Being Versus Doing: Which is most important in ministry?

Biblical Principles About Being Versus Doing:

In God’s Book, both are essential.  However, God does make it clear that what we do grows out of who we are.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Lk. 6:45)

He also makes it clear that if we don’t do what we should be doing, something is wrong.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  (Lk. 6:43)

Practical Application of Being Versus Doing in Ministry:

Guard against hypocrisy.  How easy it is for people in ministry to say one thing and do another.  This lack of integrity cuts into the effectiveness of ministry.  Jesus confronted hypocrisy in the religious leaders of His day.  A whole chapter (Matt. 23), along with other isolated passages, is devoted to His pronouncement of woes on their hypocrisy.

Solution:  self-examination and personal accountability.

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.  (Matt. 7:5)

Guard against being a stumbling block.  When we do not model Christ-likeness in all we do, we cut into the effectiveness of ministry.  Paul used his own ministry as an example:

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.  (2 Cor. 6:3)

Solution:  commitment and determination.

Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. (Rom. 14:13)

Notice:  The solutions are all qualities of being.  Doing the right things grows out of being who you should be.

For an example of how this works out in teaching, check out the article:  The Role of a Bible Teacher