Are all position's in church a 'ministry'?

[Rachel]

Is every position in the church a ministry?
Regardless if they get paid or not.
From Pastor to music director, to secretary to nursery worker. Aren't they all a ministry??

Also should the positions be only held by members of the congregation? Some churches don't mind if the secretary's or other positions are held by members and even think it's best if they are not.

And is there scripture for this?

 

[just-want-peace]

I feel that ANYTHING a Christian is involved in, is a ministry; at least for the Christian, even if not for others involved!

Don't recall the verses offhand, but Paul states that (paraphrased) "whatever you do, do for God".

That sums it up , I think!

 

[bapmom]

I think they are all ministries, from the preacher to the janitor. I don't really have a problem with a church hiring an outside, professional company to do the cleaning, but if the members themselves get involved in this area it can only strengthen them, give them more of a sense of this church being something they are involved in, too.

Any position that acts as a "face" or a "voice" for the church, though, I believe ought definitely to be a member position.

 

[Rachel]

Don't recall the verses offhand, but Paul states that (paraphrased) "whatever you do, do for God".

You're right.

I consider every position in the church a ministry. I don't understand why some don't.

Any position that acts as a "face" or a "voice" for the church, though, I believe ought definitely to be a member position.

I do too. I was a church secretary for a time and I always considered it a ministry.

I went to a church that ended up thinking it was best to hire someone that wasn't a church member for a secretary. I thought that was nuts, I didn't like that at all. It was not a big church, but there were a few willing qualified people there wanting the 'job'. A secretary is privy to sensitive information . I just don't understand the thinking behind hiring someone that doesn't have a vested interest in the church they are working in.

 

[donnA]

I think anything we do to serve in church or to serve God in general even away from our church is ministry.

min·is·try


1.
a. The act of serving; ministration.
b. One that serves as a means; an instrumentality.

2.
a. The profession, duties, and services of a minister.
b. The Christian clergy.
c. The period of service of a minister.
3.
a. A governmental department presided over by a minister.
b. The building in which such a department is housed.
c. The duties, functions, or term of a governmental minister.
d. often Ministry Governmental ministers considered as a group.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ministry

 

[Ed Edwards]

Amen, Sister donnA - you are RIGHT ON!

May God bless you, your family, and your ministry!
Amen!

 

[Deacon]

To the church management, a job is a job.
Legally as an hourly (non-exempt) employee, a job and a ministry must be separate entities. You are paid for one, and not paid for the other.

You are hired to perform a certain task and that's the job you are paid for.

Your ministry is the part that you do not get paid for.

Not defining them leads to possible overtime issues and potential legal problems for the employer.

Of course to God, both can be a ministry!
And that's the view that an employee should have too.

Rob

 

[SaggyWoman]

I know people that gossip for free, and consider it a ministry.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Rachel:
Is every position in the church a ministry?

If they're not in practice, then they should be in spirit.

Also should the positions be only held by members of the congregation?

There's no scriptural absolute on this. Each church is free to decide this for itself. It's not a right/wrong or scriptural/unscriptural issue. We should not make it one.

Originally posted by Deacon:
Your ministry is the part that you do not get paid for.

There are a lot of pastors who get paid that will disagree with you. A lot of youth ministers and music ministers who will likewise agree with you. And, seeing as how scripture does not define a ministry as being without renumeration as a requisite, those folks' disagreement would hold water.

 

[Brother Ian]

In fact most positions in the church are filled by volunteers. All are a ministry.

Col 3:23 says, "Whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord not unto men."

 

[fatbacker]

Over the period of time defintions of words get changed based on how you use them and although what your talking about does not fit websters dictonary does not mean that what ever you do for the church is not ministry. I can think of several words off the top of my head that are not even close to the origninal definition anymore and have changed because of the way people use the word or just aren't used anymore.

In our time pretty much everything you do for the church and God is considered a ministry by most. If your an intellectual and want to stick strictly to the definition then no its not.

And that last paragraph sounds pretty liberal...lol
I guess if it makes you feel good... hehe

 

[SaggyWoman]

Money or the lack of money does not equal ministry

 

[mcdirector]

Originally posted by SaggyWoman:
I know people that gossip for free, and consider it a ministry.

Do we go to the same church?

-----------------------------------

I may make a distinction between those paid in the ministry and those who are just in the ministry, but only due to pay -- Ministers vs volunteers.

In actuality, some who are unpaid ministers (us poor ordinary lay people aka volunteers) do a whole bunch of work for the ministry. Did that make any sense??

I'm in an unpaid position with the title of "Director" . There is one paid employee and 60 volunteers in my area of responsibility. We have so many people who are paid for what they do that people are frequently surprised to find out that I am a volunteer. My ministry area touches an untold number of people though. Am I a minister??