Ministry; It’s What We Do to Advance His Kingdom
What is ministry anyway? Several definitions emerge from random, rapid research:
- Ministry means service. It involves preparing God’s people for works of service (diakonia). A minister is one that serves. We often think of Acts 6 as where deacons were selected. That’s true. But, it was also the place where the disciples chose to redefine and realign their own ministries in the midst of the stuff. Both groups of people were serving, separately, yet specifically.
- “Faithful service of God’s people rendered unto God and others on His behalf to bring Him glory, build up His church, and reach out to His world” (www.Bible.org).
- “Ministry is meeting people where they are and taking them to where God wants them to be” (www.jrbriggs.com).
- Ministry is alignment, agreement, and accomplishment of His purpose. (Seek and to save the lost; (Luke 19:10) give life and life more abundantly (John 10:10); destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3:8); and so forth).
All the above are grand definitions but I prefer mine (I know; I’m biased). Ministry is “anything we do to advance His kingdom.” Focus and faithfulness are imperative in getting the job done.
Keeping the big picture front and center encourages me (us) to take responsibility over choices and decisions. Focus begs for the questions, “Is this advancing His kingdom? Am I doing this in a way that advances His kingdom?”
James Poitras 