What Do You Depend on to Effectively Serve?

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Sensing that our ministry will make a difference in people’s lives provides motivation to serve. If we’re going to put the time and effort into serving, certainly we should want effective ministry. But, what enables us to effectively serve?

What We Might Rely on in Our Ministries to Effectively Serve

What we rely on might relate to our area of ministry.

  • Bible teachers might rely on their communication skills. Words do hold importance for teachers. They will be held to a greater accountability in regard to their use of words — not so much eloquence but accuracy (James 3:1-2).
  • Church leaders might depend on their ability to influence people. As a shepherd it is their responsibility to guide the sheep (Ps. 78:72; 1 Pet. 5:2-3). They have been given an entrustment for which they will be held accountable (Heb. 13:17, 1 Pet. 5:3).
  • As witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ in an outreach ministry, we might rely on a certain strategy to reach the lost. We have the Apostle Paul’s example of strategizing to best reach people where they were (1 Cor. 9:19-23).
  • Those in some sort of benevolence ministry might rely on their kind deeds that meet people’s needs. Jesus did say that blessing and an inheritance lie ahead for those who share. Whatever we do to help others is like as though we’re doing it to Him (Matt. 25:34-40).
  • People on a worship team might rely on their musical and vocal abilities. We are exhorted to do all we do to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31), to be faithful stewards of what we’ve been given (Matt. 25:14-30), which include our natural talents..

Real Effectiveness in Ministry Requires Depending on the Right Means

It Takes Jesus to Effectively Serve
Whether serving as an individual or on a church committee or ministry team of some sort, we need to use what it takes to do our best to the glory of God as faithful stewards of what God’s given us. Yet, self-effort isn’t sufficient for making an eternal difference. Effectiveness that leaves an eternal impact requires the power of God. We must always remember Jesus’ words in John 15:5. — “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

When we depend on His power, we can do exceedingly more than we ever could by relying on our own words, influence, strategies, actions, or talents. We can’t even imagine the possibilities (Eph. 3:20-21). Like the Apostle Paul, we can say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13, NKJV).

If you’re a church leader, be an example of depending on God’s power and encourage people in the Body to rely on Him in their ministries as well. The Steering the Church Toward God’s Power Leadership Guide can help you think through how to do that.

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Reflecting the Joy of the Lord in Ministry

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Reflecting Joy Because of the Abundant Life Jesus Came to GiveIf we are going to serve with joy through the good and bad of ministry, our Source of joy must be “in the Lord” (Phil. 4:4). Jesus expressed His desire for followers, “that they may have the full measure of my joy within them” (Jn. 17:13). Notice that He wants us to have the FULL measure of HIS joy, not a trickle of it or an occasional flow of it. He also said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it TO THE FULL” (Jn. 10:10).

Reflecting the joy of the Lord amidst all of the stresses, disappointments, and hardships of ministry speaks volumes about our wonderful God who is the Source of such joy. So, here’s the question we should ask as we look at our ministry: Are we reflecting the joy of the Lord, that abundance of life?

Evidence We’re Reflecting the Joy of the Lord in Ministry

Circumstances will not always be ideal in ministry. We will face challenges and complications. Some things will be out of our control. We will often have more to do than our schedules can handle. Despite all of that we will have certain qualities evidenced in our lives when serving out of joy that finds its Source in the Lord.

We will have …

peace regardless of the circumstances that enables us to endure. (Heb. 12:2; James 1:2)

hope regardless of the challenges that enables us to press on. (Rom. 15:13)

gratitude regardless of the complications that enables us to keep loving and believing in Him. (1 Pet. 1:3-9)

contentment that keeps us satisfied due to His love that enables us to have a song in our heart. (Ps. 5:11; 90:13-15)

confidence no matter what that enables us to remain unshaken because we know He is with us. (Ps. 21:6; Acts 2:25-28)

Do you want such joy? Remember that His joy is a fruit of the Spirit. We must constantly yield control to the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18-20) and walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26) rather than try to do ministry on our own.

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Correct Ministry Problems But Seek to Prevent When Possible

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Trouble in World But We Can Prevent or Correct Some
Ministry troubles can come from a variety of sources but how we deal with them might vary depending on the cause. Ideally we should seek to prevent problems but that isn’t always possible as some issues in ministry aren’t a result of our own choices or actions, though sometimes they might be.

