May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal. 6:14).
After having preached a milestone message in a Southern California town, I was interviewed by a reporter from a local newspaper who wrote an article claiming that I had preached 2,500 times in ten years. That unsolicited notoriety made me wonder: would Paul have wanted his ministry gloried that way? Surely not.
Some ministries publish how many countries they are reaching, how many churches they have established, how many missionaries they are supporting, how many buses they run each Sunday, how many people their sanctuary holds, how many different choirs they maintain, how many converts they have won, and on and on.
I once knew of a ministry whose leaders boasted that they had the largest staff of any church in the country. After getting into financial difficulty, they called in a management consultant team who advised them that they were greatly overstaffed.
To stay afloat, they were forced to let two hundred church workers go. Very soon afterward, those same leaders were once again boasting: this time that they had one of the smallest staffs in one of America’s largest churches!
In an age that is impressed with success, with bigness and with numbers, this verse reminds us of where our priorities really are. Part of this crucifixion to the world of which Paul is speaking here is a death to the “numbers game.” It includes pride of grace, pride of race, pride of face, and pride of place.
Do you think we Christians will ever learn that God is not impressed with our boasting?
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.