common for us to label our particular efforts in God's vineyard by attaching our
own name, as in "Jim Sweeney Ministries." Now, to suggest that that is
necessarily inappropriate or wrong would be presumptuous. Indeed, to say that
would be to indict the single most influential voice for evangelical ministry of the
twentieth century. That is not the point. The point is this: However we say it, or
think about it, we must never fail to understand and declare that the owner of all
Christian ministry is Christ, the Lord of the Church. When the authoritative
assessment of the validity and effectiveness of the ministry of the Church is
made, Christ himself will make it. As owner, he alone determines the criteria by
which ministry is evaluated.
Christ's Assessment Criteria: Rev. 2-3
Chapters two and three of Revelation reveal a Christ who walks about in the
midst of the churches, examining and assessing their deeds and their hearts with
"eyes like blazing fire" and words issued as a "sharp, double-edged sword." It is
evident that this Jesus knows the condition of His Church and makes his
judgment of it by His criteria. John Stott gathered from his homiletical treatment
of the letters to the seven churches, seven distinct criteria. All are theological;
none are methodological. Speaking to the seven churches, Christ revealed his
criteria: undiluted love for Christ; willingness to suffer for him; truth of doctrine;
holiness of life; inward reality; evangelistic outreach; and, wholeheartedness.
The Apostle Paul highlights the importance of this in reminding the church that
"each of us will give an account of himself," and that we will all "appear before
the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the
things done while in the body, whether good or bad." (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10)
His most explicit exposition of this, in his first Corinthian letter, emphasizes first
that all ministry must be built upon the foundation of Christ, and secondly,that
what we build will be either acceptable or unacceptable by His--Christ's--criteria.
What he deems worthy as service done in his name will receive his reward.
What he deems unworthy will be consumed by fire, and however sincere the
minister, he will suffer loss. "He himself will be saved, but only as one escaping
through the flames." Strong imagery; strong doctrine.
Christological Boundary Markers for Ministry
How the doctrine of Christ is taught and understood in the church, through formal
and informal means, is critical to sustaining evangelical faith and ministry. It is
not sufficient that our "official Christology"
church, at every level, is informed and governed by it. Challenges to evangelical
beliefs about the person and work of Christ at the popular level are ever present.
In discussing how the doctrine of Christ in the church may be influenced by