Day 4: To Minister – Empowerment of the Church

A New Tackle Box to Minister

• Sometimes we have to take a hard look at all the gear we have to see if its appropriate for the job at hand. Sometimes we have to buy new things, repair old, or even start over.
• Today we are going to present another radical idea: you must shatter all of your pre-conceived notions about what “ministry” is.
• Ministry is not simply preaching behind a pulpit, teaching in front of a youth class, being a member in the choir or other areas where you would like to “minister.”
• Ministry is not a position or post that we work up to, like it’s a promotion at a job, yet that is how we view and treat it.
• In the New Testament church, the fivefold ministry (Eph 4:11) was provided by church leadership, but all members were expected to minister.

You…Yes You Can Minister to Others

• Stan Gleason says, “it is a wonderful thing when the saints believe in the pastor, but it is even more wonderful when the pastor believes in the saints.”
• Pastor Jones believes in every single one of you to minister to, and to disciple others. When you read Acts 6, carefully consider how there was revival when the twelve Apostles empowered disciples to minister.

Ministry Outside of Our Walls

• In Acts 8, there was a radical shift in the church when many of the disciples were forced to leave Jerusalem.
• The dispersion of the disciples didn’t weaken the church, it made it stronger. What do you think would happen if the majority of our ministry was carried out beyond the walls of our worship center and by all the saints?

In the New Testament, “ministry” is a verb, and it also means deacon and servant. But what does it mean to serve? How do you serve in your local church? How have you been served? Do you primarily serve others in the church, or do you serve those outside of the church?

Final Thoughts

In your personal devotion of prayer today, ask God what would need to happen in your life so you feel confident to minister outside of the walls of our worship center. Ask him for a vision of what that service would look like, then ask him for the confidence to follow his lead.

Biblical Devotion

Isaiah 61:1-11  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;  (2)  to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;  (3)  to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.  (4)  They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.  (5)  Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;  (6)  but you shall be called the priests of the LORD; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.  (7)  Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.  (8)  For I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.  (9)  Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the LORD has blessed.  (10)  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.  (11)  For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.

Acts 6:1-8  Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.  (2)  And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.  (3)  Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.  (4)  But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  (5)  And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.  (6)  These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.  (7)  And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. 

Acts 8:4-6, 12, 14-17  Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.  (5)  Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.  (6)  And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. (12)  But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (14) Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,  (15)  who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,  (16)  for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  (17)  Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Luke 22:26-27  But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. (27)  For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

1 Peter 4:9-11  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.  (10)  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:  (11)  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Psalms 103:21  Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!

Psalms 104:3-4  He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind;  (4)  he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire.