Judging Ministries

I don't know how many of you read the blog posts of Kevin Swanson or listen to him on the radio...but here are a few excerpts from a post Kevin did recently on 'how to make judgements concerning the churches we attend and the ministries we connect with':

...All of us draw some conclusions concerning Focus on the Family, Answers in Genesis, Reasons to Believe, Desiring God Ministries, Christian Home Educators of Colorado, the PCA, the Southern Baptists, the ELCA, the Mennonite Brethren, the OPC, or New Life Church in Colorado Springs. If you have have any contact with or knowledge of a local church or ministry, usually you will draw some conclusion about that ministry. Most of us hold some sort of opinion on the importance, the value, or the impact the ministry bears upon the kingdom of God.

Occasionally, you will run into some Christian who assumes that outside of his local church at six friends, everybody else in the world is going to hell. Such perspectives smack of a puffed-up-edness and a love that doesn't quite hope enough about his brothers.

Well then, how should we make judgements concerning the churches we attend and the ministries we connect with? Here's my take on it...

1. Some churches and ministries will be stronger than others and produce more gold, silver, and precious stones after the fire burns than others...

2. Truth and love are equally important...you need '180% Proof' Truth and '180% Proof' Truthful Living. [I believe this is a play on words...180% proof meaning: the strongest you can find; not 80% above what is revealed in scripture.]

6. You will never know the true impact of a "reformation," a movement, a church denomination, a system of government, a methodology, and a message for at least 40-50 years. By their fruits you will know them, but after all the exciting conferences and building programs, and after the fire burns, only time will tell what the ministry really produced. And there will be no exceptions to the rule. All of us will be tested for the quality of work produced over a life time.

7. Nobody bats 1000...The idea is to make it as far up Omaha Beach as you can, before you are cut down by enemy fire. The battlefield is going to be a mess the whole way to the gates of heaven.

9. Oh, one more thing - whatever you do, don't choose to affiliate with proud ministries who think they are the best ministry in the world. And once you have tossed in your hat with some particular ministry, you will begin to see the sins and weaknesses latent within the organization. Because you are not closely affiliated with other ministries therefore, you have no idea how God is working there. So to assume that you are in the best church in the area is always well beyond your ability to discern. In the final analysis, you have no idea how much more love, joy, and peace are nurtured within your congregation compared to any other. Sure, you might know all doctrine and all knowledge, and have all faith so that you can remove more mountains than that other church down the street. But you can't tell me that you have 68% more love than they do.

These are my observations after participating in many different exciting Christian movements over a lifetime.

Of the 9 points he makes, I only copied portions of them and not all 9 so, to read this post in its entirety, click here.

Nonetheless, I hope the portions shared will remind us all...
Do Not put anyone or anything up on a pedestal besides the Lord Jesus Christ!
Enjoy these ministries, enjoy your church, and enjoy the edification received by fellow believers, but NEVER! NEVER! NEVER! exalt them higher than they should be.

Appreciate the gifts, but LOVE the Giver!