Ministry Focus & Equipping | Christian Ministry Training Blog

Hopeful in Ministry?

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 5 Comments ↓

If you are a leader, you may seek to follow God’s design for His church. You may spur people on to doing their part. You then HOPE the church will grow and build itself up in love.

If you teach, you may try to have the right teacher to student ratio, use creative methodology, and go the extra mile investing into you students’ lives. You then HOPE that what you do will make an eternal difference in their lives.

If you are a people helper, you may come along side of people with counsel, comfort, and the assistance they need. You then HOPE they will see the love of Christ coming through you.

Regardless of how you serve, you know there will come a day when you must stand before the Lord accountable for what you have done. You HOPE to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Be Hopeful in Ministry Based but Put Hope in God, Not on What We Do

We can HOPE for many things in life and ministry yet only a few are certain like …

God’s unfailing love and faithfulness (Ps. 33:18; 147:11; Lam. 3:21-24),
eternal life in Jesus (Titus 1:2; 3:7; 1 Cor. 15:19),
His glorious return (Titus 2:13),
and the resurrection of the dead (1 Thess. 4:13-14; Rom. 8:18-25; 1 Pet. 1:3).

To know that HOPE we must know the Lord for He is the God of hope (Rom. 15:13). Jesus Himself is the living hope, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27; 1 Tim. 1:1). Ultimately it isn’t what we do that brings hope but what He does, what He says, who He is.

Use the resources He has given you to serve faithfully and whole-heartedly yet put your HOPE in Him.

Hope stems forth from His grace (2 Thess. 2:16; 1 Pet. 1:13) not from your efforts.
Hope is rooted in the promises of His Word (Rom. 15:4; Ps. 119:81, 114; Titus 1:2-3) not in your plans and desires.
Hope is generated by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13) not by your feelings and good intentions.

This kind of hope springs forth into faith and love and into peace and joy (Col. 1:5; Rom. 15:13) and inspires endurance and courage to keep going (2 Cor. 3:12; 1 Thess. 1:3). This kind of hope doesn’t need to see immediate or obvious results to believe that God is at work. — “Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Rom. 8:24-25)

Without hope we will find little joy in life and ministry. We’ll tend to let the problems get to you (Prov. 13:12). With the psalmist, when we find yourself getting overwhelmed by the cares of this life, may we say “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God” (Ps. 42:5).

Your View of the Holiness of God Matters in Ministry

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

Holy Church Because of the Holiness of God
God has saved us and called us to a holy life . . . (2 Tim. 1:9)

We’re to be holy because He’s holy (1 Pet. 1:16). Consequently, the holiness of God must matter in ministry.

About the Holiness of God

We often think of the holiness of God as something that should instill fear as His holiness defines His expectations for us –“just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Pet. 1:15-16). Stepping outside of those boundaries leads to spiritual death for the unbeliever because “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23) and “without holiness, no one will see God” (Heb. 12:14). Lack of holiness in the believer can lead to discipline as “God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” (Heb. 12:10-11).

We could get to feeling like we are in trouble. No matter how many years we have been a Christian and have served the Lord, we will fall short. And, the people we work with and serve will not be holy. “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). Your experience has probably confirmed this truth.

Yet, God’s holiness is as much of a blessing to us as His love and grace.

Perspective in Ministry Because of a Holy God

Through God’s holiness we find perspective to endure ministry hardships and difficult people. Here’s why:

God’s holiness can be a source of hope and encouragement.
Because of God’s holiness, even on the worst ministry day, we can know that there is something better. This sin ridden world will one day be consumed by His holy fire and a new heaven and earth will be ushered in (2 Peter 3:10-13). Knowing this gives us reason to join with the heavenly creatures in Revelations 4:8 saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
God’s holiness can be a tool that helps us be more understanding of those we serve.
God’s holiness points us to His grace as He “saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (2 Tim. 1:9). Realizing that only by His grace will we be holy, we should be more patient and understanding of those with whom and to whom we minister.

