Ministry to the Church

Weekly Update – May 12th, 2022

As Christians, we are all called to a type of ministry.  There is no such thing as isolating ourselves from other believers, just as there is no such thing as inactivity when it comes to serving the Lord.  We are to be actively investing ourselves into the lives of others, younger and older, mature and immature, similar to us or different.  Ministry isn’t only a call to those who are paid or to those with certain positions, but as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12, every single one of us make up the church and we all exist for a purpose.  Now, we typically think of ministries such as greeting, serving on committees, and Sunday school teaching, etc., as what Paul might be referring to when he mentions everyone’s role as a member of the body. The problem with viewing our roles as members only in this sort of way, is that we exclude the informal building up of others that is so vital for the health of the church.

When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he told them in chapter 1, verse 29 that his ministry to the church was for the goal of presenting “everyone mature in Christ.”  Likewise in Philippians chapter 1, verse 6, Paul is confident that his partnership in the gospel with the Philippians will lead to God completing his work in them on the last day.  All throughout the New Testament we see that ministry within the church is for the goal of Christlikeness being built up in every believer.  That means that we cannot be content with merely holding a position and claiming that our ministry is complete when we show up for a meeting or an activity.  Our ministry in the church involves others and it involves their growth in Christ. 

Therefore our ministry to others will take time.  In 1 Thessalonians 2:9, Paul says to his disciples in the Thessalonian church, “For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil:  we worked night and day…while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”  Not only will our ministry take time, but it will also take effort.  In Colossians 1:29, Paul says, “for this (ministry) I toil, struggling with all his (Christ) energy that he powerfully works within me.”  Then, not only will our ministry take time and effort, but it will take sacrifice.  Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 16, “but we have this treasure (gospel ministry) in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  We are afflicted …crushed …perplexed …persecuted …forsaken …but we do not lose heart.”  

What this means then is that while ministry occurs within the walls of the church, it must also occur beyond them.  Faithfulness to our ministry entails that we realize our Christian lives are first, not about us, then second, going to often be inconvenienced.  We can’t have the mentality that the scheduled activities of the church are all that we need to fill up some sort of spiritual tank.  Instead, we must see that as Christians we are all called into ministry and that ministry includes the faith of others as together we move towards the goal of being mature and complete in Christ.

As summer is upon us, I urge you to get involved in the lives of others.  Continue to commit to scheduled services and activities within the walls of the church, but commit beyond that as well.  Begin meeting with someone, informally commit to pray with another believer, get involved in the life of someone from a different age bracket.  If you don’t know where to start, connect with a home group and begin forming these deeper friendships within these groups.  Either way, make the most of this summer by fulfilling your ministry through investing in others.  It may take time and effort or even a bit of sacrifice, but in the end, it will serve you and it will serve them, as we all strive for the goal of completeness in Christ. 

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson