Ministry

The Reason Why Your Personal Ministry Is Pivotal For The People

Matthew gave an incredible view of Jesus’ own ministry. He shows us the preaching ministry of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He shows us the teaching ministry of Jesus in such places as Matthew 21-22 where Jesus speaks about the Temple, his authority, and different parables. He shows us the healing ministry of Jesus in chapters 8-9 where Jesus heals ten times in only two chapters. What we see is that Jesus’ ministry is one of preaching, teaching, and healing.

Jesus’ Ministry Through The Disciples

In Matthew 10:1-15 (particularly in verses 1 and 7), we see Jesus send the disciples out on mission. They were to go about to minister to the people as well. But, whose ministry would this be? Was it their own ministry? No. The ministry is not theirs but rather it is Jesus’ ministry through them.

When Jesus sends them, he sends them out to proclaim the same gospel and to heal the same broken people. Jesus sends us out to do His ministry as well. No, this is not only ministry work for paid church staff or really committed volunteers. All Christians are sent out to do ministry (Mt. 28:16-20; Eph. 4:12). If you are a Christian, you have a ministry. But, here is the thing. It’s not your ministry. It’s Jesus’ ministry through you.

The reason Jesus gives you the gifts that He gives you and the reason Jesus has you living in the place where you are living is that He seeks to minister to the people around you. It’s His ministry, not yours. He desires to reach those people much more than you ever will. Do you have the gift of teaching? Do you have the gift of service? Do you have the gift of compassion? What gifts do you have? He wants to use your gifts, the gifts He has given you, to bring those people to Him.

The Ministry of Jesus Through You

You might be thinking, “I don’t have any supernatural gifts but only natural gifts.” You need to remember that these gifts have been given to you by God our Creator. We are to do all things for the glory of God and the mission of Christ. Are you a doctor? Are you a lawyer? Are you a stay at home parent? Are you great at administration? Are you passionate about hosting others at your home? Do you have finances that you can wisely give to the ministries that need your help? What are your gifts?

These gifts are for the ministry of Jesus. It is not your ministry; it’s Jesus’ ministry through you! This means that you can have complete confidence that where you are and who surrounds you that Jesus is there and He is at work. You can have the boldness to go out into your work, neighborhood, school, and community because you know you have been equipped by the Holy Spirit. You can get excited because no one is more passionate about the ministry than God Himself! Your ministry is not yours. It’s Jesus’ ministry.

The Church Needs YOU

That’s what makes your personal ministry pivotal for the people. Jesus has equipped you with the gifts He wants you to have so that He can minister in that way through you. Here is why that’s encouraging. No gift is small or insignificant. The world may say that there are more important gifts than others but that’s not true. As Francis Schaeffer says, “There are no small people.”

In our celebrity culture, we are lead astray by thinking that only the “up-front” gifts are what builds the church. God loves working in the small and humble gifts. He loves working in the ordinary day-to-day acts. He does more in the “small acts of kindness and love” than some do with their more public gifts. We need people like Martha who find their primary calling in serving others. Not everyone is called to speak, write, and lead. Everyone is called to something. Jesus doesn’t need celebrities. He uses you.

What if you having people over for a nice dinner and godly conversation is one of the ways in which God builds His kingdom through you? What if Jesus wants to minister to others through you by your giving a Christian book to someone? What if Jesus desires to change someone’s life simply through your godly character and counsel as a school teacher? Don’t underestimate Him.

How might this encourage you? How does this make you bold? How does this motivate you to use your gifts? Ministry is not about us. It’s about Him. It’s about Jesus showing His glory through the gifts He has given us. Jesus wants to minister through you. That’s the reason why ministry, the ministry of Jesus through you, is pivotal for the people.

Let’s Hear It For Our Church MVPs: Our Seniors

April 2, 2020

Since the rise of the current pandemic, our seniors have been cast in the spotlight. Chiefly so, because they are the ones who have been statistically identified as being the most susceptible to the gravest effects of COVID-19. Today, I’d like for us to reflect on the fact that they should be in the spotlight for another reason: the Church absolutely needs them! Here are four reasons why:

1. We need their prayers.

Our seniors have walked with God for some time. They have experienced his sanctifying work in their lives and have learned how to humbly approach His throne of grace, fully reliant upon his mercies, effectually praying according to His will.

In the short time that I’ve been here, I’ve seen God work in ways that can only be explained as an act of His Spirit in response to the means he has ordained to accomplish His ends, prayer (James 5:16). I’ve been to a few of the Senior Bible studies and have personally witnessed earnest prayers being lifted on behalf of certain individuals and the entire church. God has worked marvelously through the prayers of these saints. So, seniors, wherever you are, even in these times, know this, we as a church need your prayers.

