It's a JOKE, son!


A bon mot: A good Christian is one who continues to serve in his gifts and talents despite the help of other Christians doing the same.

Of course this is intended as a gag, not a theological principle. But if, as I guess, cooperative ministry will be key in restoring one visible church, we will need such jokes. There is a certain degree of friction and misunderstanding wherever you have people of differing insights and strong commitment, concentrating on a shared set of problems and seeing them differently, but love and forbearance must smooth that over.


We must trust the Lord to accomplish his good purposes in and through us, collectively. It is probably too much to ask that we not second guess each other, but we must avoid second guessing him.

Something that is poisonous to combined ministry is micromanagement that suppresses originality and the spontaneous verve of someone pursuing an idea. Not that we don't need a touch of course correction now and then from our elders, but when ministering becomes a matter of "Simon says" or  "Mother-may-I," the essence and power of combined ministry is lost.

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