Your view of the holiness of God matters in ministry but so do His other attributes. Check out the Our Great God from A to Z Discipleship Tool Download for alphabetical renderings about who God is and what He does for us.

Ministry About God, Not Us

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Rom. 11:36)

Applying Romans 11:36 to Ministry We See a Focus on God, Not Us

Reflect on the following principles we can apply to ministry:

God is the source of the goals and design for ministry … “from Him” comes the blueprint for what we do.
He is the means by which we make an eternal difference in ministry … “through Him” comes the wisdom and power we need.
God is the reason we get involved in ministry … “to Him are all things” done in ministry.
He is the standard by which we measure what we do in ministry … bringing “glory” to Him requires lining up with Him.

All we do in ministry is about God, for God, according to God, and through God. What a difference it makes when we maintain that kind of focus as we serve.

Check out the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool for help doing ministry for, through, and according to God. It looks at the following key elements in doing ministry God’s way:

Ministry Alignment
Effectiveness
Empowerment
Focus
Methodology
Objectives
Perseverance
Qualities
Teamwork

Serving in the Power of an Almighty God

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 4 Comments ↓

Just as God’s power came upon Moses (Isa. 63:12), David (1 Sam. 16:3), Elijah (1 Kings 18:46), and others to do His bidding, so He will empower us to serve in ways that make a difference for eternity. Jesus, in promising the Holy Spirit, said that the disciples would be “clothed with power from on high” (Lk. 24:49).

Ministry Empowerment Comes by Serving in the Power of an Almighty God

Nothing is too hard for God (Jer. 32:17; Lk. 1:37; 18:27). His power is not just great but incomparably great (Eph. 1:19).

The power with which God created the heavens and the earth, parted the Red Sea, and raised Jesus from the dead is available for the everyday moments of our lives, enabling us to serve (Eph. 3:7), to fight spiritual battles (Eph. 6:10), and to witness (Acts 1:8). This power will embolden us (2 Tim. 1:7) and be a source of hope (Rom. 15:13).

Let’s look to God as God He is … the Almighty One!

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We will serve in the power of our almighty God when we do ministry His way — pulling on Him for empowerment but also aligning with Him, looking for the kind of effectiveness He wants, focusing on what’s most important to Him, having His perspective about our methodology, aiming toward objectives that matter to God, looking to Him as our Source and Sustainer in order to persevere, having heart qualities pleasing to Him, and being a team player willing to serve in unity according to God’s design. — Check out the Ministry God’s Way Discipleship Tool for this broad view of ministry.

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Learn more about God’s power and the responsibility of church leaders to encourage people to serve in the power of an Almighty God, not to strive to do it in their own wisdom and strength, in the Steering the Church Toward God’s Power Leadership Guide

Your View of Truth Matters in Ministry

Posted on October 20, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

Truth is Part of the Armor of God

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist. (Eph. 6:14)

Truth is indispensable to the ministry worker because truth holds everything else together. It’s part of the armor of God wherein we stand our ground.

Defining the Truth of God

We will better appreciate the role of Truth in ministry when we view it as more than a concept, more than a standard, more than a system of belief, and more than something we teach. We will hold on to it tighter when we understand that Truth is a Person.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn. 14:6).

Consequently, Truth is not merely a standard to live up to but a Person with whom we relate. Because Truth is a Person, any system of belief, any standards or concepts we call truth, can never contradict who He is. If it does, it is not Truth.

