'Real' Ministry

William Wilberforce is a well-known hero of the Christian faith. He was one of the leaders in the struggle to abolish slavery in the British Empire. His tenacity and the toll the struggle took on him is inspiring reading. The story has even been transformed into the movie Amazing Grace. What I’d like to do, however, is focus on a lesser-known fact: the struggle nearly did not have Wilberforce as its leader. Following his conversion, Wilberforce wanted to leave his privileged position as a Member of Parliament so that he might evangelise. I can’t help but think what a tragedy this might have been. Fortunately, John Newton (of ‘Amazing Grace’ fame) convinced Wilberforce to remain in Parliament and to use his privilege, position, and power in the service of the Kingdom of God.

Wilberforce initially had a very narrow view of what ‘ministry’ could be. He saw the ‘higher’ calling to be evangelising, or to be involved in some sort of ‘Christian’ service. He didn’t see his role in Parliament in that light at all. Yet as an MP, he led the Clapham Sect as a major influence in bringing about this important change. It is important to notice that many of the members of the Clapham Sect were also not clergy or professional ministers. Some were; however, others were businessmen, colonial governors, playwrights, scholars, parliamentarians, a Master of the Chancery (one of England’s senior judges), and even the Governor General of India. Their positions of power and privilege were assets in their fight to change ‘the system’, and to abolish slavery.

Real ministry need not involve full-time ‘Christian’ service, such as that in a church or para-church organisation. Real ministry involves dedicating your gifts, talents, and position to God. It involves asking, ‘How can I help bring something of God’s Kingdom into the worlds of which I am a part?’ This may mean social action; it may be displaying the heart of God in tangible ways; it may even not involve any sort of ‘Christian ministry’. The problem is that we have separated our lives into sacred and secular spheres. What we do in the sacred sphere (worship, preaching, and evangelising) is seen as ‘Christian’, while our everyday activities of work, play, and of being part of a family are seen as ‘of the flesh’, or ‘worldly’, or similar descriptions. The truth is that Jesus should have an impact on all parts of our lives. Real ministry is a life lived in accord with God’s will, wherever that may be.

This post was written by Dr Nigel Pegram, one of the contributors to Axx Leadership courses. #axx #axxglobal #ministry #realministry #williamwilberforce #christianity #thoughtoftheday #inspiration #christianinspiration #god #jesus #holyspirit #godineverything