Question 1

What is God calling me to do?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 9:37-3He [Jesus] said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”People are ready to hear and receive the Good News of God’s love. But with this promise comes the responsibility to work and to pray. The Lord expects us to enter fully into his work of having our lives show the world his love.Matthew 16:18-19“Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you lock on earth will be locked in heaven, and whatever you open on earth will be opened in heaven.”As followers of Christ, we are part of the Church or the people of God. God has promised that one day the kingdom of darkness will be overcome and victory will be his. Until then, we have work to do and battles to fight against the forces of evil. We must not be on the defensive, biding our time until victory comes. Instead, we should take the offensive and overcome evil with good.

Question 2

How do I know that God will help me minister for him?

Accepted Answer

Acts 1:8“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”When God calls us, he also equips us. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us fulfill whatever calling he has given us to minister to others.1 Corinthians 12:4-7There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.1 Corinthians 12:14-18, 21-22, 27Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. . . . The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. . . . All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.God has given every believer the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit also gives every believer gifts. We may feel less important than others in the body of believers, but that doesn’t change the fact that without us, the body is incomplete. Each believer has been given gifts to benefit the Church, and great joy is ours as we use God’s gifts and share them with others.Ephesians 4:11-13Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.Colossians 1:9-10So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.We may want to avoid the responsibilities of ministry, thinking it is something for professional pastors. But God has called all Christians to serve him, and he has promised that through faithful ministry, we will grow into maturity.

Question 3

What do I do if I am afraid or intimidated by ministry?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 28:18-20Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”When afraid or intimidated by ministry, we should remember that Jesus has complete authority over the earth and all spiritual powers, and he has promised to exercise it on our behalf. As we serve him, we have the promise of his presence and power.2 Timothy 1:7God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.Fear comes when we believe the deceptions and distortions of the evil one. Faith and empowerment come from believing the promises of God.Matthew 5:15-16“No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”John 11:10“But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.”Galatians 1:10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.Many live in the darkness, blind to Christ’s love for them. So when afraid or intimidated by ministry, we should remember that we have the power to shine that light into the lives of others. Some may ignore us. Some may make fun of us. Some may even be angry at us. But whatever people think of us, seeing a brother or sister find his or her way into the loving arms of Christ will always be worth it.Ephesians 6:10-11A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.1 John 4:4You belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.When afraid or intimidated by ministry, we should remember that evil cannot intimidate us if we truly trust in the Lord and make use of his provisions for us.

Question 4

How does serving in church leadership differ from having a ministry of service?

Accepted Answer

Acts 20:28“So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.”Romans 10:13-15For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”A minister is usually defined as someone who is ordained (specially set apart) by a church or association of churches for special religious duties. In the early church, these ministers were often called elders. In Acts 20, we see Paul speaking to the elders from Ephesus and highlighting their main responsibilities—to preach and teach the Scriptures (“feed”) and to guide and lead (“shepherd”).1 Peter 5:2-4Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.Elders are to care for their congregations, the people entrusted to them.1 Timothy 1:3When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth.Titus 1:5I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you.Some elders were given specific locations in which to minister. Timothy’s assignment, for example, was Ephesus, and Titus’s was Crete.1 Timothy 5:17-18Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”These church leaders became the professional ministers, much like the Old Testament priests, in that they were paid for their work.Romans 12:6-8In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.1 Corinthians 12:4-7There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.Ephesians 4:11-12Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.1 Peter 4:10-11God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever!All believers are given spiritual gifts that they are to use “to build up the church.” Whether professional ministers or not, we are called to this ministry.Matthew 25:34-40“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”Clearly, part of our ministry as followers of Christ is to reach out in compassion to “the least of these.”1 Peter 3:15-16You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.Christ also expects his followers to minister to others by sharing God’s good news of salvation.

Question 5

As a minister, how do I deal with the unrealistic expectations of others?

Accepted Answer

Romans 1:1This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.Galatians 1:1This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.Paul states unequivocally that he was “chosen by God” to be an apostle and preacher. A minister’s primary obligation is to be faithful to the calling and to meet God’s expectations. People’s expectations conflict with God’s, the minister must follow God.1 Timothy 4:12-13Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.Timothy was a young man when he was assigned to lead the church in Ephesus, and Paul knew that people would make assumptions about him because of his youth. His answer? Be a good example and continue to minister, regardless of what people think or say.2 Timothy 2:15Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.Regardless of anyone’s expectations, the minister should continue to be a “good worker” who “explains the word of truth.”2 Timothy 4:5You should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.The minister should “keep a clear mind” and “fully carry out the ministry” but be ready to suffer.Proverbs 15:31If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise.All believers, including ministers, should be open to others’ thoughts, ideas, and constructive criticism.

Ministry