What Truth Does for Us in Ministry

Truth guides us. (Ps. 43:3)
In ministry we often find ourselves at crossroads, needing to know which direction to turn. If decisions were always about choosing between that which is good or bad, it would be much easier to know what to do. Often, however, we must decide between that which is good and that which is better for our ministries, requiring a different discernment. Because Truth is a Person, not just a Precept, we have Someone to turn to for help in situations that are not spelled out in the Written Word.
Truth delivers us. (Jn. 8:32)
Initially comes our salvation but we need daily deliverance from the sin that would so easily beset us, from Satan who would like to overtake us, and from the world that tries to entangle us. Ministry workers are not above these entrapments. Truth, the Person, delivers because He is all-powerful, greater than any one or any thing. Yet, we must not lay aside the Truth of God’s Word for even Jesus found the Precepts vital to the deliverance process when tempted.
Truth sanctifies us. (Jn. 17:17; Titus 1:1)
Sanctification means to be set apart … the separation of the believer from the world to God which requires that we be made holy. It is getting the worldliness out of us and replacing it with godliness. How easy it can be for ministry workers to be tempted to adapt worldly methodology. We need to measure what we do against Truth and let Truth set us apart from that which is not of God.
Truth is a source of peace. (Phil. 4:8-9)
Even in the church we sometimes find deceit and unfaithfulness which can lead to anxiety. If you concentrate on what is true instead of looking at all the negatives in ministry, you will know that in the end, you will be okay and thereby do not have to worry and fear but rather be at peace. In the end, truth prevails.

1 Timothy 3:15 refers to the church as “the pillar and foundation of truth.” Now that Jesus has ascended back to heaven, the responsibility to uphold and communicate truth is passed on to us. We must not only speak the truth as Jesus did but also live in accordance with truth as we relate with the One who is true. We must seek out the truth in all situations.

3 More Important Lessons for Bible Teachers from the Master Teacher

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 1 Comment ↓

Lessons from Jesus, the Master Teacher In a previous post we looked at 3 important lessons from the Master Teacher:

His Power Source
His Character
His Methodology

As the Master Teacher, we will find in Jesus many more important lessons for us as Bible teachers. Let’s look at three more lessons.

3 Important Lessons for Bible Teachers from the Example of the Master Teacher, Jesus

1) Authority of the Master Teacher: Though God Himself, Jesus submitted to the Father. He spoke and acted as the Father directed (Jn. 5:19, 30; 10:18; 14:10). He let the Father set the parameters, not Himself. He yielded His will to the Father’s will, even when it meant a cruel and torturous death (Matt. 26:39; Phil. 2:5-8). He made sure others knew the Father was the standard and that they were not to believe Him unless He did what His Father did (Jn. 10:37).

Questions for Bible Teachers:

Do you seek to speak truth based on God’s Word and not your own opinions and not in accordance with this world’s system?
Do you seek to line up all your teaching with God, even when you don’t feel like it or it isn’t convenient?
Do you seek to make it clear that in and of yourself, though you are the teacher, you have no authority apart from God and His Word?

Help for Bible Teachers:

Worksheet: Biblical Authority versus the Authoritarian and Permissive Teachers

2) Approach of the Master Teacher: Though Jesus knew all things, He didn’t inundate people with everything He knew. He didn’t tell all the answers to their questions. He used an approach that made them think. He often threw it back on them in the form of a questions, sometimes answering a question with a question. (See: Matt. 16:13; 22:45-46; 23:17; Mk. 2:25-26; 3:4; 8:29; 10:3)

Questions for Bible Teachers:

Do you see your role as more of a teller, dispensing truth into the lives of your students, or as a guide, enabling students to think it through and discover truth on their own?
Do you use questions effectively?

Help for Bible Teachers:

Worksheet: Work Your Way Through the Lesson with Questions

3) Accommodation of the Master Teacher: Jesus knew how to connect with people, to meet them where they were. Though He was God, He refrained from using lofty language that would show His academic superiority. He spoke using words and concepts from their everyday life. Jesus was a master at using object lessons to teach truths in order to make a bridge from the known to the unknown (Matt. 18:1-6; 22:15-22).

Questions for Bible Teachers:

Are you connecting with your students using vocabulary and concepts they are able to understand?
Do you effectively use illustrations, whether that be word pictures, visuals, stories, or object lessons, that fit within their abilities, interests, and everyday lives?

Help for Bible Teachers:

Worksheet: Tips for Using Object Lessons