Workers in the Vineyard

Ok, so over the last few weeks/months I’ve been going back and forth with the purpose thing. You know…..trying to figure out the LORD’s perfect will for my life and not just what I want to do. As I’ve mentioned in several entries….I truly believe in my heart that what the Lord purposes is more than likely something that resides in my weakness.

So I was having a conversation with one of my girlfriends, she too very established as a professional in the Federal government, and she was just saying also how she knows the Lord has something greater for her to do. We spent some time over coffee the other morning just venting to one another. I told her that I am at the point where if the Lord wants me to dust the pews and clean the bathrooms at church then that’s what I will do. I just need to know that I am doing HIS perfect will and purpose.

Then we started talking about the spoken and written ministry thing. You know….where we get caught up believing that it takes a platform to spread the Gospel. She looked at me a little cross because she made the statement that she luuuvs going to impoverished countries and speaking to large congregations. She says she loves the feeling she gets preaching to a large unsaved crowd. And though I do identify with her feelings of validation I had to be frank and express that that may not be what the Lord wants her to do in ministry.

I thought back to a conversation I had with my pastor a few months ago. And how he told me that here in American, he’s from Africa, too many Christians operate out of their strength. For months I thought about that. I thought about all of the cockiness and greed that has come out of so-called ministries that has turned into celebrity arrogance. Is that really ministry? And so I thought about Jesus and how his strength was in carpentry. But the Bible never speaks about the tangible things Jesus built. But in his weakness is where He found strength in God. He showed weakness in bearing the cross and being led to lead the people to salvation. That was His ministry. That was His purpose.

Last week I was flipping through the channels and caught Juanita Bynum on DayStar. Ok, gotta tell you……I’m not a Juanita fan. I mean, I love the fact that the Lord has His hand on her, but I don’t care for the way she’s gone off track. I truly believe that there’s a thin line between faith and fame, and she has seem to consciously crossed it. All-in-all, she’s still my sister in Christ and even though I do not support her hustle I pray for her. But I caught her speaking on television and she said something that was so profound.

For many years, I thought it was just me. I thought I was the only one feeling like the church has missed the mark by building these mega buildings and moving their ministries out of urban areas and into the suburbs. Here in the Washington DC Metro area, most of our larger and popular churches have moved out of DC and into Maryland---some even into Northern Virginia. There is an influx of mega ministries in this area. Unfortunately, very few are bringing the authentic Word of God to the masses. Most are stuck on motivational messages.

But Juanita Bynum said something so profound. She said since she has been to Hollywood the unsaved think we are a joke. Cause we build these big mega churches and act like the building is the true kingdom of God, but we produce no fruit. As I listened I thought about how when I was growing up our life was revolved around the church. But when we had to step out of the church realm into places like school…there was no life in us. We were just the average person with nothing to say and nothing to offer. We were known as church girls. But it was more of a “our church life is a secret” than a “come on and join into the Body of Christ”. The same mentality goes on today, but on a broader scale.

I think it was last year I wrote an entry about a mega church in the Metro area that owns a whole community---shopping, residences, businesses, and of course the church is there. I’ve heard this message before from the mega church I belonged to that the members need to support the church community because “it’s building the kingdom”. Every time I hear that my eyes roll up in my head because the church really believes that the kingdom is built carnally here on earth. The funny thing about the mega church I’m referring to has named their community “Kingdom _________.” It’s hilarious. So basically, what Juanita Bynum was saying is how we have spent billions of dollars building buildings and we still have a dying unsaved world who has little respect for church folk. She said that it is our jobs as Christian to go out into the world and represent Christ. That’s how we build the Kingdom. God’s KINGDOM.

Last week, I caught the opening night of Tyler Perry’s “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” and I have to say that although it wasn’t his best directing, or best set, and probably won’t get a BET award so we ain’t even gonna talk about an Oscar, to me…………………..it was his absolute best!!!!!!!! I mean, anybody who dares to say Jesus as much as he did on the big screen must be working from a higher calling. Hollywood allowed us to put the “Passion of the Christ” out there a few years ago, but I’m soooo glad that folk like Tyler Perry is making it clear that we need to hear Jesus more. And I love the fact that although he has rubbed elbows with Oprah, a non-believer and Jesus basher, he’s not changing his message. I love it!!

So over the last few days I’ve been really praying and thinking about what the Lord wants me to do to build His kingdom and I’m confident that I got the answer. I think He wants me to represent Christ in the workplace. I mean, I know we are all ministers of reconciliation. But I believe the Lord has me positioned as a warrior for Christ in the workplace. Whether my job is here in the Federal government or in nonprofit or in the entertainment industry is not the issue for my steps are ordered by the Lord. Therefore, wherever He leads my steps along my career path, I am to stand for holiness in the workplace. For I am ministry.

This morning I had a conversation with a friend who is a comedian. Way back when I was doing public relations for the entertainment industry I had done some work for him, and so over the years he has always valued my professional opinion. So every few months he’ll reach out to me to say hello and get my advice on promoting his career. And so this morning I had a conversation with him---giving him some professional advice and normally I’d keep my professional life separate from my private life—that is my Spiritual life. Even on my job folk know that I’m a believer, but I don’t go around preaching or wearing “I’m a Christian” on my forehead. I have two girlfriends who are believers that I work with and so conversations about my Christian lifestyle are usually limited to them.

But this morning as I was talking to the comedian, I felt compelled to ask him about his prayer life and his spiritual beliefs. To my surprise he revealed a personal issue that has been going on that he’s been in constant prayer about. Our conversation took on a whole new direction and I almost held back---just trying not to make him feel uncomfortable. Or perhaps….make myself feel uncomfortable. But the conversation was deep in which we talked about spiritual warfare. After I hung up, I fully understood my ministry.

Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” --Mark 16:14-18