2. We need their practical, biblical wisdom.

Moses was arguably one of the greatest leaders in scripture. He was someone who was audibly chosen and led by God. But guess what? If he could speak to us in person today, he would tell us that without the wisdom of a senior, his father-in-law Jethro (see Exodus 18:1-27), he would have probably continued to needlessly expend energy and strength in a very unwise manner, trying to manage everything on his own. It took the wisdom of a senior to help him become more efficient in accomplishing a task that God himself had given him.

Bruce Watke and Haddon Robinson were both seminary professors by whom I had the benefit of being taught. Both were well into their 80s when they taught me. Haddon has since gone on to be with the Lord.

I’m so thankful that these men continued to pass on their biblical knowledge and life experiences until they literally could not do so anymore. Whether through teaching a class (like Ken Utley), sharing a comment during a Bible Study, or encouraging a young woman during fellowship, every church member needs the wisdom that comes from decades of studying the Word mixed with decades of experience.

Seniors, please continue to speak into the lives of younger believers with love and truth and grace. The church needs your wisdom, biblical wisdom that only comes from years spent in the Word and walking with Christ in both life’s joys and sorrows.

3. We need their encouragement.

As senior saints, their words of encouragement matters. How impactful it is, for example, to see instances where a young sleep-deprived parent lights up because a senior, from the heart, simply says something like, “Your kids are a joy.” And how about the discouraged empty-nesters, struggling with change, who through a senior couple, rediscover hope, as they witness God’s faithfulness in marriages spanning decades of time.

As the Psalmist exclaims, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4). Dear senior, please don’t hesitate to share your stories of provision and grace and forgiveness, and to remind us of God’s goodness and faithfulness. We need your encouragement.

4. We need their presence.

Unfortunately, none of us can closely gather at this time, but when the time comes for us to once again gather as a body of believers, seniors, your presence among us is essential.

There’s something particularly special about the redeemed people of God coming together for worship and seeing a full range of age groups. There’s something about coming together to worship with people who are different than us, even generationally. That sort of diversity points to the beauty of the gospel and the glory of God. There’s just something special about knowing fellow saints who can speak of God never abandoning them through decades that powerfully reminds us of the faithfulness of God.

Considering all that I’ve stated above, I pray that we would all take some time to thank God for sustaining and keeping our seniors among us, after all, they are, our MVPs.

 

What Duties Does The Congregation Have Towards Its Pastors?

The following is an excerpt from one of Jonathan Edwards’ most famous sermons entitled “The True Excellency of a Gospel Minister”. At the very end, Edwards gives a very helpful application of what the congregation’s responsibilities and duties are towards a minister who seeks to fulfill his calling as the local pastor. When the pastor seeks to teach the truth and walk in the truth, he is worthy to be followed.

It would be very helpful for anyone in our church to read and think about Edwards’ sermon in order to get an accurate picture of the high calling that our pastors are called to. This section, in particular, is worth relaying to you via the blog. I can say from my brief witness of our church that there is such great warmth, respect, and love that you have for your church staff that I commend this reading not out of rebuke but as an encouragement to see the work of the Spirit in your lives and especially in the lives of your elders and deacons who set the tone for the church.

And as it is your duty, to pray that your minister may…become such a blessing to you, so you should do your part to make him so, by supporting him, and putting him under the best advantage with a mind free from worldly cares, and the pressure of outward wants and difficulties, [in order] to give him wholly to his work. And by all proper acts of respect, kindness, and assistance, to encourage his heart and strengthen his hands [rather than to live in such a way as to] obscure and extinguish the light that would shine among you and to smother and suppress the flame by casting dirt upon it… And particularly when your minister shows himself to be a burning light, by burning with a proper zeal against any wickedness that may be breaking out among his people, and manifests [this zeal by speaking out against it] in the preaching of the word or by a faithful exercise of the discipline of God’s house, [then take it] thankfully…submitting to him in it, as you ought, [in order] to not raise up another fire of your unhallowed passions, reflecting upon and reproaching him for his faithfulness. [Here is how] you will act very unbecoming a christian people, and show yourselves very ungrateful to your minister, and to Christ, who has bestowed upon you so faithful a minister [that if you fight against your minister] you will fight against Christ and your own souls. If Christ gives you a minister that is a burning and shining light, take heed that you do not hate the light, because your deeds are reproved by it; but love and rejoice in his light… Let your frequent [attitude and action] be to your minister for instruction in soul cases and under all spiritual difficulties; and be open to the light and willing to receive it and be obedient to it. And…walk as children of light, and follow your minister wherein he is a follower of Christ (as a burning and shining light). If you continue to do so, your path will be the path of the just, which shines more and more to the perfect day, and the end of your course shall be in those blissful regions of everlasting light above, where you shall shine forth with your minister, and both with Christ, as the sun in the kingdom of the heavenly Father.

The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2 (Banner of Truth: Edinburgh, UK 2009), p. 960