What is ministry?

I started a weekly Bible study at our office a few weeks ago. We were meeting on Thursdays but since most of our drivers are headed out late in the week, moving it to Tuesdays was better for them. This morning we met at 7am. We started a bit late due to me getting a speeding ticket but that's another blog. After we were done, one of the drivers came up to me with an outstretched hand and said thanks for ministering to me today. As I held back the tears, the thought once again came to me about what actually the "ministry" is. I then proceeded to pull out a card that my Dad gave me that I keep in my wallet ever since the day I surrendered to follow God. I take it out time to time, not to look but to see if there might be a hidden $20 bill I might have misplaced behind it. Well this morning, I was actually looking for it when I pulled it out. It's words still ring out so true. As I stood there and read it (see picture above), I thought about how there are so many people out there that don't get what true ministry is. I have even met pastors, some I even have worked for that had forgotten that. I remember one instance( you have 5 choices if you wanna guess what church) where we were building an addition for our students. I had worked long and hard planning and preparing for this area. One Thursday evening, we were going to have some people form the church come up and help paint. I thought I would spend a few hours during my work day getting primer on the sheet rock so that when the volunteers showed up later that evening, they would be able to move along in a timely matter so we could have our Grand Opening on the following Sunday. Well as I was painting away, my pastor came in and said some incredible words to me. He said "you don't need to be doing that! We don't pay you what we do to paint walls!"I heard him say that line many times to people there in the office. What that pastor had forgotten was what the ministry is! The ministry is very simply meeting the needs of people, wherever they are and whatever they need. It's not about what you're paid to do. It's not about what you feel like doing. It's simply about meeting their needs...PERIOD! Ministry does not have a job description. Ministry does not have a certain face or a common name. It runs on no time clock nor does it have any hours off. It is not only reached by just sitting behind a desk and delegating responsibilities. The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 9 that he had become all things to all people so that he could reach some. The need was simple. The walls needed to be painted so that the room would be ready for all of those eager teenagers. I became a painter that day so that I could reach some. As I brushed stroke after stroke, in spite of what my pastor saw, I did not see me laboring in vain. What I saw was countless numbers of students coming to know Christ in this room that was needing to be made ready for them.

What do you do to minister to others? Have you let others dictate to you what they think ministering to people is? Meeting the needs of people is hard but rewarding. Others might see it and others may not. I ministered today to people I barely knew...I met their needs! Look around tomorrow at those around you. What needs do they have that are needing to be met?

See You At the River...John