Post by Zac Loh on Aug 15, 2009 9:00:20 GMT -5
Every budding minister of the Word needs an additional 3 Ms on top of the present M for Ministry ...the minister needs the M for Mentors, the M for Manpower and the M for Money.
There are ministers who are struggling in solitude right now. I pray that hearts will go out.
As for the seasoned, successful and battle-hardened minister, I suppose the challenge would be to stay true to their original calling (and do correct me if I am wrong!).
In any case, may we be kind to one another in thoughts, encourage one another in words, and help one another in deeds. Let's love one another.
The Focus Of Ministry
Acts 12:24-25
But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12:24)
It seems that the early church as a whole had grown in spiritual maturity. The focus had shifted from counting the number of people who believed, to the growth and multiplication of the Word. It means that more and more people were having the Word.
At this juncture, the highlight moved from getting believers, to making disciples.
The initial emphasis of the early church was reaching unbelievers, now they were more concern about teaching believers. These two themes of reaching unbelievers and teaching believers run in parallel. These two pillars of ministry are of equal importance and deserve our equal attention.
The disciples weren’t followers of certain personalities, groups or organizations.
Their spiritual allegiance was to the universal body of Christ.
They were disciples of Jesus Christ through propagating the Word and practicing the Word.
One of the marks of a truly effective teaching ministry is when the people are growing in the desire and hunger to study the Word themselves.
Sadly, this is lacking nowadays.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12:25; underline mine)
Barnabas and Paul weren’t so much promoting and building their ministry …as much as they were fulfilling the ministry that God had given to them.
Logically speaking, the more popular we are, the more widely accepted we are; the easier it is, to fulfill our ministry.
Nevertheless, when we give ourselves in such a devotion to purposefully, deliberately promote and build our ministry …there is the danger that our eyes be diverted from fulfilling the actual ministry.
The real issue is whether we are discerning the specifics for our ministry …and not trying to be, to do, what everyone thinks we should do …and not striving to meet every requirement and demand …and not under the compulsion to seize every opportunity and opening regardless of God’s will.
The question we need to ask ourselves: how much can we faithfully stay true to our heavenly convictions, and at the same time, attempting to remain popular?
While it is good stewardship to promote and build our ministry, we need to take heed, to be careful not to go overboard. We find this optimal balance through fellowship with God.
God’s servants are those who are desperately yearning to hear His voice. God put His servants in a spot so they will continually seek His face.
There are ministers who are struggling in solitude right now. I pray that hearts will go out.
As for the seasoned, successful and battle-hardened minister, I suppose the challenge would be to stay true to their original calling (and do correct me if I am wrong!).
In any case, may we be kind to one another in thoughts, encourage one another in words, and help one another in deeds. Let's love one another.
The Focus Of Ministry
Acts 12:24-25
But the word of God grew and multiplied. (Acts 12:24)
It seems that the early church as a whole had grown in spiritual maturity. The focus had shifted from counting the number of people who believed, to the growth and multiplication of the Word. It means that more and more people were having the Word.
At this juncture, the highlight moved from getting believers, to making disciples.
The initial emphasis of the early church was reaching unbelievers, now they were more concern about teaching believers. These two themes of reaching unbelievers and teaching believers run in parallel. These two pillars of ministry are of equal importance and deserve our equal attention.
The disciples weren’t followers of certain personalities, groups or organizations.
Their spiritual allegiance was to the universal body of Christ.
They were disciples of Jesus Christ through propagating the Word and practicing the Word.
One of the marks of a truly effective teaching ministry is when the people are growing in the desire and hunger to study the Word themselves.
Sadly, this is lacking nowadays.
And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark. (Acts 12:25; underline mine)
Barnabas and Paul weren’t so much promoting and building their ministry …as much as they were fulfilling the ministry that God had given to them.
Logically speaking, the more popular we are, the more widely accepted we are; the easier it is, to fulfill our ministry.
Nevertheless, when we give ourselves in such a devotion to purposefully, deliberately promote and build our ministry …there is the danger that our eyes be diverted from fulfilling the actual ministry.
The real issue is whether we are discerning the specifics for our ministry …and not trying to be, to do, what everyone thinks we should do …and not striving to meet every requirement and demand …and not under the compulsion to seize every opportunity and opening regardless of God’s will.
The question we need to ask ourselves: how much can we faithfully stay true to our heavenly convictions, and at the same time, attempting to remain popular?
While it is good stewardship to promote and build our ministry, we need to take heed, to be careful not to go overboard. We find this optimal balance through fellowship with God.
God’s servants are those who are desperately yearning to hear His voice. God put His servants in a spot so they will continually seek His face.