Faithfulness In Ministry

You heard and knew the grace of God in truth; as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf.

Colossians 1:6–7

In Colossians 1:7, Paul not only calls Epaphras a dear fellow servant, but a “faithful minister of Christ.” Here is another key characteristic of those God uses: faithfulness. When was the last time you heard someone in the body of Christ commended for being so faithful? We speak well of almost every other trait before we think of faithfulness. Yet, in truth, faithfulness in ministry underlies everything else we do for Christ. It’s easy to be faithful in moments of crisis or great need, but I’m talking about those who labor faithfully for the Lord, day in and day out, with little notice. Faithfulness translates into persistence in ministry.

The persistent minister is the one who makes it to the finish line. Teaching Sunday school? Leading a backyard Bible club? Singing in the choir? Serving as a deacon? Faithfulness in these or any other ministry means you will take your last step as you cross the finish line—and not before. Epaphras was that kind of man—a faithful minister of Christ.