Excerpt:

I want to turn now to another foundational concept that is critical to surviving in ministry. That is to look at the processes as they unfold around us. A process is a continuous action, operation, or series of changes taking place in a definite manner: the process of governing the country, the process of loving my neighbor, the process of selecting the next minister of our church. Take a look at the process that is occurring here.

Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives, Face my family Jacob with their sins! They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, And love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people – law-abiding, God-honoring. They ask me, ‘What’s the right thing to do? And love having me on their side. But they also complain, Why do we fast and you don’t look our way? Why do we humble ourselves and you don’t even notice? “Well, here’s why: “The bottom line on your ‘fast days’ is profit. You drive your employees much too hard. This is the kind of fast day I’m after: To break the chains of injustice, To get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: Sharing your food with the hungry, Inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, Being available to your own families Do this and the lights will turn on, And your lives will turn around at once. Firm muscles, strong bones.

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