Christ Modeled Holistic Ministry
When it came time for Jesus to announce himself, he referred to a multi-dimensional purpose from Luke 4:18-19 (Isaiah 61:1),
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
John the Baptist, in prison and discouraged, sought reassurance that the ministry of Jesus, for which he had prepared the way, was proceeding. When John’s disciples inquired, Jesus, in the process of his appointed ministry, replied,
“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor” (Matt. 11:4-5).
It’s obvious that this multi-dimensional ministry cannot be completely spiritualized to the neglect of the holistic concerns of mankind. There is room for integrating physical needs, economic issues, and socio-political concerns along with spiritual care. As the incarnational representatives of Christ, we strive to follow his model and example of ministry.
The Law of Love Requires Holistic Ministry
The Pharisees tested Jesus by sending their expert to inquire, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment?” So Jesus summed up the whole law by saying,
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matt. 22:37-39).
Perhaps the idea of loving our neighbor is a type of barometer of our love for God. Indeed, in 1 John 4:20-21 we discover that
“If anyone says ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
By distilling the law of God, it seems that Jesus arrives at something like an irreducible minimum. Instead of diminishing the message of the gospel, it could be suggested that holistic ministry is the very heart of the gospel’s intent. The gospel should be viewed in terms of both word and deed. Though we recognize the possibility of devoting too much emphasis on ministry of deed, to dismiss or minimize holistic work would be equally erroneous.
