The Ministry Question
“What’s you’re ministry?” have you ever been asked that question? Have you ever just had a lot of trouble answering it?
Today in our post church bible study (or whatever you call it… maybe Sunday school) we had a really stimulating conversation about ministry. We talked about the necessity for Christians to be involved in ministry. This I agree with. We are, as followers of Christ called to ministry, each one of us, not just pastors or worship leaders but everyone who claims Christ. But I worry about how we pressure that necessity. There seems to be a lot of pressure on Christians to involve themselves in some sort of organized ministry. Today in our class Chris, the man who facilitated the conversation, got us thinking about ministry as something you do on a regular basis, “This isn’t ushering once a week or singing in kids church once a month,” he told us. He was trying to get us to think of ministry as something bigger. This was all good but he still pressured us to be able to identify an ministry we’re involved in. He was pressuring us to be part of “a ministry” as in an organized/facilitated/structured organization. My worry is that we are separating, too far, ministry from our everyday lives.
Maybe for you to understand my worry I’d better define ministry. Ministry, at it’s core, is simply meeting needs. We could talk for a while trying to understand what this means but it’s a very simple definition. Here’s some questions: does it have to be so organized? In organizing ourselves into a ministry for several hours a week are we excusing ourselves from ministry outside of that schedule? Do we have to be in “a ministry” to do ministry? Why can’t ministry be something we do, or at least seek to do, all day everyday?
If I had to answer the question right now; “What’s you’re ministry?” I would say something like “being a good roommate and a good student.” I deeply care about the needs that lie outside that box but this is the situation in which God has placed me. I live in San Diego so I can’t fully commit myself to LA and I go to school in LA so I can’t commit to San Diego either, should I feel guilty? What I can commit to is being a minister wherever I am lead; in the Cafeteria, on the Rugby pitch, in the classroom, etc. That is my ministry.
If you are passionate about something and an organization is doing something there then join them. But when asked “What’s you’re ministry?” don’t feel like you have to name some group title. Your life is your ministry. What you have to ask now is “what am I doing with my life?” The ministry question just got a whole lot bigger.
By the way pray for Ashley, she’s sick.
Today in our post church bible study (or whatever you call it… maybe Sunday school) we had a really stimulating conversation about ministry. We talked about the necessity for Christians to be involved in ministry. This I agree with. We are, as followers of Christ called to ministry, each one of us, not just pastors or worship leaders but everyone who claims Christ. But I worry about how we pressure that necessity. There seems to be a lot of pressure on Christians to involve themselves in some sort of organized ministry. Today in our class Chris, the man who facilitated the conversation, got us thinking about ministry as something you do on a regular basis, “This isn’t ushering once a week or singing in kids church once a month,” he told us. He was trying to get us to think of ministry as something bigger. This was all good but he still pressured us to be able to identify an ministry we’re involved in. He was pressuring us to be part of “a ministry” as in an organized/facilitated/structured organization. My worry is that we are separating, too far, ministry from our everyday lives.
Maybe for you to understand my worry I’d better define ministry. Ministry, at it’s core, is simply meeting needs. We could talk for a while trying to understand what this means but it’s a very simple definition. Here’s some questions: does it have to be so organized? In organizing ourselves into a ministry for several hours a week are we excusing ourselves from ministry outside of that schedule? Do we have to be in “a ministry” to do ministry? Why can’t ministry be something we do, or at least seek to do, all day everyday?
If I had to answer the question right now; “What’s you’re ministry?” I would say something like “being a good roommate and a good student.” I deeply care about the needs that lie outside that box but this is the situation in which God has placed me. I live in San Diego so I can’t fully commit myself to LA and I go to school in LA so I can’t commit to San Diego either, should I feel guilty? What I can commit to is being a minister wherever I am lead; in the Cafeteria, on the Rugby pitch, in the classroom, etc. That is my ministry.
If you are passionate about something and an organization is doing something there then join them. But when asked “What’s you’re ministry?” don’t feel like you have to name some group title. Your life is your ministry. What you have to ask now is “what am I doing with my life?” The ministry question just got a whole lot bigger.
By the way pray for Ashley, she’s sick.