Inspiration and Passion are Two Different Things

Worship without mission can deteriorate into performance. When the people in the pews are spectators, the people on the platform feel pressured to inspire them. In the church world it is common to confuse inspiration and passion. Edification without mission can be interesting information; it can even be inspiring information. Therefore, one is more likely to hear lessons on Biblical Characters, which promises to inspire people to read their bibles, than they are to hear a series on the Ministry Opportunities and Challenges Created by High School Dropouts.

What Comes First?

The following statement by Bill Hull, when he was the Executive Director of Church Ministries, Evangelical Free Church of America, captures my feelings about the church and its mission.

‘Managerial guru Peter Drucker tells us that the lesson of the last 50 years is ‘the mission must come first.’ I agree. I believe that mission comes first, before sermons, before pastoral counseling, before board meetings, before adult socials, before pastoral care, before whims and wills of the congregation. In the words of our Lord in Luke 14:25-33, it must come before family, before creature comforts, before self-actualization, before self-esteem, before self help, and before self realization. The mission must be pre—eminent.” (Calling 97, 98)