What Is a Ministry, After All?
In light of recent scandals unfolding at places like Daystar Television, and even in the spirit of asking ourselves the tough questions like whether a vocational pastor needs a leer jet, I've begun to ask a bigger question: what is a ministry? And more importantly: what is NOT a ministry? I think we can all safely agree that a church, at its heart, is a ministry. In the 1828 Webster's Dictionary (the more accurate dictionary, let's be honest), we find the proper definition of the word: MIN'ISTRY, noun [Latin ministerium.] The office, duties or functions of a subordinate agent of any kind.
The Church’s Abuse Problem is a Theology Problem
When we find men and women of God who genuinely want to serve and be a part of something for the Kingdom of God, we often find a certain personality type. They're usually humble. They're usually meek. They're usually submissive. And unfortunately, these qualities make them ripe for manipulation, gaslighting, and abuse. I've seen it too many times to count. For a long time, I thought I had had one long, unlucky streak in my church and ministry experiences. It seemed like everywhere I went, I encountered narcissistic personalities high up in ministry, willing and eager to manipulate in the