about Higgins. But there is a right way to talk about ourselves: after Jesus and under Jesus. We proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord [and] ourselves as slaves for you because of Jesus. We’re slave heralds. We speak of Jesus for Jesus’ sake, that is, because He’s given us this ministry just as He’s show us mercy.

This is an amazing phrase: δούλους ὑμῶν διὰ Ἰησοῦν. The genitive “of you” is objective, “slaves serving you,” not possessive, “slaves owned by you.” And our slaving is “because of Jesus.” Men benefit from our slaving; God assesses our slaving. It isn’t that everyone loves a servant, but they’re usually less suspicious of someone who serves rather than someone who is stingy and striving.

Isn’t that difficult to remember? It’s difficult to remember that we’re undeserving, mercy-receiving servants. Ministers who equip and those equipped for ministry are all in the service industry together. Of all the blue-collar jobs on the planet, it has the most benefits, but there’s still no point in getting all proud. It is also difficult to keep perspective in balance that service is to men for the Master; we routinely set up shop on one side or the other. Focusing too much on serving men can lead to frustration and losing heart. Focusing too much on serving the Master can lead to distance and a guarded heart. The only way to get messy but not get messed up is to remember that we’re slaves serving men for the Master.

Ministry has a creative motivation.

Paul cuts open his conviction even more and exposes the marrow of the bones that keep ministry standing.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (verse 6)

The subject stands out in this sentence: For God—what God?—[the One] who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” [He Himself] has shone in our hearts. There is a view of God’s power, yes. There is a view of His initiation, yes. But even more, this is a view of His nature. Our God is the light-giving God, who demonstrates sovereign initiative and power because that’s who He is! That’s what He does!

On the first day of creation week, the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. God said, “Let there be light.” It wasn’t light from the sun. The sun wasn’t created until day four. God, who is light and in Whom is no darkness (cf. 1 John 1), invaded creation with His light. God does the same thing in empty and dark souls.

He turns on the light. He makes the blind to see, and only He can do it. He’s not giving new revelation, He’s enabling men to see His previous revelation clearly.

Don’t we tend to lose heart when we’re trying to turn on the light with our short arms? We can’t reach the switch in any man’s soul. We cannot enable the sense of sight. God must, God has—in our hearts, and God will. [Note: “Let light shine” is not an imperative, it is future indicative. There is no question about it.]

The best way to get someone out of the dark is not by explaining how darkness works, or the different kinds of darkness, or by telling them that the darkness is bad, and why their painting looks horrible. The best thing is to turn on the light, and we can’t do that.

His work is so much better anyway. It is divine. It is immediate. It is direct. It is decisive. It is self-authenticating. He needs no outside confirmations. Light is light, it needs no evidence to prove that it is. And His work is inimitable, far above our ability to copy. We can’t look under the hood to see how He does it in order to attempt building our own engine. We don’t need to.

We minister, we endure hardship, we slave for unworthy and exasperating people, we do not lose heart, because God says Let the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus SHINE! Men don’t need more evidence or a long line of reasoning; God saves. That is conviction. That is strength. That is motivation. That keeps us from losing heart.

Conclusion

It doesn’t take being beaten before we’re tempted to lose heart. The daily pressures of local church ministry caused Paul more anxiety than all the rest of his troubles (according to 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, especially verse 28). Can you imagine the underbelly in Corinth?

I need this. I don’t know what to do without it. I’d be bitter. I’d retaliate. I’d quit. I would lose heart. The ministry underbelly is too ugly. The hearts of people are too messy. My wisdom is too shortsighted and stamina is too pathetic.

I should review the confidence, contrast, constraint, and conviction of ministry day by day. I should remember that I’m a slave who slaves among men for the Master. I have to revel in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, all so that I can repeat with Paul: We do not lose heart.