Part 4 – Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World
June 2014
Recent issues of the Equipper have been focused on the founding principles of BBM. Balance in life and ministry based on a commitment to uncompromised biblical truth and impacting our culture is at the core of all ministries.
The first principle we identified was priority of worship that demonstrates a passion to sacrifice and serve the Lord. Until we present ourselves to God as “living sacrifices,” we will live out of balance. Self interest and the influence of our culture will be at the root of the imbalance.
Secondly, the Scripture calls us to live a transformed life by the renewing of our mind. Our culture rejects the concept of absolute truth and demands we compromise absolutes. A biblically balanced life is based on the Bible as absolute truth and calls us to proclaim truth without apology.
The third essential to finding balance is “walking in community.” Our culture talks about community but its concept is focused of self interest.
God designed man to live in relationship to others. “The LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). We were created to live in community. Romans 12-13 give us some essentials to living in community. Positive relationships in the home, church, and public community begin with self understanding.
1. A Balanced Life is Built on Self-Understanding.
Understanding biblical truth will lead us to understanding ourselves. “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Rom. 12:3).
Self understanding begins where our relationship to God begins. Passion for God begins with understanding His mercy. Understanding ourselves begins with recognizing The GRACE given me. The lack of appreciation for God’s grace leads us to an inflated idea of our own value. Recognizing what I am and have is by grace (undeserved) leads me to humble myself before God.
Sober or sound judgment about ourselves includes an
understanding of several
characteristics about
ourselves. I have been using
the PLACE assessment by
Jay MacSwan as an outline of self understanding for many years.
• Personality based on the DISC profile, identifying my character as Driven, Inspirational, Stable, or Contentious.
• Learning spiritual gifts based on Romans 12. There are a number of gifts given to us for the purpose of ministry in and through the body of Christ.
Abilities that are based on natural talents.
Connection passion that motivates us to serve in areas of primary interest.
• Experiences in life that have taught you lessons to be applied to life.
A good self understanding enables us to avoid thinking more highly or more lowly than we should. It also helps build our relationships whether in marriage, business, ministry, or fellowship in the church. Understanding of our own biblical profile should lead us to accept others who may have a different personality or passion.
2. A Balanced Life Requires Serving in Community.
As each has received a gift , use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. (1 Peter 4:10)
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one
NOTE: BBM offers a workshop called PLACE. The work- shop is a great way to begin to understand yourself and others for building relationships to edify the body. It, also, offers great principles for building family relationships. For more information check our website or contact us.
For more information contact
Gary R. Becker at 717-856-4523
NEW ADDRESS: 1600 COLONIAL MANOR DR. - LANCASTER PA, 17603 becker@balancedministries.org. / balancedministries.org
who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4-8)
Understanding our profile enables us to find our “place” in ministry. A balanced life must include active ministry involvement in a local church. The concept of a disciple not involved in a local church is a foreign concept to the church in Acts. A balanced life requires us to discover our giftedness and passion for finding our place in ministry.
A good place to start in your discovery of your gift(s) is to explore the gifts (underlined above) listed here in Romans. Let me give you a brief process to discover your gifts.
First begin a study in the Scriptures to see how the gifts were manifested in the church in Acts and the Epistles.
Take personality/gifts assessment like PLACE
Test your gifts by serving with another person in that
area of ministry.
Seek confirmation of others.
Watch for fruit in your area of ministry.
A balanced life for the believer calls us to serve in a community of believers. Serving in any community, like the family, requires that we understand God has designed us to function in an orderly way.
3. A Balanced Life Demonstrates Genuine Love.
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection . . . (Romans 12:9ff)
We come into worship by loving God. We live in community with God’s people by love for one another. Romans 12 begins with an appeal of personal sacrifice in
worship to God. Paul then calls us to live a transformed life based on a renewed mind. This is followed by calling us to live and serve in community.
Living in community requires us to love one another as God loves. The passage in Romans goes on to speak to numerous ways of demonstrating God’s love in our relationships. Serving as a church coach and marriage coach in times of crises, I see it is genuine love that is most often the missing ingredient. Other things may cause conflict but without genuine love reconciliation is not possible.
4. A Balanced Life Respects Authority.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1
God has designed the family, church, and government to function in an orderly structure. If we are to walk in community, we must accept and function under the authorities He has established. Our culture often promotes or questions God given authorities. A prime example is the disregard for the biblical order of the family.
A major source of conflict today is rooted in the resistance to authority in the church. The fear of abuse of authority has become a reason or excuse to resist authority in the church. The result is leadership is not able to lead. I have often said, “Leaders can’t lead, if followers won’t follow.”
Balance in life requires an acceptance of God’s established order. Walking in community is built on accepting God’s order and authority.
Balance in life and ministry is not lived out in isolation but in community.
Praise and Prayer for BBM
1. Praisefortheopportunitiesofcomingalongsidepastorsandchurches
2. PraiseforopportunitiesworkingwithWolrdVentureincoachingchurchesandconnectingmissionarieswithchurches 3. Prayforthepotentialoflong-termcoachingrelationshipswithchurchesandpastors
4. Prayasweseekopportunitiesintransitionalministrieswithchurchesgoingthroughtransitionsinleadership
5. Prayforanincreaseinresourcestoallowustobecomemoreinvolvedinglobalministries
6. PrayforcontinuedsupportneedsofGaryBecker
Helping People Find Their
PLACE
The Workshop Topics
Personality Discovery
Learning Spiritual Gifts
Ability Awareness
Connecting Passion with Ministry
Experience in Life
Personal Discovery & Relationship Building for ministry, life, and family
If your church would like to schedule a church focused workshop or would be willing to host a workshop for people in your area contact Gary Becker.