Ministry

So let’s chat about “ministry”…… This message might be a little strong but….so be it!

I have been watching and listening and pondering the “church” and “ministry”. There is something that just keeps rising up in my spirit….. the idea of “what” ministry is and “what” the church’s role is. The Lord has been showing me how complicated things have become and how easy it really is to be the sons and daughters of the Maker of heaven and earth.

Now, if we look to the New Testament for guidance we will see that the “Church” is a reference to the body of Christ. We KNOW that the “church” is not a building, a program, a small group, a prayer group…..IT IS US AS BELIEVERS! We are the CHURCH. As a pastor I always try to help clarify and simplify what God is showing us in His word.

Here’s a good way to get a better understanding of the church.

When reading the scriptures and you see the word “church” exchange that word “church” with “the body of Christ”. Here’s an example. Acts 2:47 “And the Lord added to the “church” (the body of Christ/he added people) daily those who were being saved.” Another translation says, “added to their fellowship”. What is does not say is added to a building and programs within the building. Now, I AM NOT SAYING DO NOT DO ANYTHING IN THE BUILDING WHERE WE GATHER FOR WORSHIP…..BUT LET US KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SABBATH WAS FOR BELIEVERS TO COME FOR EDIFICATION/INSTRUCTION AND WORSHIP!! IT DOES NOT SAY TRY TO BRING PEOPLE TO THE CHURCH BUILDING….WE ARE TO GO OUT AND MINISTER THE GOSPEL OF Jesus Christ (letting your life be “seen and read”) AND THE NATURAL SUCCESSION IS FOR THEM TO THEN COME FOR WORSHIP AND INSTRUCTION AND FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. In understanding what and who the church is we can better refine our understanding of “ministry”.

In the last several months I see a greater and greater need for the body of Christ to understand that WE ARE THE MINISTRY! Everyday we have the opportunity for our lives to reveal CHRIST and do the work of the ministry!! I believe that the church has muddled up the idea of what ministry is. Keeping it simple and keeping with the word of God….We are not going into ministry, we are not “called into the ministry” WE ARE THE MINISTRY! We are called to be a reflection of Jesus in the earth.

The Apostle Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 3:2-3, “YOUR LIVES are a LETTER written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Cleary, you are a LETTER FROM CHRIST SHOWING the result of our ministry among you.” So here’s where I’m going guys….. I believe God is wanting HIS CHURCH (us Christians) to actually get out of all our comfort levels and do as HE SAID in the passage entitled “the Great Commission” Matthew 28:16-20, “Therefore, go and make DISCIPLES of all the nations….”. He is speaking to HIS DISCIPLES, THE CHURCH, THE CHRIST FOLLOWERS! We are to GO….living our regular, ordinary lives and “be an epistle read by all men”!! We have not been told to get so caught up “in the ministry”, church programs, small groups, meetings for those small groups and completely miss PEOPLE because of the “ministry demands”!!

I have seen so much “inner circle” christianity in these last years. This comfortable place of “my group”, “my church”, “my friends”, leaves NO room for the real message of a life available and usable for Christ!! The “lost sheep” can’t even brake through those “unseen inner circles” within the body of Christ. This is not a Country Club membership…..this is a work of going out, seeing the lost (the homeless, the drug addicted, the struggling neighbor, the crappy boss). We MUST Lay down our VERY BUSY organizational ways and really truly GO INTO ALL THE WORLD….AKA YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR WORK PLACE, YOUR DAILY PLACES OF INFLUENCE! I used to say all the time (I guess I still do) that we are to see our lives as the mission field….everywhere, everyday, all the time! I want to SEE the people God needs to reach through me, I want to be available …. can’t do that if the ministry demands are a cluster!!

Let’s determine together to actually BE THE MINISTRY FOR OTHERS!!!