Jesus Driven Ministry

by Ajith Fernando

Overview

Author Ajith Fernando believes that much ministry failure results from neglect of the basics of the faith. Too often today's church is riveted on ministry technique to the neglect of leadership lifestyle.

In this book, Fernando identifies the foundational elements that allow you to be both effective and joyful in your service. He shows from Jesus' own ministry that relating to the people you minister to, retreating from busyness to prayer, being affirmed and empowered by God, discipling younger leaders, and gaining strength from God's Word must be at the heart of your ministry.

Rich in Scripture and full of stories from Fernando's own years of ministry, this book will help men and women commit themselves afresh to those vital basics of ministry that make for long-term service that is both fruitful and joyful.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433519970
Publisher:	Crossway
Publication date:	01/04/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	975,045
File size:	936 KB

About the Author

Ajith Fernando (ThM, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka after serving as the ministry's national director for thirty-five years. He and his wife, Nelun, are active in a church ministering primarily to the urban poor, and his ministry includes counseling and mentoring younger staff and pastors. He is the author of twenty-one books published in twenty-four languages. Ajith lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with his wife, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren.

Ajith Fernando (ThM, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka after serving as the ministry's national director for thirty-five years. He and his wife, Nelun, are active in a church ministering primarily to the urban poor, and his ministry includes counseling and mentoring younger staff and pastors. He is the author of twenty-one books published in twenty-four languages. Ajith lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with his wife, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

IDENTIFYING WITH PEOPLE

I WAS RELUCTANT TO begin this book with a chapter on the need to identify with the people to whom we minister. It seemed too negative. But that is how the passage we have chosen starts, and we will have to follow that order. Yet as I worked on this chapter, I realized that this is indeed an appropriate place to begin, for it is a basic feature of the Christian ministerial lifestyle. I believe that, though there is some talk of identification and incarnational ministry today, there is still a need for a fresh understanding of its implications if we are to be both effective and joyful in our Lord's service.

THE BIBLICAL EVIDENCE

John begins his Gospel by presenting the mystery of the Incarnation with a profound theological meditation. Mark also begins by presenting the Incarnation, though he does so in the "vivid and fast-paced" style that characterizes his Gospel. He first records the anticipation of John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for the Messiah (1:2-3). Then he describes the ministry of John who "appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (1:4). Mark says, "And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him" (1:5). Jerusalem was the great city of the religious elite. Among those who came, says Matthew, were "many of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matt. 3:7).

Then in verse 9 Mark presents a vivid contrast by saying, "In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan." Nazareth in Galilee was the place about which a fellow Galilean, Nathaniel, asked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Even the natives of Galilee seemed to have looked down on Jesus' hometown.

But that is not all. Jesus goes and gets "baptized by John in the Jordan" (Mark 1:9b). Why does the sinless Savior need to submit himself to "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (1:4)? Matthew records that "John would have prevented him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?'" (Matt. 3:14). Jesus' answer gives us a key to the reason why he submitted to baptism: "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15). Craig Blomberg explains that the phrase "to fulfill all righteousness" means "to complete everything that forms part of a relationship of obedience to God." Jesus did not personally need to be baptized because he was not sinful. But for all other people this was part of fulfilling all righteousness. As their minister he went through this experience with them. Donald English says, "In baptism he shares the circumstances in which people become aware of their needs precisely in order to meet those needs."

In order to identify with those to whom he was going to minister, he became like them, submitting himself to this rite even though it was unnecessary for him to do so. Such identification was a feature of the whole of Jesus' life on earth. Here it did not entail suffering for Jesus. But much of his life is an illustration of the great price he paid in order to identify with us and be our Savior.

The great American theologian Jonathan Edwards has shown that the sacrifice Christ made actually started at the Incarnation — when he emptied himself and took upon himself the form of a servant — and went on to the point of taking upon himself the sin of the world. Edwards's point is that when the Lord of heaven left his eternal throne in glory and became a helpless babe, an infinite gap was bridged. This is why the sacrifice of this one man can suffice to pay for the sins of the whole world. It was an infinitely great sacrifice.

Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn. As a child he had to flee to Egypt as a refugee because it was not safe for him to live in his homeland. After his return he grew up in a somewhat obscure town from which many people did not expect "anything good" to emerge (John 1:46). Though he was Lord of creation, we are told that he was obedient to his parents (Luke 2:51). As a youth he probably had to take on his dead father's business and thus be deprived of a higher education. This was considered a disqualification for him when he launched into his ministry (John 7:15). Yet all of these deprivations are very common to a large segment of the world's population.

He took on emotional pain the way all of us do. His parents did not understand him when as a boy he spent time in the Jerusalem temple talking to the leaders there (Luke 2:50). His family initially thought he was insane and did not believe in him (Mark 3:21). Though he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead, he allowed himself to be so moved by the tears of Lazarus's sister that he himself wept (John 11:35). His closest friends did not understand the heart of his mission. One of these friends stole from their common purse (John 12:6) and later betrayed him. Another friend vehemently denied knowing him. On the night before his death, shortly after he had demonstrated servanthood by washing the feet of these friends, they argued among themselves about who was the greatest (Luke 22:24). Then they forsook him and fled when he was arrested (Matt. 26:56). His opponents constantly accused him falsely, even attributing his acts of kindness to Beelzebul, the prince of demons (Matt. 12:24). Through their false accusations, they finally succeeded in getting him crucified.

Certain incidents during his ministry vividly present the paradox of the self-sufficient Lord of all creation being in need:

The Creator of everything went for forty days without food so that "he was hungry" (Matt. 4:2) and vulnerable to temptation to satisfy his hunger in the wrong way.

The one who owns the whole universe did not even have a place to lay his head (Matt. 8:20).

Later we find him ministering to so many that he had no time to eat. So he told his disciples, "Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." But he was unable to have the rest he wanted because the crowds followed him. So, instead of resting, he taught the people. But after a long teaching session, he was able to feed five thousand with five loaves and two fish (Mark 6:31-42). So the Creator of food and time had no time to eat or rest, but he was able to multiply the meal of one person so that it fed five thousand people.

When Jesus found out that his friend Lazarus was ill, he did not simply command the sickness to leave, as he did on another occasion (Luke 7:610). He walked at least twenty miles (some scholars think it was about ninety miles) to Bethany in Judea (John 11). This journey is particularly significant because he had recently left the hostile Judean region after eluding an attempt to capture him, and he had come to a place east of the Jordan where he was having an effective ministry (John 10:39-42). The disciples expressed reservations about this trip: "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" (John 11:8).

Then at the Last Supper the Lord of all, whom the disciples called "Master," stunned them by donning a towel and doing the work of a servant in washing their feet (John 13).

The climax of Jesus' choice to deprive himself of his rights in order to save humanity comes at his death. His agony in the garden shows that this was a very difficult thing for him to endure. He did not breeze through his death with consummate ease. His attitude contrasted with that of the Christian martyrs throughout history who went to their deaths joyfully. But his death was different, for the spotless Son of God "who knew no sin" was "made ... to be sin [for us]" (2 Cor. 5:21). The tie of the Trinity, the depth and unity of which our human minds cannot even begin to fathom adequately, was going to be broken to such an extent that Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). Martin Luther, while meditating on this verse, reportedly got up in despair after a long time and exclaimed, "God forsaken by God! Who can understand it?" Yet twice in the midst of our Lord's passion, he said that he could call on God's angels or his servants to prevent those things from happening (Matt. 26:53; John 18:36).

Paul vividly describes the immensity of Christ's self-emptying in a memorable passage:

Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found inhuman form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8).

The one who was equal with God has become nothing. The Lord of all creation has become a slave. The Creator of life has died. The King who is sovereign over history has become obedient to death. The sinless one has had to pay the wages of sin (death).

The whole life of Christ was a paradox propelled by the need to redeem sinful humanity. He took on burdens that he did not have to take on, and he gave up things that were his legitimate right. And shortly before he left the world, he told his disciples: "As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you" (John 20:21). So his mission becomes our mission. At the Last Supper he told the disciples that they too must give their lives for others as he did (John 15:12-13). Then he went on to say that their willingness to give their lives for others showed that they were his friends (John 15:14).

