Does Ministry Matter?
the relevance, importance, and necessity of bearing God's love into the world
My friend Michael Plekon wrote a book called ‘Ministry Matters’ - and he very kindly included a chapter about me and my Free Range Priest ministry.
I love the double entendre of the title: ministry matters, things pertaining to ‘taking God to the people and the people to God'(George Keith, via Plekon).
And also: ministry matters. It’s still relevant, important, and necessary in today’s world. I love the hopefulness of this, and yet I sometimes wonder if it’s true.
The number of churches closing doesn’t seem to reflect the relevance of ministry.
The growing cohort of those who don’t practice any religious faith does not seem to speak to ministry’s importance.
The disappearance of serious theological reflection around life’s events and circumstances seems to imply that ministry isn’t strictly necessary.
Does ministry matter?
I have two thoughts on this:
It does to me!
Maybe it’s delusional, but I think sharing the love of God is the most relevant, important, and necessary thing there is. Then again, we belong to a faith that mostly insists on wildly hopeful and optimistic things we cannot yet see.In the forward of Plekton’s book, written by Tim Vivian, Vivian encourages the reader: ‘each chapter here is worthy of reading and re-reading, reflecting on, with further reflection.
So that’s what I’m going to do.
I’m going to frame my upcoming blogs around the stories and reflections that Plekton shares. I’m intrigued enough by the different ways 21st century ministers are going about their work, and how not being culturally central at this moment may be good for the Christian faith.
And I want to answer the question!
Last month I posted ‘25 things I’ve learned from 25 years of wearing a clergy collar’.
Using Plekon’s book as a guide, I’m going to keep up the lists and explore 25 ways that ministry matters in our lives and the world today.
Does ministry matter?
Let’s find out.
Reading this along with you but from my deacon’s perspective.
Thanks for featuring this new book of mine, Fr C. I think anyone picking it up will listen to and hear some wonderful things from a gathering of great voices--Barbara Brown Taylor, Rowan Williams, Sarah Coakley, Nada Bolz-Weber and a little from me too. I think added to what YOU have to say--and you're in the book as well--these are voices that echo what you just said here. Ministry remains important and we all participate in it, ordained and lay.