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Refocus Church

Series 2

11. Churches grow broader through MINISTRY
   

Underlying Theme:    How these things contribute to church growth

   

Focal Idea No.4:   Ministry is about serving and blessing others, by being available to God and letting His Holy Spirit flow through you to bless by word and deed, as we express God's heart and gifting that is unique to us. Outsiders will also be blessed as they encounter this servant hearted ministry that brings God's goodness to them.

 

 

A. What is Ministry?

 

Heb 9:6   the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry.

•  What was their ministry? To serve God by performing acts of service in the Temple as instructed by God

 

Acts 1:17   he was one of our number and shared in this ministry."

•  referring to Judas, whose ‘ministry' was to bear testimony to Jesus as an apostle

 

Acts 6:2 It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

•  ministry here was handling the word – teaching
•  note that others were involved (6:5,6) and the word of God spread.

 

“Ministry” is thus any task we have been given by God. Everyone has a unique part to play - Eph 4:16 “ as each part does its work ”

 

 

B. Ministry & Purpose

  

Rom 12:6  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

•  we have what we have because God gave it to us
•  in the following verses Paul lists - prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing to the needs of others, leadership, showing mercy.

 

2 Pet 4:10   Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

•  the purpose of such gifting is to serve others, to build and bless others.

 

Gal 5:13   serve one another in love.

•  serving is a natural expression of love

 

1 Cor 14:12  Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church

•  spiritual gifts are also for building up the church to do the works of Jesus.

 

Eph 4:11,12  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

•  ‘ministries' are established gifts to equip the rest of the church
•  those ‘works of service' build up the church.

 

1 Pet 4:9 Offer hospitality

•  bless others with your home

 

Heb 13:2 entertain strangers… or angels

•  again, use your home to bless others

 

 

C. The Outcomes of such Effective Ministry

 

i) Us as individuals

•  we are most fulfilled when we are the people God has designed us to be
•  we feel good when we are successful as God blesses what we do at His leading.

 

ii) The rest of the church

•  as we have already seen, the church will be made stronger and built up when God is able to bless us in a whole variety of ways through the different gifts He gives to different people.
•  when a whole variety of gifts are being worked out in service in the church, it means we are blessed in a greater variety of ways than if we rely on one man.
•  the strength of the church is spread across the whole broad range of the church, because, as we've seen it is God's design that every person express some gift of service.

 

iii) Outsiders

•  when outsiders see the general atmosphere of serving and catch a sense of the fulfilment and personal achievement of each individual they will be impacted and realise something of God's goodness to us as individuals and available to them.

A Final Comment  

The wonderful thing about the church is that every one of us is gifted by God. The tricky bit is that we individually have to respond to this news and be aware of what God has given us. Many of us don't realise what it is that God has given us. It also requires faith to step out and use what God has given us when we realise it.

There is nothing more satisfying than to be using what God gives us, for what He gives, He blesses when we use it to honour Him and bless other people. Yes, that is the thrill, that we can bless one another with what the Lord gives us. Another important thing in church life is that no one of us tries to be all things; we have to let others use the gifts that God has given them. When we do that, we truly act as a 'body', the body of Christ.