This is a great video on the importance of being yourself in ministry using the very unique example of Mark Driscoll. I am not a huge fan of Mark per say for several reasons (which I may address at a later time – theological, missiological and pragmatic) but this video makes a great point. Too often (because it is soooo easy to do) preachers begin to mimic the preaching or ministry style of someone they connect with and enjoy listening you. The challenge is, they, inevitably, lose their focus and I would argue, their integrity and spiritual effectiveness as a result. God has called them with their unique gifts, their abilities, and even, dare I say it, their inabilities and lack of certain gifts, to their unique ministry setting. When we pretend to be someone else we are not, we become less spiritually effective then if we simply relied on the Holy Spirit to empower us: the same Spirit who knit us together in our mother’s womb, who gifts us uniquely for ministry, and who empowers us for holiness and ministry!
If we pretend to be someone we are not, even if it is for seemingly good reasons (trying to be more “effective”), we are not living in the will of God but a weird state of disobedience with a distorted set of convoluted motivations.
Coming soon...a post about the effect technology has had (to the benefit and detriment) on the ministry of preaching.
