Acts 6:4 we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word
Fellowship is an easy word. Getting along with your fellows. Being with people you love. I am not a very popular person, so I love to get invited to places. Pastors conferences, mens groups, anything. I love that stuff I would say that I am a fellowship junky. I know churches that have birthday parties daily. Almost to the point of being ridiculous. They have softball games, cornhole tournaments, baby showers, weddings etc non stop. Great fellowship. NOT MINISTRY!! Youth groups. Divorced groups. Old people groups. If it’s just a get together it isn’t ministry.
Family is fellowship and ministry.
Ministry is a very complex word. If you are seriously trying to minister in a way that pleases the Lord, you have to be very aware of the difference between fellowship and ministry. I find the more I am involved in ministry the less time I have to fellowship. Sometimes ministry and fellowship mix uninentially. For example, when I am invited to a ministry meal, I like to help in the kitchen, especially washing dishes. I am not very handy, but sometimes the two mesh as I am chatting and I find an opportunity to pray or encourage.
Having a birthday party for every saved member of your church every other day is great for fellowship and for church building, but I don’t see it as ministry. In fact it hinders ministry. Holding a birthday party for a prostitute feeling down on her luck, or buying a street child a dress I see as ministry. Ghandi wanted to be a christian until he met a missionary doing a ‘ministry’ activity. I think the Christian missionaries were having a tea party and he felt slighted. The missionaries felt like they were ministering to each other, but they were just fellowshipping, which is fine in itself. But keep ministry first, they would have loved Ghandi into the kingdom.
There’s a english speaking church in Nicaragua for American missionaries only. I stupidly took my nica english students there thinking it would be a great experience. The pastor visited me the next day and asked me not to bring them anymore. Fellowship vs Ministry
The only time I ever got yelled at in a church was when they were holding a huge ‘evangelical event’ inside their own church, with only the members of the church there. I tried to introduce a lady who iI invited to the organizer of the event and she went ballistic on me because she was trying to ‘worship the Lord’. Fellowship vs ministry.
If it weren’t for Jesus I would have nothing to do with these guys. Haha. But He loved them and died for them.
Visiting your saved friends and family every spare moment of every day I don’t see as ministry. In fact, it impedes ministry and your calling. It’s ok to do so, just don’t paint it over with religiosity calling it ministry. Visiting the sick, prisoners and home bound that you don’t know very well is ministry. Doing things for others that can never reciprocate is ministry. Buying a useless present for your friend who will buy you a useless present is… Useless. Sorry. It does nothing for the kingdom of God.
I have a famous (religious) friend, traveling around the world, with a goal of visiting every city known to man. He documents his expensive travels with pictures of him wining and dining gorgeous women. I asked him, ‘are you actually ministering?’ He said ‘what does it look like I’m doing’? I said ‘anything BUT ministering’. He’s fellowshipping. Meeting other Christians. Great! But not ministering.Going to ski resorts, exotic lands, filled passports, visiting long distance families and friends is not ministry nor missions; Its ok to do that stuff, just don’t use the religious words ministering or missions when your motives are just doing whats fun.
I know minister’s kids that have suffered when parents were ‘ministering’ but not as unto the Lord. People that say ‘ministry comes first’ often put ministry in front of or in place of God. They say these things maybe to look good to mission boards or teams, but not to the Lord. Ministry is not a slave master. Ministry is fun. It’s delightful. Children shouldn’t suffer when parents ‘minister’ the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pk’s and Mk’s are often damaged spiritually by parents overly doing it, or using the term ‘ministry first’ inappropriately. Ministry should be no sweat.
Ezekiel 44:18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat
It’s pleasurable to do and say. “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word”
Ministry is a good thing. Not a hard thing.
The ministry of the word is stewarding and heralding God’s word in such a way that people encounter God through his word. Psalm 37:4-5
You dont encounter God by being beaten. We steward it. We use it as salve. Today in the mess hall of the VA a chaplain was sitting down to eat. A bum asked him for some change so he could buy something. The VA chaplain was a big boy, obviously hungry so he shooed him away. (Not judging, i could see he was worn out, we all get that way). I wasn’t enjoying my food so I gave him my food. Which he wolfed down, The chaplain saw it and was encouraged got up and told him to get whatever else he wanted abad he’d pay for it.
I beamed. I ministered to the bum and to the VA Chaplain by spurning him on to good works. Win win win
Ministering isn’t only teaching the Gospel, it’s showing the Gospel.
Ministering is the act of serving people, in a variety of ways. The Bible and other sources offer guidance on how to minister including:
-Love
Ministering is an expression of love for other and should be more than just lip service.
-Giving
Ministering includes giving to those in need, and is a proof of living faith.
-Contributing
Romans 12:13 states that God commands people to contribute to the needs, which can include more than just giving money.
-Fellowship
Contributing to the needs also includes entering into fellowship with them.
-Prayer
Praying for others and for guidance is important, as Heavenly Father knows their needs best.
-Getting to know them
Learning about the lives and circumstances of those you are ministering to can help you anticipate their needs.
-Maintaining relationships
Regularly touching base with those you minister to can help you be better prepared to serve them.
-Training
Keeping in the Word, leading them to Christ and how to live a Christian life.
Christian leaders are tasked with training believers to serve God on earth.
This is ministry summed up
Matthew
5-14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Love Dean and Winnie
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