Instead of doing ministry this month, I’ve decided to do life.
Actually, it was kind of decided for me. This month in Malaysia, my team has had the awesome opportunity to do an ATL (Ask the Lord) month. We have no hosts or assigned ministry. It’s been an adventure in learning to rely on God for pretty much everything and to practice listening to His voice.
On the World Race, ministry is considered your job. And when you have to do something at certain hours of the day that you might not necessarily choose for yourself, it’s easy to begin resenting ‘work’. I’d much rather live my life as ministry than allow my ministry to become work. And that’s how I plan on living life after the World Race.
I don’t want a ‘ministry switch’ that I turn off and on during certain hours of assigned ministry each day. When you have no set schedule or expectations for accomplishing a certain task you start to realize how beautiful it is to choose for yourself to live a life for Jesus, on purpose.
Every morning this month we have woken up with little to no agenda for our day. When you don’t have plans, Jesus has more space to use you for His plans. Rather than rushing between programs, events, and ministry assignments, we’ve had a chance to allow ourselves to be interrupted this month.
Living life with Jesus looks different for everyone because God has given us each unique gifts and passions. It can look like taking the time to stop on the way to lunch and sit with the homeless woman outside of McDonald’s, smiling and talking with the employees at the bars on your street, playing card games and hanging out with those who work at the hostel you’re staying in, exploring the city with new friends, or speaking truth and life to a good friend over a cup of coffee.
When Jesus walked this earth, I am pretty sure He had the same mindset. Jesus didn’t only love people at certain hours of the day each week. He was always willing to stop and talk with someone who was hurting or broken. Jesus showed love no matter where He was or what He was doing. Jesus was the ultimate example of how we’re supposed to live and love people. And that means we should be following His example of living, not just preaching, serving, healing, or ‘doing ministry’.
This month has changed my perspective on ministry and so I’ve decided I will no longer be doing ministry when I’m supposed to or scheduled to. I’ll be aiming to live my life as if everything I do is a ministry. I want to intentionally be asking Jesus how He wants me to spend my time and use my gifts to build His kingdom daily. I want to be so in tune with the Holy Spirit that I’m constantly aware of the places God is leading me or people He is asking me to love. And this month in Malaysia has been great practice for that new mindset.
We’ve seen God provide for our team in incredible ways with places to stay, food to eat, and a community to love and serve. God is already working in amazing ways in the people of Malaysia and with our ‘life as ministry’ mentality, He has revealed these awesome stories to us and allowed us to play a small part in building His kingdom here. I want that to see that happen everywhere I go, not just when my team is assigned ATL.
