Overhearing a recent conversation about media, I listened to the disconnect – in a good way – between relationships and publishing when we start talking about mobile (in) ministry.

There are many people who minister to others by meeting some physical, emotional, or economic need. If you will, their focuses lie on building relationships and behaviors which foster literal demonstrations of Christ’s love between one another. Then we have others who facilitate the activites of ministry by publishing or serving in areas which support those end behaviors.

Now, what happens between believers is a lot of times, we see this disconnect as a negative. Publishers and relationship builders see the need for one another, but they rarely agree with one another’s methods. What’s been very interesting about mobile is that this disconnect tends to be where you find the most positive and willing opportunities.

I described it to my friend like this: 

When we talk about the Great Commission, we look at three connected but separate-functioning elements: go, teach, and disciple. In these applications of living with the gospel, there are aspects in it which we build the relationships that lead to a life that looks like Christ. Sometimes that’s a direct relationship with someone and other times that’s propping up the efforts of another. Both work towards the same Gospel and shouldn’t be dismissed. And neither is more important than the other. What happens in the Body is that we sometimes aren’t mature in that dealing with one another when our perspectives are on one side and another’s is on the other. While it’s hard to do so, we should seek that connection point where those relationships or support activities pour into fruitful expressions of life in Christ. And when we see that, we can esteem one another, rather than leaving one another in a state where we are discounting the ability of the Spirit to knit himself into our lives.

Mobile is special. It’s got a boatload of unique qualities, and it’s levels of application can be wide and deep or short and impactful. There is a disconnect between mobile activities that peruse relationships and mobile activities which support or publish those items that support or enrich those relationships. That disconnect is healthy. But the knitting of the Spirit between those is where our focus and fruit of these activities need to lie.