James 2:14-17
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
I can’t think of a better way to end this year, and to start next year, than to consider the wise words of James. He’s most know for the profound statement, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves James 1:22. But he follows up that thought with practical everyday examples of what true faith ought to look like. According to James, for faith to be profitable, it must be accompanied by works. And without works, faith is dead. This is an incredible challenge to every child of God. No matter how religious we become, litigious we maintain our protocols, or carefully we uphold our moral high-ground, if those things don’t result in actionable, effective and meaningful services, they are just dead works. And nobody wants that. But, to change the trajectory of our ministry lives, what must we do?
I maintain the answer may be as simple as changing our ministry focus from planning to implementing, from programming to doing. We need to find our way from Strategic Planning to Strategic Doing. And to make that a reality, somewhere between the creation of the plan, and the realization of the plan, you need doers. I know we have our favorite activities, traditional ceremonies and pet projects, but who is tasked with implementing the priorities of Christ? The Lord is seeking doers, not planners; followers, not just fans.
I’ve made the saying, ‘People Make Plans. God Makes Decisions’ one of my favorite rallying cries. As much as we meet, plan, strategize and gather, the truth is we have no idea what tomorrow holds. We can’t as much guarantee the outcome for the rest of today. Consequently, using our time and talent simply to develop more programs and events, risks us not meeting the service objectives of Christ. Let me say it this way. If what we call service doesn’t meet the needs of those we are assigned to serve, then the action or activity falls in the classification of dead works. This is not to say the activity has no value or ancillary benefit. It simply doesn’t meet the definition of faithful service James contends all Christians need to meet.
Several decades ago, the term Strategic Planning became popular. Everywhere you went, towns, cities, industry and even non profit organizations were talking about their Strategic Plan. The results has been millions of dollars spent on elaborate plans created by professional planners, but little real improvement or change. The Harvard Business Review writes about the ineptness of Strategic Planning and says, “the most successful strategies are visions, not plans.” But more recently, a new approach called Strategic Doing which places greater emphasis on creating flexible, innovating networks has emerged. Ed Morrison at the Purdue Center for Regional Development states, “while inflexible approaches to strategic planning are becoming obsolete, we still need practical strategies. We need to find fast ways to link and leverage our assets in order to achieve transformational outcomes”.
That statement ought to make every child of God raise their hands and say, ‘we got the answer for transformational change. Just read Romans 12:1-2. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Dearest Children of the King, at the end of each year, one of our long standing traditions is to make resolutions to change for the better in the upcoming year. And while it’s generally not advisable to make wild speculative statements, I have a heck of a resolution to make. I resolve to totally surrender myself to the Lord next year. To refrain from being me, and to be completely Christs’. To stop planning and to just do. Starting right now!!! Won’t you join me.
God bless
