Traits for Ministry | Christian Ministry Training Blog

What Really Matters in Ministry?

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 5 Comments ↓

What really matters in ministry? —

Having smooth-running programs and classes?
Doing things right, doing them well?
Keeping people interested and coming back?

Good management is important. That is why you will find leadership training on the MinTools.com site. That is why you will find classroom discipline resources for effectively managing the classroom.

Good methodology is important. That is why you will find a sample teaching method on the MinTools.com site. That is why you will find an article dealing with methodology in ministry.

Yet, we must ask if that’s what matters most to God.

What Matters Most in Ministry According to God

In God’s economy, “being” who you should be is more important than doing. That is why you find a sample Be-Attitude on the MinTools.com site, as well as articles stressing leader qualities on the TrainChurchLeaders.com site.

When you are who you should be, you will be a blessing to others. Who you are can be a greater blessing than what you do. As you become more and more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, others will be encouraged in their walk. That is the greatest benefit anyone can receive from you. Proverbs 10:7 says that even “the memory of the righteous will be a blessing.”

Further, when we the church are who we should be, others who do not know the Lord will notice and be drawn to Him. The early church devoted themselves to what was important and “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42-47).

What really matters in ministry? —

Being who God wants us to be!
Lining up with Him and His ways!
Reflecting Jesus in all we say and do!

Be who you should be and you will tend to do what you should do!

Creativity Needed in All of Ministry, Not Just Teaching

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 5 Comments ↓

Often when we think of creativity, we think of teaching. Rightly so in that there are so many benefits in being a creative teacher. Teachers need to work at turning the benefits of creativity into reality. Creativity, however, belongs in all of ministry, not just teaching.

Examples of Creativity Needed in Ministry in Addition to Bible Teaching

Pastors and elders need to think outside of the box to hold true to the Word of God while reaching an ever changing world. Not everything changes in a changing world. They must learn to be creative in form while maintaining the substance.

Ministry leaders and those involved in staffing need a good dose of creativity in structuring so that busy people will volunteer in ways that fit their schedule as well as their spiritual gifting.

People helpers involved in ministering to the poor or unemployed must think through creative ways of raising funds and supplies to help those in need as they find themselves facing decreased donations and resultant budget deficits in a bad economy.

However you serve —
You can choose to do ministry the way you’ve always done it but you will probably face increasing frustration and discouragement as you watch attendance decrease and interest wane. Or, you can look to our creative God who made you in His image to provide you with the wisdom and ideas to get people’s attention and then point them to an Almighty, Sovereign God who is just as relevant today as He was yesterday.

Fear in Serving?

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

Have you ever been afraid to serve? Or, perhaps others have expressed fears when trying to recruit them.

Lesson Moses Learned About Fear in Serving

Moses expressed many fears and insecurities when God tried to recruit him (Ex. 3). God responded to those excuses with the reassurance that He would be with Moses. Along with God’s presence came His power and help.

The six sessions in Called to Teach But Still Afraid Devotional for current or prospective Bible teachers, looks at each objection raised by Moses, countered by God’s reassurance. — Order for yourself or to reproduce and distribute to your teachers!

Over the course of time and seeing God work, Moses grew to value God’s presence. Later, at the threat of God not going with them due to the people’s rebellion and idolatry, Moses said to God, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here” (Ex. 33:15).

The Steering the Church Toward Discipleship Leadership Guide also includes a section about God’s presence as it relates to church leaders.

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).

Christ-like Ministry

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

How Christ-like are you in your ministry and relationships with others?

Defining Christ-like Ministry

John 1:14 says that Jesus was “full of grace and truth.” The more Christ-like we become, the more we too will be filled with both grace and truth. You can’t have one without the other and still have Christ-like ministry.

See the post: Grace & Truth – Not a Matter of Balance

When Christlikeness is Missing in Ministry

Think about it:

How many church conflicts could have been resolved had grace not been laid aside while speaking the truth!

As long as the church is on this side of eternity, we will experience resistance from time to time. Expect it, even as you pursue the purposes of God. Learn to speak the truth in love to one another. Conflict among brothers and sisters in Christ is Satan’s playground. Let’s be Christ-like with one another.

How many mishaps or misunderstandings could have been avoided in special activities had both grace and truth been a part of the planning!

Grace finds its expression in the context of relationships so we plan special activities to help build community among one another. Yet, these seeds of grace can be undone if you don’t follow the proper lines of communication and develop policies and procedures to help ensure the safety and understanding of all.

How many problems could be prevented in the classroom if teachers maintained both grace and truth at all times!

Exercising both grace and truth prevents teachers from being too much of an authoritarian or from being too permissive. Speaking the truth in a discipline situation needs to be accompanied by grace for discipline to have its greatest effect.

See worksheet: Biblical Authority versus the Authoritarian and Permissive Teachers

Becoming More Like Christ Full of Both Grace and Truth

Have you found yourself in any of the above scenarios where grace was laid aside for truth or vice versa?

Truth: If you want to be Christ-like, you must be filled with both grace and truth in all situations.

Grace: Tomorrow is a new day. God will be sending more opportunities your way to demonstrate Christ-likeness.

Learn from the past and move on.

Church leaders, check out this resource: Steering the Church Toward Christ-like Character Leadership Guide

Being Versus Doing: Which is most important in ministry?

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 10 Comments ↓

In God’s Book, both being and doing are essential. However, God does make it clear that what we do grows out of who we are. So, when asking which is most important in ministry, being versus doing, we must conclude that being leads to doing.

Biblical Principles About Being Versus Doing

God clearly states that who we are inside tends to surface in what we say and do.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. (Lk. 6:45)

God also makes it clear that if we don’t do what we should be doing, something is wrong.

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)

No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. (Lk. 6:43)

Practical Application of the Need to Both Be and Do in Ministry

Guard against hypocrisy. How easy it is for people in ministry to say one thing and do another. This lack of integrity cuts into the effectiveness of ministry. Jesus confronted hypocrisy in the religious leaders of His day. A whole chapter (Matt. 23), along with other isolated passages, is devoted to His pronouncement of woes on their hypocrisy.

Solution: self-examination and personal accountability.

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Matt. 7:5)

Guard against being a stumbling block. When we do not model Christlikeness in all we do, we cut into the effectiveness of ministry. Paul used his own ministry as an example:

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. (2 Cor. 6:3)

Solution: commitment and determination.

Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. (Rom. 14:13)

Being Versus Doing - Above All Guard Your Heart
Notice: The solutions are all qualities of being. Doing the right things grows out of being who we should be. So, to guard against hypocrisy and being a stumbling block, we must guard our hearts.