Welcome to our first blog post. This has been a long time coming, as many of you likely know life can often get in the way. This is one of the reasons we feel compelled to create and publish this blog. Our non-profit ministry is called “Ministry-Manna”, and our purpose is to grow and expand life’s ministries through learning, life, and love.
We feel the call of God on our lives in many areas, but there are three very distinct areas. Operational help and support for ministries and small churches that cannot afford the hiring of consultants to help them out. Marriage relationships and life support for those on the outer fringes of society. Specifically those transitioning out of jail back into society and those who are struggling to find a home. This blog will be used to bring you learnings, conversations and a share in the experience as we delve into all that God is doing in us, around us and through us.
Unity
You don’t have to look far into our society to understand that we need unity. We seem to be more divided today than I can remember in my lifetime. We talk about being united, and we see pockets of those claiming alignment in one area or another, and for the reasons of alignment, they may very well be united. But being united and having unity are two different things. When I, Ricky, was younger I heard a preacher once use this analogy. “If you bind the tails of two cats together and then hang them over a clothes line, they are in deed united, but UNITY is not what you will witness!” Now I am not advocating for abusing animals, but I do see the point in this analogy. We often come together under one cause or another and unite for the cause. But underneath the purpose for alignment, we all have our own reasons and objectives that are not aligned, thus we do not have unity, or being together as one. There is a Martin Luther King quote that highlights this misalignment. Which I have attached here for all to see.
(imgur.com)
If we ever want to make the difference in this world that God has given us the power and authority to do, we must find a way to come together as one church, one people, in UNIITY for His Kingdom.
1 Peter 3:8 says: “Finally, all of you should be of one mind (Unity of Mind, my emphasis), sympathize with each other, Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude. NLT Version.
God bless you all! Remember, “All of life is ministry, your either the Minister, the Ministee, or Both!
Ricky and Christina Banks
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