MINISTRY: WHAT IT IS--WHAT IT IS NOT According To The Bible
Ask any Christian what “ministry” is.
The answers will vary, slightly, but for almost anyone who has been in church a while, the answer will be something like this...........
“Oh, I’m not in ministry--that’s the pastor--he’s in ministry.”
or
“Ministry--well--God makes some people the clergy--and the rest of us are th
e lay-people.” or “Ministry is the guy who gives the speeches on Sunday--the pastor. He’s the shepherd and the rest of us are the flock. Oh yeah--there are some people who are evangelists--like Billy Graham.” or “Ministry? It means to serve God and we all have a ministry to do. But God has given some people the office of ministry. They are the paid, professional, full-time ministers. We have to submit to their authority--obey them that have the rule. We all have ministry--but we must be submitted to a spiritual covering.” Think about it. As a Christian, what is your definition of “ministry”? Does it fit into one of these categories? Have you heard these “buzzwords” used to describe the function of ministry in your church? If we truly let the Bible be our guide--all of these definitions are WRONG!
< A “minister” is a servant--it’s what the word means in the Greek: diakonov diakonos {dee-ak'-on-os} probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands) one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister > The Mission...... “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4: 18-19 The Gospel is the purpose of the church. It is the highest goal of the ministry of the church. But take a look at Jesus’ mission statement in these verses. 1. The Good News--the “free gift” --salvation by faith in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus died, shed His blood to forgive the sin of all people. He paid the price to save us from Hell. He opened wide the gates of heaven for all who believe. He left us all with the mission to spread this news. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) It is the first, foremost and ongoing purpose of the church to spread this message, to let people know that Jesus saves.. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. More to the Gospel than you think! “......he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives.......” 2. Healing. Jesus healed the sick. His followers in the Bible prayed for the sick in His name. Praying for the sick is a Gospel purpose and a purpose for the ministry of the church. 3. Deliverance. Jesus cast out the devil. He brought deliverance from every worldly sorrow and pain.. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”(Isaiah 53:4-5) A ministry purpose of the church is to let people know that Jesus can deliver them from pain and sorrow and cast out the devil’s strongholds in every way, wherever they are. A mission for all. A ministry for all. This means that every time we minister in music we MUST fulfill a part of this mission.
e lay-people.” or “Ministry is the guy who gives the speeches on Sunday--the pastor. He’s the shepherd and the rest of us are the flock. Oh yeah--there are some people who are evangelists--like Billy Graham.” or “Ministry? It means to serve God and we all have a ministry to do. But God has given some people the office of ministry. They are the paid, professional, full-time ministers. We have to submit to their authority--obey them that have the rule. We all have ministry--but we must be submitted to a spiritual covering.” Think about it. As a Christian, what is your definition of “ministry”? Does it fit into one of these categories? Have you heard these “buzzwords” used to describe the function of ministry in your church? If we truly let the Bible be our guide--all of these definitions are WRONG!
< A “minister” is a servant--it’s what the word means in the Greek: diakonov diakonos {dee-ak'-on-os} probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands) one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister > The Mission...... “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4: 18-19 The Gospel is the purpose of the church. It is the highest goal of the ministry of the church. But take a look at Jesus’ mission statement in these verses. 1. The Good News--the “free gift” --salvation by faith in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus died, shed His blood to forgive the sin of all people. He paid the price to save us from Hell. He opened wide the gates of heaven for all who believe. He left us all with the mission to spread this news. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) It is the first, foremost and ongoing purpose of the church to spread this message, to let people know that Jesus saves.. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. More to the Gospel than you think! “......he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives.......” 2. Healing. Jesus healed the sick. His followers in the Bible prayed for the sick in His name. Praying for the sick is a Gospel purpose and a purpose for the ministry of the church. 3. Deliverance. Jesus cast out the devil. He brought deliverance from every worldly sorrow and pain.. “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”(Isaiah 53:4-5) A ministry purpose of the church is to let people know that Jesus can deliver them from pain and sorrow and cast out the devil’s strongholds in every way, wherever they are. A mission for all. A ministry for all. This means that every time we minister in music we MUST fulfill a part of this mission.
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