It seems like ministry today has been reduced to strategy and outcomes and production. And, frankly, that is what makes you famous - developing a new ministry strategy. If you can reproduce it and sell it, you can get a book deal.

Ministry to "the least of these" is about people, and it's messy. But there are godly people all over this country who have been loving people in the name of Jesus, and I think that's real ministry.

We hear some crazy stories. Like heroin addicts leading each other to Christ. God using heroin addicts! It blows all your stereotypes. The activity of the Spirit among the marginalized is amazing. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, is God at work inside the church? Sometimes I don't know, but I do know he's at work outside the church.

Sometimes we're just reluctant to join him on the margins.

Excerpted from Social Justice in Your Community, a new downloadable resource from Gifted for Leadership.