Terry Storch

Writing about life, leadership, faith, and anything else I find interesting.

Real Ministry?

 

Excuse my language, but Satan is a bastard. I hate seeing his work and impact on humanity. As I shared last week, I had an awesome opportunity to visit Google headquarters and join a Talks at Google panel discussing Christianity in Tech in a session entitled Spiritual Intelligence. A cool title, one that I have lots of thoughts on, but today I am going to highlight what became crystal clear to me with the Q&A time, as well as individuals coming up to me after the panel finished. A form of this question was posed to me four times, with sincere hearts, sadness and confusion:

“Why do I feel and think that I must stop working at Google (or tech) and fly across the world to do real ministry?” 

Just writing this, and reflecting back on these interactions infuriates me, and reminds me we have a real enemy named Satan. The one who comes to kill, steal and destroy.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”
— John‬ ‭10:10‬a

You see, Satan is crafty, he is smart and uses the tools we give him, as well as other basic tactics. It is absurd to think “real ministry” only exists on the other side of the world. Or “real ministry” is something beyond what you are already doing. Please do not fall for that lie. Yes, there is great ministry across the world. Yes, there are amazing ministry opportunities on our digerati team. Both true, and maybe you are called to pursue one of these, or something else. But there are powerful ministry opportunities right where you are, using the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with.

Maybe you are a public school teacher; please let this be a reminder that the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with are being used to minister to kids that need you more than ever. 

Maybe you are an investment banker; be reminded that the gifts and talents that God has blessed you with are being used by making decisions daily that are based in integrity and honoring Christ. 

Maybe you are a fifteen-year-old girl learning programming and excited about being able to use those gifts to impact the world for Christ; know that you do not need to follow in other's footsteps to be used by Jesus. 

Maybe you are the chief operating officer of your home and a homeschooling mom; please let this be a reminder that the gifts and talents you are using every moment of the day are glorifying Christ and impacting a legacy that you don’t see yet.

Maybe you are a software engineer at Facebook or Google who is gaining influence with your peers and leader; please be reminded that you are a living and breathing Bible to those around you that don’t read or even believe in the Bible...yet.

Real ministry isn’t somewhere else, real ministry is right in the middle of where God has you. Never forget that this world is dying to know who Jesus is...you have a role to play in telling that story! So, if you’re like me, then God may call you out of the business world into full-time ministry and that will be an exhilarating journey as you follow God’s call for your life, you can learn more here. Or, maybe God’s call for your life is full-time ministry in the workplace, being Jesus to those you rub shoulders with every day, and using your gifts and talents to Glorify Him right where you are. One is not greater than the other when both are honoring God’s call on your life. But let me be clear - doing nothing and living a life that is complacent is burying your talent, and that is not ok. Lean in. Step up. And use your gift and talents starting today.

Other writing
John 20 - The Gospel

John 20 - The Gospel

The Gospel, the Good News! Jesus, Son of God, was born of Mary, lived as the Son of Man, died, and rose to life to rescue the world and bring about a new life. The central message of the gospel. Jesus, the centerpiece! John 19 & 20 cover the brutal death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

In this scene, I can not imagine how the disciples felt. John describes them as overjoyed...but those words just fall short of what I can imagine this moment was like.

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

John 19 - The Magnitude of the Cross

The day of Jesus' crucifixion fulfilled 28 Old Testament prophecies. Scripture was fulfilled! Beyond that, trying to wrap my mind around what happened this day, on the cross, and fully grabbing the magnitude of the cross is mind-boggling.

Sure, we can dumb this down or simplify it to a place where I just don’t believe it is anywhere near accurate. We can get into penal substitution and argue over was God full of love or was God full of wrath and hate that he killed his son. To me, John 3:16 is pretty clear on the love part.

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

John 18 - Jesus levels an army

In John 18, we come to the great betrayal. Judas came with the soldiers, officials, and chief priest and Pharisees. We know the scene. But this morning, I saw something I don’t remember reading and surly don’t remember learning about.

“So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭18:3-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 - The Lords Prayer

John 17 is Jesus looking heavenward and praying to God the Father. So much beauty and mystery in this prayer. One thing that jumps out to me is that Jesus, fully God, and fully man prayed. Jesus is God fully. Why did he need to pray, He was One with the Father, He was God...and yet he prayed. This is so powerful;

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭17:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

John 16 - What does it take to believe?

By the end of John 16, Jesus had done countless miracles, preached some amazing sermons, transformed so many lives, and developed a close and personal relationship with his disciples. So, when reading these verses, I am just utterly confused on so many levels.

“I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.” “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:28-31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

John 16 - Undervaluing God in Spirit

Jesus’ time on earth is quickly coming to a close, and he finishes up his last sermon or teaching to his disciples as they walk to Gethsemane. This final teaching was a heavy one that no doubt left his disciples with a heavy heart. Jesus said it this way;

“...None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things.” - ‭‭John‬ ‭16:5-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus goes on to say;

John 15 - Constant Growth

John 15 - Constant Growth

We were built for growth, constant growth. From birth, all the way until our death, we were designed by God for constant growth. The problem is, we often can find ourselves stuck in a belief, a phase, or a part of life where we stop growing.

One of the most brilliant investors embodies this understanding. Charlie Munger, at 96 years old, is still learning and growing as a person. I love this quote:

“Knowing what you don’t know is more useful than being brilliant.”
- Charlie Munger

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 - The Gift of Peace

John 14 opens with Jesus, saying, Don’t let your hearts be troubled. And the chapter closed down with Jesus saying Don’t be troubled or afraid.

A message that needs to resonate with our spirit and our inner self. This was such a good reminder, reading through John 14 over and over. This passage lifted off the screen.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart…

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

John 14 - Troubled Hearts

The world today seems so volatile and chaotic. Everywhere you look, whatever we read and see on TV just seems to be troubling. Last night, I noticed my lovely wife Tweeted this;

“I can’t be the only one who watches the news and is simply embarrassed right now, right? (Dear Jesus, we tap out. Come on back.)”

I find this first humorous, but then I also find it sad. It’s true, watching the news as a Christ-follower is pretty embarrassing. In John 14, we see Jesus…

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

John 13 - Unselfish Concern

Summarizing John, chapter 13, looks like this. The Lords Supper takes place. Jesus washes the disciple's feet. Jesus calls out Judas, and Satan enters him. Night comes, Judas leaves, and Jesus says he must go, and where I am going, you can not come. To cap it all off, Jesus also calls out Simon Peter and tells him that he will deny and completely disown Jesus three times. Whoa, a really full chapter, and historical day.

Nestled in the wrap up of the day is the parting message Jesus leaves his disciples, a message Jesus is sharing with us right now.

 
Terry Storch