When we think of ministry, do we look over our shoulder to someone behind us? Are we looking for the “other” whom we imagine is the one spoken to when someone mentions ministry? “Who me?” We think of ministers, now days, paid professionals with higher degrees, titles and privilege. We may think of an office filled by someone deserving of respect. But do we think of servant, relief, support, preparation? When we think of ministry Biblically these words should fill our minds. We should also see ourselves in the picture.
Why? Shouldn’t we leave ministry to the professionals? No, at the risk of the church crumbling at its very foundation. No, we are the body of Christ and if there is anything true, it is that we have been called to servanthood. We are:
"… a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. "
2 Corinthians 5:17-20
This verse very clearly includes us as believers in the concept and practical living out of the word ministry. We are called to ministry. We are called to be reconcilers. We are given a charge to bring others to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
So ministry is always about us. How we respond I believe depends on how we are called, how we are gifted and where we are placed. God has always done these things; called us, gifted us and place just where he wants us. Are we listening, using our gifts, aware of those around us and open to the still small voice and what God may want to do I our lives? We don’t need seminary. We don’t have to be a deacon. We certainly don’t have to be perfect, just available and willing. We shouldn’t let anyone disqualify us from service. We should not let anyone or anything keep us from responding to God.
Ministry Monday is about individuals and groups that have heard God’s call and answered it by simply doing what God asked. If you have answered God’s call to ministry and would like to share your ministry story email me, Ruth Eshbaugh at ruthieonart@ruthieonart.com. I am the webmaster for Good News Now and a writer for Lifted Magazine; I would like to write about what God is doing in your life.
Showing posts with label What is Ministry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What is Ministry. Show all posts
Monday, August 20, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Ministry Monday: Puzzle
I have a theory. I believe there are basically two kinds of people, those who like to play cards and those who like to put puzzles together. I am definitely in the puzzle person category. There isn’t really a reason why we puzzle people are what we are, it seems to be a natural occurrence, as my theory goes.
I think it explains why I like serving in the Church. It is like one BIG jig-saw puzzle. There are all sorts of pieces, people pieces, and details to be attended to pieces, personality pieces, talents and gifts pieces. There are young pieces and not so young pieces. And somehow we are all suppose to fit together. Each one of us has a unique place in the big picture in the fellowship of believer in our local church and beyond.
How is it possible for us to all fit together? First, we have a Master Planner who lays out our puzzle ahead of time. He already knows where we are going. He had something in mind when He brought us all together. He’s the one who stands over our shoulder and says, “do you see that piece over there?” Sure enough, it’s the one we’ve been looking for, for at least a half an hour.
Second, I don’t know about you, but at my house it takes the whole family to put a puzzle together. We lay it out on the dining room table for days and we take turns forming the edges and filling in the center. Sometimes we work together, some times alone or in pairs. Often at our house we find ourselves staying up very late to do, “just one more piece.” That’s how the church and its ministries fit together. Over time as we continue to come together, things fall into place, friendships are formed, we become a community. But you know, something I’ve observed is that as a puzzle begins to take form, we tend to tackle the most obvious pieces first . I guess it is because they are easily recognizable. We are sure where they belong. There is comfort in finding our place. But with the complete picture in mind we cannot stop and be satisfied to find only our place in the community. We should continue to work, sometimes late in the night, to fill out the remaining holes in the puzzle, the areas that aren’t so recognizable. It may take effort on our part, a willingness to venture out into the unknown. It means reaching out to new people, being willing try out our gifts, to give freely of our time and talents. It means to not be satisfied being on the sidelines, but to join in. It takes a commitment to the body of Christ.
Where is your place? Maybe you already know. If so, let me encourage you to begin to help others find their place. Maybe you are aware of an area of ministry that isn’t complete and needs to be filled in.
I think you get the picture.
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." Ephesians 2:19
The next few weeks I want to write about "What is ministry?"
I think it explains why I like serving in the Church. It is like one BIG jig-saw puzzle. There are all sorts of pieces, people pieces, and details to be attended to pieces, personality pieces, talents and gifts pieces. There are young pieces and not so young pieces. And somehow we are all suppose to fit together. Each one of us has a unique place in the big picture in the fellowship of believer in our local church and beyond.
How is it possible for us to all fit together? First, we have a Master Planner who lays out our puzzle ahead of time. He already knows where we are going. He had something in mind when He brought us all together. He’s the one who stands over our shoulder and says, “do you see that piece over there?” Sure enough, it’s the one we’ve been looking for, for at least a half an hour.
Second, I don’t know about you, but at my house it takes the whole family to put a puzzle together. We lay it out on the dining room table for days and we take turns forming the edges and filling in the center. Sometimes we work together, some times alone or in pairs. Often at our house we find ourselves staying up very late to do, “just one more piece.” That’s how the church and its ministries fit together. Over time as we continue to come together, things fall into place, friendships are formed, we become a community. But you know, something I’ve observed is that as a puzzle begins to take form, we tend to tackle the most obvious pieces first . I guess it is because they are easily recognizable. We are sure where they belong. There is comfort in finding our place. But with the complete picture in mind we cannot stop and be satisfied to find only our place in the community. We should continue to work, sometimes late in the night, to fill out the remaining holes in the puzzle, the areas that aren’t so recognizable. It may take effort on our part, a willingness to venture out into the unknown. It means reaching out to new people, being willing try out our gifts, to give freely of our time and talents. It means to not be satisfied being on the sidelines, but to join in. It takes a commitment to the body of Christ.
Where is your place? Maybe you already know. If so, let me encourage you to begin to help others find their place. Maybe you are aware of an area of ministry that isn’t complete and needs to be filled in.
I think you get the picture.
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." Ephesians 2:19
The next few weeks I want to write about "What is ministry?"
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