Is It Ministry that you do?

As we travel across the region and country, God has really been dealing with me on a few great issues.  Being given a talent to sing and produce, I’ve grown up singing and being in front of people.  I’ve spent several years singing in the secular arena.  It was strictly a performance, a show, a paycheck, and all about me.  When God called me into the ministry, the main thing used was my talent.  I just didn’t feel right moving around, trying to work the crowd, scripting which songs to sing, choreographing everything, and trying to entertain.  I was being dealt with like never before.  God was showing me that it was no longer about me.  It was no longer a gig, not a show… No longer entertainment.  Now it had to be strictly ministry.  No longer about how much money made, if any.  A specific covenant was made.  I told God if He would bless me and the ministry and I would keep it just that… Ministry!  I no longer longed for applause. I felt a need for a high anointing.  I wanted to see millions saved through this ministry.  Now, I still tried to just perform.  I tried scripting a show.  Things were not bearing good fruit.  Then the Lord showed me that He had to run things.  He must be the builder of the house.  I had to be surrounded by ministry minded people. The anointing had to be there.  The Word had to be in the songs because the Bible says that when sent out it would accomplish its’ mission.  I cannot be too focused on entertaining.  Why? Folks don’t take entertainment seriously.  Times are critical and lives are at stake. I found myself traveling all over the country, In the midst of some of the biggest names in gospel music and ministry.  Some of the very people that I looked so forward to meeting coming off of their buses drunk or high.  Bragging on who rocked the house for that particular evening, too big time to speak to admirers, and straight faking the anointing.

Some seemed to be more for hire than on fire.  I’m constantly reminded that my job is to minister.  I’ve even been criticized because some say that I minister too much.  How can we minister too much?  So many artists call what they do a show.  I am not criticizing but isn’t it supposed to be more?  Another question.  Is the ministry secondary to industry?

I have heard record company execs state that it is a ministry BUT more so to them business. They still look for a certain image or look over an anointed artist.  I know artists and preachers that won’t come to a place unless a certain dollar amount is met.  This is locally as well as nationally.  They love to say that a worker is worthy of his hire but how much in dollars is a soul worth?  I was told that we are to plant, water, and God will add the increase.  I just wanted to put this out there.  Are we really about ministry?  Let’s ask ourselves, what is more important.  Souls or sales?  Is it ministry or Industry first?  Would we rather go to concerts or crusades?  Is it just a show?