Don’t Blame the Ministry

2 Corinthians 6:3

Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

The ministry gets blamed for many things, but it is not the ministry’s fault that a sinner’s sin gave a rebel a reason to rebel. Paul said we should be careful about not giving people a reason to blame the ministry for our actions. I was raised in a family that was in the ministry, and I have been in the ministry my entire adult life, and though I could easily use the ministry as an excuse to be worldly, the ministry have never done anything to me, but sinners have certainly acted as sinners, which could have given me an excuse to blame the ministry. However, I have chosen to realize that a sinner’s sin is not a reason to blame the ministry. We live in times when many want to blame the ministry for a sinner’s offence, when we should blame sin for the offence and not the ministry. Let me share several things you should never use to blame the ministry.

First, don't blame the ministry for family problems. Children don't go bad because the parents spent too much time in the ministry; they go bad because they choose to go bad. It is the Devil’s lie to blame the ministry for children going bad. I am weary of lazy preachers saying, don't lose your family for the ministry. You don't lose family because of the ministry; you lose it because of sin. Why don't these same preachers blame business for business people losing their children? The fact is, the ministry has never made one child go bad, but rebellion and sin is what caused them to go bad.

Second, don't blame the ministry for a leader’s sin. Just because a pastor or spiritual leader sinned does not give a reason to blame the ministry. Blame the sin, not the ministry! At best, a ministry leader is a sinner, and we all fight sin, so don't blame the ministry because of a leader’s sin. I am always amazed how those who blame the ministry for a leader’s sin are living a worldly life. Could it be that you are blaming the ministry because you want to excuse your worldly lifestyle? The ministry has never caused one leader to sin; they sinned because they chose to sin.

Third, don't blame the ministry for life problems. Everyone faces trials; it is not the ministry’s fault. Just because you are facing trials does not mean they came because you are in the ministry. I have seen people who are serving God and are not serving God face horrific trials. It is not the ministry’s fault that trials come; they are a part of life. Don't let trials be your excuse to blame the ministry so that you can live a life of sin.

Fourth, don't blame the ministry for your lack of faith. It is not the ministry’s fault that you don't have the faith to tithe. Your finances are in a mess, not because the ministry took your money, but because you didn't have the faith to tithe and the character to spend your money wisely.

Fifth, don't blame the ministry for your bad decisions. The ministry never forced you to make a bad decision. It is easy to blame the ministry for our poor decisions, but the ministry never made one person choose to do something against God’s Word.

Using the ministry as an offence to excuse your worldly living is not an excuse for sin in God’s eyes. You may try to appease your conscience, but worldly living is not because of the ministry, but because you chose to live worldly. Let’s blame sin and not the ministry, and we might find that we will reach more people if we fight sin instead of the ministry.