Ministry Is Not About Me;The One Thing That Always Kills the Great Commission

At the urging of my husband, I finally buckled and signed up for the social networking site, LinkedIn. 

For years, I've willingly watched the duties of motherhood eclipse those spaces in my résumé reserved for skills and work experience. Instead of news writing, my new greatest skill is twin whisperer. Where editing and proofreading once stood, now my résumé reads cooking, cleaning, and peacemaking. Instead of investigative reporter, I now proudly call myself the shoe-finder.

And while I've managed to maintain a few regular freelance projects in the midst of homeschooling my five-year-old twins and blogging, I was hesitant to sign up for a social platform organized around the working world. 

But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my skills sets weren't completely outdated. And as colleagues and connections began to "endorse" some of my areas of expertise, I felt my confidence level and pride (*ahem*) rise.

Whether we're being honest or not, I think many of us involved in Great Commission activities tend to keep a ministry portfolio. We keep track of the number of times we've volunteered, the amount of meals we've cooked, served, and delivered, the exact date we spoke at an event, the number of sermons delivered.

What do you consider your crowning ministry event? Chances are you've added it to your ministry résumé. 

But if we aren't careful, our acts of service can easily become the measure of our worth in the King's kingdom rather than our relationship to the King. 

Personally, I've discovered that when I'm solely focused on building a ministry résumé, disharmony and discontent are sure to follow (in all areas of life - work, church, and family). More often than I'd really like to admit, my Christian service can be driven by self-gain (making my family or myself look good), arrogance (no one can do this job better than me), or lack of faith in the Lord of the Harvest (if I don't do this, no one will). 

When pride drives my service, I'm not being obedient to the Great Commission; I'm simply building a ministry résumé and preaching my own gospel. 

Don't think you're guilty of building a ministry résumé? Consider these questions: 

• When you're overlooked at church or work, do you dwell over a mental list of the ways you've served in the past? 
• When you're not asked to speak or lead at an event, do you compare what you've done against the individual who was chosen?
• When leadership doesn't perform according to your preferences or expectations, do you grumble to your husband (or friends), or do you stop serving altogether?

It's scary how fast we can call to mind our ministry résumé, right? Very few of us would probably admit out loud that we've had these thoughts, because they reveal an ugly lie: the Great Commission is all about us. 

The one thing you can do to kill the Great Commission is make it all about you. The Great Commission is God’s work for his glory; we’re just the instruments in the hands of the Savior.

After some reflection, I’ve decided to keep my LinkedIn account, and between solving missing shoe capers, I’ll keep my résumé updated as well. Connecting and networking with others online often paves the way for exciting discipleship opportunities. But as with any tools, I must be cautious to guard my heart against pride. It is the one thing that always kills the Great Commission.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Gal. 1:10

Join the discussion! Do you struggle with how much or how little you’ve served in God’s kingdom? How does pride keep you from experiencing the true joy that comes from fulfilling the Great Commission? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Check out the rest of the Not About Me November Series

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About Melissa

Melissa Deming is the creator of HiveResources.com–a site that helps women sweeten their walk with Christ through devotional articles, book reviews, and more. Melissa holds a Masters of Divinity in Women's Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C. She and her husband, Jonathan, have four-year-old twins, Zach and Jonah. They are part of the core team of a new church plant in Pittsburgh.

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