The Heart Strategy
What do you long for in ministry? Failure? A wasted life? Probably not! You haven’t invested yourself in ministry just to fail. Our hearts long to bear spiritual fruit for the glory of God. We desire our life and ministry to count for eternity! Our hearts cry out with Moses:
Because of this longing, we read books, attend strategy seminars and have meetings, all attempting to pinpoint the strategies which will lead to success. We would call this planning strategy. Another form of strategy is activity (or busyness) based strategy. This one may not look like strategy because it is not written down, but it is still a plan: “do enough stuff and results will eventually happen”.
But do these strategies guarantee “success”? We have all tried well planned strategies, programs and have been crazy busy. But how often have they failed to bring spiritual fruit in our ministries? Sadly, true to one definition of insanity, we do “the same thing over and over again expecting different results”. While it may not feel like we are doing the same thing over and over because the strategies and busyness are outwardly different, at their core they are the same. They are the world’s strategies, not God’s strategy.
If we desire true spiritual fruit, we must use God’s strategy first. This is not to say that all other strategies are bad. Strategy, especially planning strategy, can be very helpful. David “guided them (Israel) with his skillful hand”. (Ps. 78:72) But we must keep strategies in the proper order. The first half of the verse says: “with upright heart he shepherded them”. God’s strategy is the heart strategy. His first priority is the minister’s heart, not the ministry. That is, God is more concerned with who we are than what we do. This is because what we do flows out of who we are. God does want our actions, but our actions flow from our heart.
So, what is the most strategic thing we can do to enjoy a fruitful ministry? Focus first on becoming the kind of person that God has called us to be. Every moment of every day, our love relationship with God is the singular most important part of our life. Without the heart, ministry fails.
The reason is simple: if we as missionaries are called to make whole-hearted worshipers & disciples of Christ, then we ourselves must first be whole-hearted worshipers & disciples. We must model our message. As we do, the Holy Spirit works through us to create spiritual fruit. Does God promise the greatest spiritual fruit to those with the best planning strategy or the most activity? No. God promises the greatest spiritual fruit for those whose hearts are fully His. Even more amazing, He is searching for such hearts!
Does the heart strategy guarantee ministry “success”? It may not bring success in the world’s eyes, but God Himself promises “much fruit” to the one who abides in Him. As a promise made by One more faithful than the sun, that is a promise we can cling to!
Spiritual fruit is in the hands of God, and He loves to give it to those who follow His strategy. God’s eyes are searching, will He find your heart?
Serving together,
Kyle Farran
- “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” Ps. 90:17
Because of this longing, we read books, attend strategy seminars and have meetings, all attempting to pinpoint the strategies which will lead to success. We would call this planning strategy. Another form of strategy is activity (or busyness) based strategy. This one may not look like strategy because it is not written down, but it is still a plan: “do enough stuff and results will eventually happen”.
But do these strategies guarantee “success”? We have all tried well planned strategies, programs and have been crazy busy. But how often have they failed to bring spiritual fruit in our ministries? Sadly, true to one definition of insanity, we do “the same thing over and over again expecting different results”. While it may not feel like we are doing the same thing over and over because the strategies and busyness are outwardly different, at their core they are the same. They are the world’s strategies, not God’s strategy.
If we desire true spiritual fruit, we must use God’s strategy first. This is not to say that all other strategies are bad. Strategy, especially planning strategy, can be very helpful. David “guided them (Israel) with his skillful hand”. (Ps. 78:72) But we must keep strategies in the proper order. The first half of the verse says: “with upright heart he shepherded them”. God’s strategy is the heart strategy. His first priority is the minister’s heart, not the ministry. That is, God is more concerned with who we are than what we do. This is because what we do flows out of who we are. God does want our actions, but our actions flow from our heart.
- “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” Prov. 4:23
So, what is the most strategic thing we can do to enjoy a fruitful ministry? Focus first on becoming the kind of person that God has called us to be. Every moment of every day, our love relationship with God is the singular most important part of our life. Without the heart, ministry fails.
The reason is simple: if we as missionaries are called to make whole-hearted worshipers & disciples of Christ, then we ourselves must first be whole-hearted worshipers & disciples. We must model our message. As we do, the Holy Spirit works through us to create spiritual fruit. Does God promise the greatest spiritual fruit to those with the best planning strategy or the most activity? No. God promises the greatest spiritual fruit for those whose hearts are fully His. Even more amazing, He is searching for such hearts!
- “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
- “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” Is. 66:2b
- “he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will’” Acts 13:22
Does the heart strategy guarantee ministry “success”? It may not bring success in the world’s eyes, but God Himself promises “much fruit” to the one who abides in Him. As a promise made by One more faithful than the sun, that is a promise we can cling to!
Spiritual fruit is in the hands of God, and He loves to give it to those who follow His strategy. God’s eyes are searching, will He find your heart?
- “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” 2 Chron. 16:9
Serving together,
Kyle Farran
2 MESSAGES FOR YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT
Superconductors of God's Power:
Ministering in God's Strength
Apart from God's power, we can do nothing.
These two messages unpack truths which are vital to having His power flow freely through us. I pray that these truths will both challenge and bless your life and ministry as they have me!
These two messages unpack truths which are vital to having His power flow freely through us. I pray that these truths will both challenge and bless your life and ministry as they have me!