When we speak of Ministry in Christian circles, people directly think of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, bishops, priests, praise and worship leaders, prison or hospital chaplains, intercessors etc. For them this is being in the ministry or having a ministry.
However, ministry is generally the profession or duties of a priest or a minister of religion; and the performance of these duties. Yet, the Bible says that every Christian is a priest of the Most High God (1Pe 2:9, Rev 1:6). This means that we are all concerned by the ministry and are all God’s ministers. What does this mean in practice?
According to Wikipedia, ministry is also a Christian activity done to spread or express the faith. The Wiktionary, which defines a minister as someone who serves others, also defines it as the action of ministering to someone. Bearing this in mind, we can now better understand the following verse:
Col 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
EVERYTHING we do is a way of serving Christ. Every job we have; every task or charge we fulfil and every service rendered to others is a way of serving the Lord: it is ministry.
When I get up in the morning and go to work, I go to do my job to the best of my abilities; not because of the fear of losing my job or a desire to impress my boss; but because my true boss is the One who gave me that job and in fact, it is therefore God that I serve. In so doing, I exercise my ministry; that is to say, the responsibility or office which the Lord has entrusted to me.
When I cook some food for my family or friends, I have to give special care to it because in reality, through them, it is JESUS CHRIST whom I serve: I am ministering.
I will go even further. When I wash, dress, eat or even rest, it is also ministry in a way; because my body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19) and therefore, when I take care of this temple, I serve the Lord. If I indulge in drugs, excessive eating, heavy drinking or sexual immorality, I do not minister to my body, the temple of God (1Cor 3:16-17), and thus I do not serve the Lord. Not to talk about all those that I may lead astray by being a bad example.
As a matter of fact, whenever we're sensitive to the needs of those around us (at home, school, university, work, church, in the neighbourhood or the streets) and do our best to meet them, whether they represent actual persons or legal entities, we are doing the ministry, we are serving the Lord. He said indeed : “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 40 …'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'” Mat 25:35-36, 40
I do hope this has given you another perspective on the ministry and Christian life. Actually, the Christian life is to live like Christ. Yet, there is not a second of His life which was not spent ministering; and every aspect of His life was an aspect of the ministry. You've probably realised that in my mind and certainly in that of the Lord also, ministry equals service. The Christian life is a life of service. A life where we constantly give our own life as a ransom for many; and where we are regularly impoverished so that others may be enriched. And the greater we will want to become in this life and beyond, the more we will have to serve men. Did He not say, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all?" The life of a Christian is that of a permanent ministry: learning to see and recognise Christ everywhere, and hastening to serve Him every time we have recognised Him.
Have a wonderblessed week serving others.
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