After a crazy-hard 6 weeks of Camp NorthStar, I hopped on a plane with 8 high school soccer players from Briarwood Soccer Club and flew down to Brazil for 10 days of a life-changing and ministry-perspective adjusting experience. While unsure of exactly what role I was to play with those girls and on the trip overall, I knew the Lord had aligned everything "just right" for me to go. Earlier this summer, I was asking, "What is effective ministry?" While that question can never be answered in its entirety because it cannot be measured according to human standards, I do believe that I have been given a glimpse of where to begin with the answer.
It took me flying down to Brazil to be able to step back and reflect on NorthStar and ministry life in Birmingham. First of all, the missionaries, Comunidade Horizonte church leadership and CO workers down there are doing the same things I am doing - we are giving our lives to our cities in the context of what will "meet them there" in order to share our lives and essentially the Gospel with the people we interact with. "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." - Ephesians 4:4-6
We are One in our labor for the Lord, and making friends in the Brazilians and seeing their intentional ministry was so encouraging for me as I reflected on my friends, community and ministry calling in Birmingham.
The other thing about their "ministry" was how prayerfully thought out every action, relationship and activity was. The team had arranged on itinerary for us months ago thinking it would be the most effective, but after logistics fell through and more time was spent in prayer, our group was led to playing soccer games against the American School, who CH did not have any contact with prior to our coming/playing of games against them.
Overall, we did less actual "ministry work" than I was expecting, but the time spent at the orphanage, with the American School girls, and "partying" with students in the community was all gearing attention and direction toward the Church, which will be longer-lasting than the impact we can have in one week.
Prayerful, well-planned and intentional ministry is effective. We did not bite off more than we could chew this week, but took each day one at a time and tackled it in prayer first, relationship second, and more prayer third.
This summer was hard. I do believe I was somewhat "spiritually burnt out" going into my week in Brazil. Not to say that everything is all of a sudden better, but I do know and believe that the Lord pulled me outside of my immediate work to show me where my focus has been somewhat off. I've had good intentions of investing into the counselors from camp, pouring myself out to the campers and their families, and planning for all "big things" we'll do at NorthStar. However, the reality is that my focus has been on the ministry work, rather than the One who I am working for. I've seemed to let my eyes slip from the prize, that is, Christ Himself, and I have let them wander off to things, plans and actions that I can control, measure and develop.
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..." - Philippians 3:7-8
Knowing Christ and following Him will lead to intentional and effective ministry. I fall into the lie that if I let myself rest/have any downtime, Im not being effective/am wasting time. While that concept needs to be balanced with truth in efficiency, I pray that the Lord would lead me into this next year of ministry through prayer and intentional planning. I want to be relational and go after the "one," knowing that the life impact had on one or two individuals with care can be "more effective" than broad and impersonal reaching of the many.
There is so much more to be said and added from both Camp and Brazil, but knowing that Birmingham is exactly where the Lord has me and feeling excitement and anticipation for what comes next leads me to believe that ministry in year 2 will be effective as longs as its deeply rooted in the Lord.
"For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." - Phil. 2:13
