Ministry Head: Fruit of Spirit Not About Being 'Nice'

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Speaking to a crowd of about 350 people on Thursday, the head of an international women's ministry reminded today's top Christian journalists of the method to growing fruits of the spirit.

Elisa Morgan, CEO of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International – a non-profit organization that equips mothers to realize their potentials as women – gave a biblical talk to the attendants of this year's 2007 Evangelical Press Association (EPA) Convention. The convention is held annually to help reporters, editors, and all involved in Christian publications to grow in skills as well as gain some rest from their frantic schedules dominated by deadlines.

The ministry leader took some time to help the audience remember the importance of a relationship with God and developing in faith.

"Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," started out the inspirational speaker. "I love those words. Those are powerful, powerful words."

As part of her speech, Morgan explained the difficulties of living a life filled with the fruits of the spirit. It is sometimes difficult to live out these qualities in life, and Christians often have a "glossy" look at them.

There is a misunderstanding by the faithful that "fruit-filled" equates to "nice." Morgan stressed how Jesus could not always be "nice," however.

"The fruit of the spirit come as we live and act like Jesus, and that's not always 'nice,'" she explained. "We think that growing fruit of the spirit is 100 percent up to us."

The event speaker reminded the audience how we need a dependence on God and on Jesus instead of only relying on ourselves. There is cooperation that must take place between man and the Lord.

"God tends us until we grow qualities that represent His nature," said Morgan. "Our readers and writers don't need just us."

They need Jesus, she added.

Morgan also addressed how humans misunderstand what they truly need. Instead, Christians must attach themselves to God in ways that they do not think they need or want.

"It's not just receiving what we think we need, but what we actually need," highlighted Morgan.

As the most important aspect of her talk, the MOPS head explained how God cares more about if we love Him rather than the actions that we do in an attempt to grow fruit. We sometimes just need rest with the Father.

"We push our need for rest aside," explained Morgan, emphasizing the importance of Sabbath among the Ten Commandments. "Relationship is where the rest occurs."

So what are the fruits of the Spirit?

"The fruit of the Spirit is not about being 'nice,'" concluded the ministry leader. "We need to remove the peeling.

"Think naked fruit."