Ministry

The other day I was reading a book that contained a brief description of the word “ministry.” The author stated that ministry is set aside by the church for only a select number of people in an office in order to carry out special service in the church; it is not done by every Christian. While I will agree that there are particular jobs within a congregation that not everybody does within the worship assembly or while hired under a congregation, ministry goes far beyond the “offices” set aside by the church.

In John 21, Jesus appears before his disciples while they are fishing. Once Peter recognizes the man on the shore as the resurrected Jesus, he rushes to the beach. There, Jesus reinstates Peter because of his earlier denial. In this intimate conversation with Jesus, Peter acknowledges the love he has for his Savior. Following his confession, Jesus charges Peter with a great task, the same task given to the whole body of Christ: “Feed my sheep,” and “Follow me.” This is the firm foundation that has been laid in order to begin the task of being God’s minister. It is not simply in the offices that have been set aside within a particular congregation that ministry is carried out, but it is in the lives of God’s people, daily striving to faithfully follow and continue Christ’s ministry of feeding his sheep. As a member in the community of faith, one is called into ministry and must follow in the very steps of the suffering Savior who, because he was God, knew nothing other than to humbly submit and sacrifice himself in faithful obedience to the will of the Father and loving service to others.

The writer of James calls us the “first fruits of creation.” With this, I believe we are to be the special gifts that God has created to take care of the rest of creation and each other. Additionally, Paul charges us all to be “Christ’s ambassadors.” If the task of ministry is left only for the hired group of people within a congregation, then we are not living as the church and performing the task with which we have been charged. As God’s reconciled people, we are to faithfully insert ourselves into his ongoing story, and with the Spirit, take part alongside God in restoring His creation, feeding his sheep and following him. This is true ministry, a daily task carried out by each member of the body according to his or her own gifts.

-Matt