If we can focus along the lines of the relevance and impact of our activities on our target audience, I believe that the way a lot of people go about their ministries will change. We will move away from a lot of the shows, a lot of the spectacles, and a lot of the nonsense that go on in the name of ministry; and begin to focus on the point.

Paul said as much to the church in Corinth:

“Brothers, stop thinking like children…but in your thinking be adults”
~1Corithinthians 14:20

I believe that Christians — including, and maybe particularly leaders and ministers — should stop thinking like children. Think like adults! I understand that meaningless religious gibberish and fantasies can be quite impressive; particularly when you coat them with the veneer of spirituality. Someone announces, ‘Do you know that I went to the mountain and fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.’ And everybody goes like,‘Wow!’

I actually met somebody like that when I was younger at a church where I went to preach. He’d been staying in the church for forty days, just fasting. Some months later, I had the opportunity of meeting him again. By this time, his marriage was broken, his family was in shambles, he was living in poverty, he could barely feed himself and his family; but he was celebrated for his fasting. He was celebrated for how long he could stay in church and fast; and I looked at the man and I felt that this man had gotten a degree in foolishness!

The prevailing trend in religious circles is to major on rituals, routines, and activities; on the shows. In the end we miss the point. How relevant are your religious routines? What’s the point in praying when God is not answering? What’s the point in the ‘anointing’ when it can’t even bring healing? What’s the point in the so called presence of God that you feel in church when it has no effect on your finances, your health and your mind?

According to Paul, we ought to think in terms of the strategic and enduring transformational results of our activities. That is more important. I encourage you to be focused more on relevance. Don’t try to just impress; try to transform.