Causes of Ministry Problems and How to Prevent or Correct Them

Whether preventing or correcting problems, looking at the cause can help us determine how to proceed.

  1. Sometimes we inherit problems already in existence when we became involved.

Prevent: Obviously we can’t prevent pre-exiting problems. We can turn down the ministry opportunity because of it but sometimes we’re not aware issues exist until we get involved. Or, we can accept the challenge, under God’s leading, and with His wisdom and power rise above and perhaps even help rectify the problem.

Correct: When getting involved in a ministry with pre-existing problems, we must move cautiously and slowly. Initially we should do little other than observe and learn more about the situation. We should build relationships and meet people where they are. Then we can gradually introduce change, under God’s guidance, as we are able. Read: Eph. 4:2, 32; 1 Thess. 5:11-22; Heb. 10:24; 1 Pet. 3:8-11; 5:5

  1. There may be times we’re the one who makes a mistake leading to some fallout. We may have made a wrong decision, an error in judgment, perhaps something that had a number of “good” or “acceptable” choices and we didn’t choose the best.

Prevent: Before making any decisions, we should pray first so we’re not leaning on our own understanding but rather fully trusting the Lord to guide us (Prov. 3:5-6). We can learn to be more discerning by regularly studying and aligning with God’s Word (Heb. 5:14) and following the way of love (Phil. 1:9-10).

Correct: The best thing we can do is humbly admit we made a mistake. Pride will keep us from changing course or re-building bridges in relationships that may have suffered as a result of our mistake. Read: Ps. 139:23-24; Prov. 19:20, 25

  1. Sadly we might act or react contrary to God and His ways due to our old sin nature.

Prevent: When we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:16-23).

Correct: We need to confess our sin to God and others, and make amends. We must rely on God to change us from the inside out by His grace and power. Read: 1 Jn. 1:5-10; Matt. 5:23-25; Jn. 8:10-11

  1. Others may sin or make mistakes, that has nothing to do with us, but causes problems in our sphere of ministry.

Prevent: Apart from denying others opportunity to be involved in the same ministry we’re in, which goes contrary to God’s ways, we have to accept the reality that we live in a fallen world, the consequences of which will even affect the Church and ministries. But, we can also do our part to spur others on the love and good deeds, seeking to build them up in their walk with God, and encouraging them to walk in the Spirit so they are more prone to align with God and His ways. And, we certainly can pray for people in our sphere of ministry … regularly, not just when they’re in crisis or problems arise.

Correct: God encourages us to talk with people privately in ways that lovingly speak truth into their lives, always enveloping any confrontation in prayer, fervently asking God to work in their hearts. Read: Eph. 4:15; Gal. 6:1-2; Heb. 10:24; James 5:13-16

Let’s remember Jesus’ words so we have a realistic view of ministry. He said, “In this world you will have trouble.” We may not always be able to prevent problems. But, we can have perspective and act and react in a Christ-like manner when we grasp hold of Jesus’ next statement. — “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33) — In Him, there’s a way forward.

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Resources for the Fall, a Time to Reap the Harvest

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Fall, Autumn Months, Time to Reap a Harvest
We can use the Fall Season, or Autumn months, to reflect on the blessings of Harvest time. We’re reminded about the principle of sowing and reaping which applies not only to crops but also to our lives. Take time to read these verses: Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 12:11, James 3:18, 5:7-8

Ideas for Reflecting on the Blessings of Harvest During the Fall Season

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1) Use displays and decorations depicting the Fall Season.

Bulletin Boards for Autumn:

Decorations for the Fall Season:

2) Provide reminders on handouts of various kinds.

Bulletins for Fall:

Offering Envelopes:

Objects or Tokens:

3) Provide hands-on activities with reminders, like crafts and games for children.

4) Hold Fall Festivals and promote activities related to Autumn.

Make the Most of the Holidays During the Autumn Months

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The Way God Made Us Gives People a Choice to Make

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God Made People Capable of Making Choices
After God created the heavens and earth and all that was in it, He put the people He made in a garden that contained all they needed (Gen. 1-2). It was also a place God walked among them (Gen. 3:8) so they enjoyed blessed fellowship with Him.

