When it comes to ministry, skills do matter but God cares most about our heart qualities for who we are affects what we do.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. (1 Cor. 1:26)
The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Sam. 16:7).
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Prov. 4:23)
As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man. (Prov. 27:19)
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Lk. 6:45)
Ministry Qualities Needed to be Effective
The Bible provides a list of specific traits that will help us be both effective and productive.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Pet. 1:5-8)
The Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool highlights some important ministry qualities and emphasizes how character development needs to be grace-based and a growth process. This resource looks at nine key elements to doing ministry God’s way with ministry qualities being one of those elements.