Social justice ministry vs Word ministry: Not a vs

One of my bugbears is how so many Christians do not care about what's happening in the world. As someone who tries to keep up-to-date with what's happening, it frustrates me when others have no heart for what's going on in Egypt, Liberia, Japan. Not that everyone needs to know everything, but when people know even less about what's happening in their own country? This makes me REALLY worried.

I have become more and more convicted that part of our calling as Christians is to be invested in our world and understanding what's happening here. I remember sending an email to someone on this matter, pressing upon the urgency and necessity of doing so:

How can we be stewards if we do not understand the contexts and the times we live in? How can we minister, when we do not understand the issues and the people we minister to? Particularly in South Africa, where we have such a hectic past that still is a huge influence in the way that people interact and engage with each other today. Particularly in South Africa, where God has chosen to show such beautiful diversity, which is being used to keep separate, instead of together. Particularly in South Africa, when there is SUCH a need for godly leadership, for leaders in all sectors who actually care for their people, as opposed to the examples of many in government. Particularly in South Africa, for God in his infinite wisdom has placed each one of your classmates here and said "Here. This is the place you will make a difference."

It all sounds good, doesn't it, my passion for social justice? Over the years, I've felt increasingly convinced that I want to spend the rest of my life working in social justice projects and initiatives.

I hadn't realized though how I'd made my passion for social justice oppositional to and exclusionary of gospel ministry. I remember, when I was told to consider going into full-time paid ministry, responding: no, no, I don't have the desire for it. I think God's telling me to go into social justice ministry. Wise people advised me that these two things weren't oppositional, but I made them so in my thinking. Even worse, I placed social justice ministry over and above word ministry.

I've come to recognise a number of stupid reasons were shaping my thinking. [I'm first going to go into the reasons, before heading into a next post with thoughts about work.]

The first, and most deceptive, was a defeatist opinion of the gospel's power. Discouraged particularly by the lack of response from one specific non-Christian friend who I'd been praying for and sharing the gospel with numerous times (actually, he did respond - he just became bitter about Christianity and rejected it eventually), I'd come to believe that the gospel had no ability to change anyone's life. Why, God, should I do anything, if you're not going to do anything with my efforts? Why, God, should I care about people's eternal lives, if they're not going to get to eternity? Not that I actually articulated this belief in such a way - I just started acting on this in how I prioritized my time and energy. For the last two years, I haven't really been involved in any ministries at church, for lack of time (aah yes, what a convenient excuse) and want. I'd decided subconsciously that the best thing to do, if people weren't going to get to heaven, was to make their lives here on earth as comfortable as possible.

Some whack logic there on my part, right? I had, of course, underestimated, ignored, and completely blown off God's sovereignty, His power, and His priorities.

The second, just as insidious, reason was that I'd become ashamed of being a Christian. Being involved in social justice would still give me the space to make a difference in this world, as I believe I am called to, but without having to wave the Christian flag. It's far cooler to be a I-wanna-save-the-worlder than a I-believe-that-2000-years-ago-someone-died-for-me-one-the-cross-and-in-so-doing-my-sins-were-healed-and-that's-why-I-am-compelled-to-work-for-justice-in-this-world. In fact, I kept on using the word 'ministry' with the phrase 'social justice' to fool myself in thinking that it would be something I did for God's glory and for God's church. In reality, 'ministry' was just a nice little Christian-sounding add-on to comfort myself and my critical listeners.

Equip was illuminating in reminders of God's power, His sovereignty, His perfect control. He is not a crippled, half-powerful god who is unable to do things, but an unbelievably awe-inspiring God whose plans are not mine to question, but mine to trust and obey. I have been put in my place - I recognise now I wanted God to follow MY timing, and MY idea of what the future should be like. I have been reminded of the power of the gospel, not only as I felt myself being corrected, rebuked and encouraged as I listen to the talks, but as I observed others being challenged and grown.

So what does this mean for me, and for my oppositional placing of social justice ministry vs word ministry?

Firstly, I need to let go of my sinfulness and pray for forgiveness for belittling God and His word. The gospel is able to do immeasurably more than I allowed myself to believe. I need to pray also for idolizing my (future) work in social justice, and placing this as a higher priority above sharing the news about Him.

Secondly, I'm going to have to assess a whole lot of thinking and make sure that foundationally I haven't been suckered into further deception about what I want to do with my life, and the reasons and priorities for doing so.

Thirdly, as much as I've been saying no to considering full-time paid ministry, I am reopening that option as an option, and leaving it up to God.

Fourthly, I'm going to get plugged back into serving at my church again - for it's the gospel that will truly change the way people live here on earth, and this has again become a priority, alongside wanting to make a different to people's material lives.