God wanted people to choose to stay in fellowship with Him because He also wanted a love relationship with them. Without being given a choice of whether to obey Him or not, the relationship would be nothing more than robotic servitude. So, God told them they could eat from any of the trees except one. And, He made it clear that a choice not to obey this one command would come with consequences.

God Made People Capable of Choosing

Being made in the image of God, humans had a will that enabled them to make choices. Would they choose to surrender to this one command of God or do what they wanted? He would not force obedience. They needed to decide if all they had with Him was enough.

Implications: Since God Himself doesn’t force people into a relationship with Himself, let’s be careful not to use tactics to coerce or manipulate people. We must faithfully speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) but in the end, people are responsible for their own choices. We cannot make them believe or obey. Let’s be careful we don’t turn people into hypocrites by externally conforming in order to look the part.

People Won’t Always Make the Right Choice

Being omniscient, God knew what Adam and Eve would choose to do. But, He gave them the ability to choose anyway because He wanted people to want to be in a relationship with Him and to willingly participate in His plans and purposes.

God went to extremes to show people how much He loved them and wanted to be in a relationship with Him, but many still rejected Him, choosing their own way. Ultimately He sent Jesus who would die on the cross in their place. — “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (Jn. 1:11-13)

Implications: Let’s be real. Not everyone we share the Gospel with will put their trust in Jesus. Not everyone we teach will take what they learn and apply it to their lives. Not everyone we give benevolently to will be grateful and pass it forward. People won’t always make the right choices. But, let’s not get discouraged. God made people with a will to choose. We are responsible to faithfully minister to others. They are responsible for how they respond.

Choices Come with Consequences

Yes, in the end, each person is responsible for themselves. And, each person will reap the consequences of their choices. Adam and Eve chose to do the one thing God warned them about. They suffered immediate consequences, being expelled from the garden and losing that face to face intimacy with God (Gen. 3). And, their choice brought on long term consequences, with people being born thereafter with a sin nature. Sin has marred lives ever since.

Implications: Let’s not candy coat the issue. We reap what we sow. We can’t make people believe or trust God but we can help them make informed choices.

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The Way God Made Us Gives People Purpose

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God Made People to Have Purpose
In the beginning God created the heavens and earth. After separating light from darkness and gathering the water so dry land would appear, He told the land to produce different kinds of plants and vegetation. After putting lights in the sky to separate day from night, He made creatures to fill the waters and winged birds to fly in the sky. Finally, He created animals of different sorts to roam the land, culminating with His creation of human beings.

People, made in His image and likeness, would be special and superior. While all He created had a purpose, the way God made people gave them a significant purpose to fulfill for which they would be responsible.

A Participation with God’s Work

From the beginning God made it clear that He wanted people to work in cooperation with Him. He brought the animals He had created “to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” (Gen. 2:19). Certainly God didn’t need people’s help, and could undoubtedly have done a better job Himself, but He wanted people involved. Participation, not perfection, was His goal.

Through the pages of Scripture we continue reading of God getting people involved in His work here on earth in various ways. Even today, we are to be “co-workers in God’s service” (1 Cor. 3:9).

Implications: Let’s make sure we not only provide opportunities for people to serve in the church but also help them understand that ministry is about purposefully participating with our All-Powerful, Creator God. Each person’s part is significant to Him and therefore should be to us as well.

As members of His Church, we have been given special empowerments, called spiritual gifts, to serve in cooperation with Him as dispensers of His grace. — “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Pet. 4:10) — People will be more prone to get involved when they sense a purpose in what they’re doing and they feel they are equipped to succeed. (For more on spiritual gifting, go to: Spiritual Gifts Resources)

A Purpose That’s a Stewardship

Having been made in the image and likeness of God, people had the ability to “rule over” all the other creation. God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Gen. 1:26). They were “to be fruitful and increase, to subdue and rule over the rest of creation” (Gen. 1:28). “God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen. 2:15)

Implications: Since God made humans to be responsible, let’s encourage one another to be faithful stewards of all He’s given us. We will one day stand before Him accountable (1 Cor. 3:9-15). Let’s make the most of every opportunity (Eph. 5:15-16).

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