This is perhaps my favorite scripture. I love the picture it portrays, and it’s something of which I need to be reminded daily.
Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” [Matthew 25:35-45]
I’ve received an interesting speaking invitation, and I’d like some input.
I’ll be speaking at the Tough Ministries Conference at The Woodlands United Methodist Church in Houston. According to their publicity materials:
The purpose of the conference is to encourage and support churches of all sizes to not be intimidated by the “tough” ministries.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet with people from the entire country who want to broaden their outreach and touch folks who might be missed by existing programs. I think it’s awesome that people want to attend this sort of event. I think we all want to see churches reach out into the community and meet people where they are.
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said of church leaders, “Too many have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows.” While Dr. King referred to the civil rights struggle of the 1960s, his words highlight a temptation faced by all of us.
It’s a constant struggle to remind ourselves that God doesn’t live with the church walls and the real work of the church begins when we cross the threshold on the way out. We all have a tendency to become a bit too comfortable in our familiar surroundings with people we know. God calls us to step out of that comfort zone, and it’s not easy.
The conference has three areas of emphasis:
- Special Needs and Disability Ministries
- Compassion and Care Ministries
- Foster Care, Orphan and Adoption
I’ll be presenting two different workshops, and as I began preparations I encountered a question: What makes a particular ministry “tough”?
My sarcasm takes over, and I want to say, “Okay, so I’m a wheelchair user. Why is it tougher to reach out to me? And if I’m part of a ‘tough’ ministry, what are the ‘easy’ ones?”
I understand that the title of the conference isn’t intended to sound derogatory or offensive, and I don’t take it that way. Despite my sarcastic humor, I think I get the point of the conference. But the question remains: What makes a particular ministry “tough”?
I have my own ideas, but I’d really appreciate your ideas and thoughts—they’ll help me to broaden my perspective as I prepare my workshops. You can leave a comment, send an email at rich@richdixon.net, or reply via Twitter (@Rich_Dixon) or Facebook. I’d also especially appreciate anything you can do to pass this on to others in your circle, including pastors and other ministry leaders.
Please respond to any or all of these questions.
- What makes a particular ministry more difficult than another?
- What obstacles prevent people from reaching out to certain individuals or groups?
- How can we remove those obstacles?
- What other thoughts or ideas come to mind when you hear the term “tough ministries”?
We’re too comfortable to be spiritual. …We think we will be able to pursue God better without danger or hardship. And yet it works in just the opposite way. Nothing is more difficult than to grow spiritually when comfortable. Tim Bascom
Did you enjoy this article? Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.
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