Paul eminently followed his Master in this practice of incarnation and identification with the people he served. He expresses this well in 1 Corinthians 9 where he mentions several legitimate rights that he foregoes in order to be more effective in his ministry (1 Cor. 9:1-18). Then he says, "For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all [lit. I enslaved myself to all men], that I might win more of them" (1 Cor. 9:19). Next he tells how he became "as a Jew," "as one under the law," and "as one outside the law" in order to win the people belonging to those categories (vv. 20-21).

In the next verse he drops the word that the ESV translates "as" (hös; NIV "like") and says "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak" (v. 22a). He did not become like (NIV) a weak person; he actually became weak. I think all of us like to operate in our ministries from a position of strength. It is too much of a blow to our egos to be weak. But that is what servants are: weak. Paul closes the paragraph by saying, "I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some" (1 Cor. 9:22).

The word doulos, which is used in the New Testament to describe our servanthood, is usually translated "servant" in most English translations (ESV often has a footnote indicating that the Greek is "bondservant"). But a more accurate translation would be "slave." Biblical identification and incarnation entail taking on weakness for the sake of others. Of course, we cannot do this without the strength that comes from our identity in Christ, and we will discuss that in chapter 3, "Affirmed by God."

So our lives are also a paradox. We are children of the King and servants of the people. We pay a price so that we can identify with people and serve them effectively.

CHALLENGES FROM THE POSTMODERN MOOD

The lifestyle of servanthood, where we give up our rights and plans for the sake of something outside ourselves, is getting harder and harder to practice in this postmodern society. Postmodernism, which is said to have come into full flower in the third quarter of the last century, is, among other things, a reaction to the strict rationalism of the modern era. Postmodern thinkers claim that people were depersonalized in the modern era because of its bondage to rational, objective, and scientific principles. They claim that the subjective instincts of our human nature were overpowered by the desire for productivity and the constraints brought about by various dogmas.

In reaction the postmodern approach emphasizes the more subjective aspects of life — "my" feelings, "my" preferences, and "my" instincts. The postmodern generation has been called "an instinctually stimulated generation" where "people prefer to feel than to think." Postmodern people are uncomfortable with principles outside themselves governing their decisions and behavior.

Some welcome results have come from the postmodern emphasis on subjective experience. For example, spirituality has become much more prominent, and people are no longer satisfied with a dry religious orthodoxy devoid of spiritual warmth. But the reluctance to have our lives governed by principles can be hazardous to our spiritual health. Biblical leaders should be so devoted to their people that in order to help them, the leaders abstain from doing some things that they want to do and perform some tasks that they do not like to do. Because of their commitment to a group of people, they will persevere in working with them even though inconvenient and seemingly fruitless. The leaders' feelings may say, "Drop this work and do something more productive and satisfying. These people do not deserve your commitment." But because of the leaders' commitment to these people, they refuse to give up on them.

I was once in the West when I was preparing a talk on the stresses and strains of ministry. Alert to any conversation that related to this topic, I was surprised when a significant number of Christians told me that they or their loved ones had been liberated from bothersome commitments that had been causing them stress and strain. One had given up a difficult assignment, another had left a difficult church, and another had separated from a difficult spouse. They testified that God had freed them from pain. The question I had was whether God was asking them to embrace the pain because of commitment to these people or causes.

While reading the journals of John Wesley during the past two years, I have been surprised at the rather matter-of-fact way he notes some of the frustrations, hardships, and sufferings in his ministry. Things that I would vehemently grumble about and would consider a "big deal" if I were to experience them are reported in a casual way, as if they were not serious problems at all. I realized how much my understanding about fulfillment in ministry is different from Wesley's. We are not used to experiencing frustration and pain. So when we face such, we tend to shrink from it. But frustration and pain are essential features of incarnational ministry.

So if we are to truly identify with our people, we must expect frustration and pain. If we don't, we may be taken by surprise when we encounter it and be tempted to leave this work for an easier path or be so disillusioned that we lose the joy of ministry. I think many people are suffering unnecessary pain in ministry today because they did not fully anticipate the suffering that ministry inevitably involves. This pain has caused them to be discontented when actually they should be rejoicing in tribulation.

