Are you familiar with the professional athlete who
as a professed Christian makes the statement that God has given him a
platform to serve Him? The inference is that the fame that comes with
being a celebrity in the sports arena is God-enabled so that the
athlete might effectively spread the gospel. Unfortunately, it is often the same
athlete who just finished dancing on the grave of his opponent after a
game winning score only to thank Jesus in the locker room in front of a
dozen cameras for the grace and ability necessary to taunt the other
player.
Now, I don’t think that all Christian athletes are disingenuous in their faith, but obviously the line between their “stage” and their “platform” can blur to the point of invisibility. Sadly, this can be equally true in the church.
I heard worship leader David Edwards make a profound statement last summer in a worship conference. He said, “God has given me a platform, not a stage.” On the surface, the terms are synonymous. You say platform, I say stage. You say pulpit, I say podium. You say tomato, I say salmonella. (sorry, bad joke). There’s actually great symbolism in his statement. A stage is where performance takes place, a platform is where proclamation takes place.
Those of us in ministry face a difficult temptation each Sunday. We strap on our guitars, clutch our microphones, and plug into our amps as we fight the urge to bask in the spotlight. Personally speaking, not only do I have to examine my own motives, but I have to lead my singers and musicians into the same thought processes that I go through. I have to challenge my team to forsake the desire to be heard. On a positive note, everyone who finds a sacrificing role in the musical mix will undoubtedly find greater satisfaction then if left to their own creativity. When we first accept the idea that leading worship requires a different heart then performing a concert, then we have the right perspective to understand why we’re given a platform.
You and I are all ministers in the body of Christ, and when you get down to it, our primary function is to proclaim! What do we proclaim? Well, we proclaim the wonderful attributes of Father God! We proclaim the gospel of our atoning Saviour! We proclaim the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit!
When our lives are on a stage, we try to perform. When our lives are a performance, the proclamation gets squeezed out! That's why our lives should be on a platform.
The biggest difference between stage and platform is what only God can truly see, and that’s the heart! One can not be judged by the performance when it comes to ministry. I realize that this is the criteria that many use when they say “that was good worship today” or "that was a good sermon", but it’s not what God uses to judge us. He looks for hearts clothed in humility and adoration! Remember that verse “God loves a cheerful giver”? Of course you do, that’s what the preacher says right before the offering right? But that’s not a verse about tithing. It’s about the true Kingdom Heart that’s sold out to Christ who doesn’t know how to give of his talents, time, and treasure any other way!
As a full-time minister, God holds me accountable for the proclamation of the Word. As members of the Body, God likewise holds you and I accountable for the proclamation of the Word!
I feel the responsibility each week to lead people into the throne room of Christ, but in order to do that I MUST know the way in. The same goes for all of us in our Christ-proclaiming lives! We need to die to self which means to let go of our personal agendas and aspirations if we are ever going to be salt and light to others! The platform that God gives us doesn’t require performance! It requires US! That's it, He doesn't want what we have to offer, He wants us!
