Truth Linked

Professor Steve Blakemore

When someone thinks of theology, ministry is not often the first thing that comes to mind. In truth, many who are involved in the day-to-day grind of the work of ministry do not think they have time to engage in theology; for some it is a hindrance to effective ministry. Paralleling this attitude among the practitioners of ministry is the reality that many who engage in theological reflection are likely not to be actively engaged in the work of ministry.

This division between theology and ministry is regrettable. First, effective and faithful ministry is achieved only if one is “doing” ministry in a way that is consistent with who God is and what God has revealed to us about our life before Him. If our theology is inadequate or misdirected, how do we know that our ministry is truly effective? By what standard do we judge? Is it simply by the numbers of people who are involved in our various programs? By the plethora of activities at church? Through the busyness of our lives as ministers? If such measures are inadequate for evaluating the successfulness of our ministry endeavors, the ongoing discipline of theological reflection is then necessary for rediscovering afresh what faithfulness means.

Just as tragic, however, is the situation where those who do the most theological reflection do so in the vacuum of academia, out of touch with the life of the local church and both the profound and mundane issues that arise in ministry. Theology is meant to be worked out as an ongoing pursuit that fuels the spiritual life of God’s people in actual living. John Wesley saw this as seen in his insistence that one of the marks of theological truth was its applicability to a person’s walk as a disciple. This was manifested in his fascination with testimonies as evidence that some doctrinal claim was actually true and could be real in the lives of people. He saw the deep-linked nature of theological truth and everyday discipleship. This perspective on doctrine and theology realizes that truth about God must be lived out, since God is the Lord of all of life, and not simply thought about, believed in or written about.

Because we are called by God, our practice of ministry must include the commitment to continually be thinking doctrinal and theological questions and wrestling with what they mean in the life of the Church. Ministry that fails to be theologically motivated – seeking the truth about God – will be motivated by some other goal. On the other hand, since our theologizing is engagement with the truth about God, who acts in history and in the concrete life of the Church, our theology must be rooted in ministry. Such dynamic integration is the life of adventure that our Lord calls us to as His servants.

Professor Steve Blakemore is Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Pastoral Ministry at Wesley Biblical Seminary. He resides in Jackson, Mississippi with his wife, Carolyn, and their four sons.