"My Ministry Is...."

[HAMel]

As most of you know, I ain't no Yale Graduate and never finished any school of Advanced Theology and 'cernment..., but I've always taken notice when I hear someone say, "My ministry is music; or, My ministry is Driving 'da bus; or, My ministry is Sunday School Director..."

What are these folks really saying? I 'spect what they are really saying is..., "Look at me".

Over the past forty years since the Lord called me to Himself, I've heard a few people testify that when they were called..., they ran! History reflects that some ran emotionally and some ran physically. One "runner" spent three days inside a whale! Had the Lord called me to preach I would have probably ran full speed only to finally collapse.

Accordingly, when I hear someone say, "My ministry is...," this or that it really makes me suspect of their actual calling. I do 'spect they are earnestly trying to serve the Lord but I wonder if they really are in fact serving the Lord or, just fueling their own ego. As individuals we all feel the need to be appreciated on occasion but to satisfy this need in the wrong way is..., well..., it's wrong.

What is my ministry, you ask? Ain't got one short of pointing the finger. I really don't want to discourage anyone but sometimes it would appear that some, in their zeal miss the mark or, miss their real calling.

Okay, so you can sing. Then get up and sing but that doesn't constitute a Ministry. Is handing out tracts a Ministry? Is directing the Christmas play a Ministry? Would helping out in the kitchen for a Church Banquet be considered a Ministry?

...what's a Ministry?

Would faithfully 'praying the rosary' be a ministry? Attending church from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon be considered a ministry? Would jumping the pews and running the isle be considered a ministry?

Tell me. What is a Ministry. A God called Ministry vice a Look At Me Ministry.

 

[DocTrinsoGrace]

The word minister means servant; one how attends or helps or, literally, one who serves. A ministry is the activity of that attending or helping, or, literally, serving. Every ministry has an object: those being attended to or helped or, literally, served. The objects of service can be people or God Himself.

Yes, there are a lot of "look at me" activity that goes on. You don't have to look outside of this forum to see it. Indeed, you see it here more often than anywhere else since, after all, those who are really ministering are busy off elsewhere doing just that.

It isn't very popular in this forum to hold a high view of Scripture, but seeing that Christ and the Apostles used the word ministry of themselves, might I humbly suggest that you look to the source? There are almost 100 instances of the word in the Bible. A little effort will help you see the origins of the word, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if you found out that, more often than not, those folks you hear are using the word rightly.

 

[HAMel]

Doc..., thanks for responding. Yes, there are some out there rightly dividing the Word of Truth and honorably serving in a ministry. Good for them. Some of those ministries however leave much to be desired...

The only real ministry I'm involved in is trying to live a moral and respectful life..., only to be referred to as Old Fashioned. Well, that's fine I suppose. I did offer to build a website for my local church but ran up against a stone wall. "We ain't never had one before so why have one now?"

Anyway, here's an article from World Net Daily where this "Christian Singer"...

"An evangelical Christian worship singer who has been urging churches to change their doctrine on homosexual behavior since announcing she is a lesbian is at the forefront of a coming tidal wave of “infiltration” of the church by promoters of the “gay” agenda, contends evangelical attorney, evangelist and activist Scott Lively.

www.wnd.com/2014/08/churches-warned-tidal-wave-of-gay-theology-looming/#muI3x6C7ZlCqrBv2.99

Well, it's obvious what her ministry involves. The furtherance of her lust.

 

[Gina B]

I guess it's what a person is able and willing to do. If nobody sang or played music, it sure would be sad. I see that as a wonderful ministry. I will never forget a friend who was blessed to have that as her ministry - in her case, she helped people praise, helped comfort them. Wasn't ashamed to stand in a store parking lot and sing a Psalm to me when we ran into each other there and I was on crutches and in tears from pain at that time after getting groceries for my family.

It rather confuses me when people never reach a point of discovering what they do. A ministry is an extension of who a person is, so how can anyone just not have one? It would have to be a conscious desire to NOT act on your instincts, unless someone or something is disabling you.

 

[Thousand Hills]

My ministry is one of making others feel better. We are habitually late to church and our youngin is usually the loudest. Makes everyone feel better that its not them. Just doin my part. :tongue3:

 

[ktn4eg]

Prior to my becoming very physically disabled, "My Ministry" was working with children who rode on the church bus route(s) of the churches of which I was a member (3 churches during that time frame).

Many of these children came from what I suppose you would call "disadvantaged homes." Ultimately their greatest disadvantage was that of living in an environment with very little positive Biblical influence.

When you don't have very much Biblical influence, you don't have as much opportunity to know about the Savior that His Word reveals, and, consequently, how to trust in that Savior and receive His gift of eternal life.

I enjoyed the times I spent visiting with these precious children, and to get to learn about the challenges that they daily faced. My heart breaks for them, mainly because they had very few adults who took the time to love them and to show them of the One who is their greatest Lover of all.

Jesus Christ took time in His busy schedule to care for them, so I felt that I should do so too.

As an additional "bonus," I found that it was a whole lot easier for me to talk with their parents about being saved as well. With very few exceptions, when a parent knows that you care about their children, they'll at least listen to your telling them about what the Bible says about salvation.

I thank God for the opportunity He gave me to serve Him in this way.

 

[Rolfe]

My ministry is one of making others feel better. We are habitually late to church and our youngin is usually the loudest. Makes everyone feel better that its not them. Just doin my part. :tongue3:

:laugh::laugh: