Monday, July 05, 2010

RECAP: MEnistry OR Ministry

MEnistry or Ministry.....hmmm, well last week’s topic for me was very impactful. It was an eye opener on what our ministry should be and what it should NOT be.

The Myths Of Ministry

1)Ministry is something you do and keep doing until you drop
Most people have this very big misconception about serving in a ministry. It is not something you do until you drop – it is not duty

Mat 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

2)You must join a particular ministry because if not, there is no one else! You must!!!!
It is not something that you join out of guilt or out of obligation because otherwise, there is no one else. This is not true as God will always provide

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

2Cor 9:6-7 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

3)It’s All About You

There is no one ministry that is above the other.It’s not about your abilities or how well you performed to grow a particular ministry

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others

So Then What is Ministry about…….

The Truths Of Ministry

1)Availing ourselves to point others to Christ – vessels that is doing it unto God
We are here to Guide people to Christ. We do NOT steal the limelight away from God

John 1:22-23 So they said to him, "Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" .He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said."

John 1:26-27 John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."

2) It gives life – it inspires us to draw closer to God

The ministry must NOT draw us away from God. Those in ministry also cannot draw people away from God (people come to CF just for the music, not worship)
The ministry must still help those serving and those they serve to continually refresh our experience and earnestly to seek God

Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

3) Working together with God AND each other

Working together with God AND with each other – because the ultimate goal of ministry is to bring the love of Christ to others, Christian or otherwise.Not just during CF night… it’s how we do our meetings, how we serve others on a day to day basis
It is not a competition to see which ministry can do better or get more attention / members

1Cor 3:4-7 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

So One Question Still Remains What Will You CHOOSE……Ministry or MEnistry?