The path of commitment to principles and causes outside of us is not as costly as it may seem at first. In the Christian understanding of fulfillment, truth is an objective reality that is embraced, and that truth makes people free (John 8:32), opening the door to a truly fulfilling life (John 10:10). Sacrificing for principles yields deeply satisfying consequences. Jesus said, "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35). I have found eighteen passages in the New Testament that link suffering and joy. Paul expresses this well when he says, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known" (Col. 1:24-25). He rejoices in the sufferings he endures as a servant of the people. He even thinks that his sufferings are essential for completing his union with the crucified Christ.

Because of the postmodern challenge today, I believe we need to do much more reflection on the reality expressed in the words of George Matheson's hymn, "Make me a captive, Lord, and then I shall be free."

I have a fear that the church in the West will disqualify itself from being a missionary-sending region by portraying to its membership a Christianity that is a nice religion but that lacks a radical edge. In my visits to the West, the most common response I hear to sermons I have preached is something to the effect: "I enjoyed that sermon." Sermons should disturb, convict, and motivate to radical and costly obedience. I have wondered whether people's desired result from sermons is to enjoy themselves rather than to be changed into radical disciples who will turn the world upside down. If this is so, the church has assimilated the postmodern mood that considers inner feelings more important than commitment to principles. A minor feature of worship — bringing enjoyment — has become a primary feature. Such a church may grow numerically, but it would not be able to produce the type of missionaries that the world needs — men and women who will pay the price of identification with the people they serve and endure the frustrations that involves.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Jesus Driven Ministry"
by .
Copyright © 2002 Ajith Fernando.
Excerpted by permission of Good News Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
INTRODUCTION,
1 IDENTIFYING WITH PEOPLE,
2 EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT,
3 AFFIRMED BY GOD,
4 RETREATING FROM ACTIVITY,
5 AFFIRMING THE WILL OF GOD,
6 SATURATED IN THE WORD,
7 FACING WILD ANIMALS,
8 BEARING GOOD NEWS,
9 GROWING IN A TEAM,
10 DISCIPLING YOUNGER LEADERS,
11 LAUNCHING DISCIPLES INTO MINISTRY,
12 MINISTERING TO THE SICK AND DEMON-POSSESSED,
13 VISITING HOMES,
14 PRAYING,
NOTES,

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"There is an authenticity, deep simplicity, and biblical richness to the writings of Ajith Fernando. The effect is that when I go to his books in search for something specific, I get drawn in longer than I intend. That is what happened with this book, every time I poked my nose into a different chapter. The church in the Western world needs to read what Ajith Fernando writes."
—John Piper, Founder and Teacher, desiringGod.org; Chancellor, Bethlehem College & Seminary; author, Desiring God

"What makes the writing of Ajith Fernando so convincing is the authenticity of his ministry. As few persons I know in this generation, he lives what he preaches."
—Robert E. Coleman, Distinguished Senior Professor of Evangelism and Discipleship, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

"Ajith Fernando towers above the crowd as one of the great Christians of our time. He is esteemed internationally for biblical scholarship and expository Bible teaching and for his work as an apologist and evangelist. It is no surprise that his Jesus Driven Ministry sets the Christocentric standard for us all."
—R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor Emeritus, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois

"Ajith Fernando does what he sets out to do-to name the basics in ministry, to validate them in Scripture, the church's tradition, and experience. He makes the case that who we are is as important as what we do in ministry. This book will help us, no matter where we are on our ministry journey."
—Maxie D. Dunnam, President Emeritus, Asbury Theological Seminary

"People who have sensed a divine call become confused about what a minister should be. CEO? Therapist? Visionary? Communicator? Shepherd? Dr. Fernando demonstrates the relevance of the ministry model of Jesus to the matters ministers face globally. If the priorities articulated in this book become the priorities of those in ministry, there will be greater integrity in the church, the truth of the gospel will be seen in the actions of its ministers, and the Lord will be honored."
—Greg Waybright, Former President, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Senior Pastor, Lake Avenue Church, Pasadena, California