Luke 9:1-2 (NIV) – 1 When Jesus had CALLED the Twelve together, he gave them POWER and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he SENT them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
We live at a time when so many ministries are mushrooming around us. Everyone who starts a ministry wants it to be the most successful. Today we seek to understand from scripture- what makes a successful ministry.
We have music ministries. Choirs with different names and objectives. We have ministries focused on bringing more people into the church. We have ministries focused on correcting mistakes of the church, they thrive on being critical. We have ministries that promote what they purport to be healthful living. We have ministers dedicated to preaching only about the end of time to those within the church. We have ministries that pray and fast, and a little Bible study. We have ministries that focus on Bible study.
Many ministries have online presence. Many other ministries meet physically. They all want to succeed and emerge top of the world. The reality however is that armed with only zeal, many of those ministries run out of steam and die or barely survive on the fading insistence of a founder. How does one come up with a successful ministry?
When you are a pastor, you have a God given ministry. When you are chosen to lead the church locally or otherwise, you have a ministry. Everyone serving the church, has a God given ministry. How do you ensure that your ministry is successful?
Every believer who attends the church has a God given ministry. God will demand a report on how each believer served Him. We all have a ministry. How do we ensure that our God given ministry succeeds?
Luke 9:1-2 (NIV) – 1 When Jesus had CALLED the Twelve together, he gave them POWER and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he SENT them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
The first step to a successful ministry is that you need a call from God. God called Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, Deborah, Disciples, Paul, etc. Nobody served God successfully without a call. You can force yourself in but you will not succeed.
God has called you to be a church member, but has He called you to be an Elder? God can call you to a singing ministry, but He may not call you to be a leader of a singing ministry. God can call you to be a pastor but not a leader beyond pastoral work. You must examine yourself and ask if God has called you.
Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV) – 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
There are many in the church and outside the church who are busy serving God without a call. They will not get into heaven. Jesus will tell them that He never knew them. Without a call, you will serve but never successfully and you will end up in hell, yet you thought you are serving God.
You can start a singing group because others started and became famous and you also want to be famous, but that is not a call. You have no call. You can train as a pastor because it’s a path to fame or it ends your unemployment, but that is not a call to ministry. You can cause people to elect you to a position, but that is not a call. Without a call you are an imposter and hellbound from within the church. Without a call your ministry is a waste of time and resources.
Pray and ask God to give you a sign if He has called you to ministry. Until you are clear on that, do not proceed. Without God’s call, it’s a waste and finally regrettable.
God’s call to ministry will become clear to you first. The call will also be acknowledged by others who will affirm it. The call will bear fruits. Those who have a call have no inclination to lucre. Those with a call, their greatest pleasure is in a successful ministry with or without fame or money. When fame bothers you or you insist on money issues- you have no call.
Luke 9:1-2 (NIV) – 1 When Jesus had CALLED the Twelve together, he gave them POWER and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he SENT them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
After the call, the second thing is to be empowered. God empowers those He calls. God enables them to serve Him. Without empowerment you will have to fake results. The Holy Spirit living and operating in us is the main empowerment that we need. Without the Holy Spirit defeat is sure and success has to be faked.
Acts 19:14-16 (NIV) – 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
Sons of Sceva attempted ministry without empowerment- they almost lost their lives. Ministry without the presence of the Holy Spirit can bring about a violent death. It’s dangerous. Are you empowered? Is the Holy Spirit living and operating in you?
Galatians 5:19-23 (NIV) – 19 The ACTS OF THE FLESH are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
How do I know that the Holy Spirit is in me? Anyone who has the Holy Spirit, will bear the fruit of the Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit one will bear the acts of the flesh. Now asses yourself, is your life ridden with acts of the flesh or fruit of the Spirit?
In addition to fruit of the Spirit, we also get various gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts are not prayed for, they are given by the Spirit as He pleases. He may give you one or two. Are you gifted by the Spirit? Verify your gift in the same way you verify the call. First personal internal conviction. Secondly affirmation by others. Finally a fruitful use of the gift.
Luke 9:1-2 (NIV) – 1 When Jesus had CALLED the Twelve together, he gave them POWER and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he SENT them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
The third step to a successful ministry is to be sent. God calls and empowers, but He also sends us to specific tasks. You are a preacher called and empowered by God, but has He send you to that city you want to go to? Be sure that God has send you. Do not go without being sent by God.
2 Samuel 18:19-20 (NIV) – 19 Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the LORD has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies. ” 20 “You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
Ahimaaz went for a mission to deliver bad news without being sent, he failed. If you have not been sent, you will fail. Repeatedly ask yourself if you have been sent. God calls, then empowers and finally sends. Any assignment you take, ensure you have been sent.
Do not send yourself, wait to be sent. Do not ask people to call you to come and serve, wait for the call. Without the call to go serve, you have not been sent. Don’t ask to preach, wait for the clear invitation to preach. Without being sent you fail.
May God call us, empower us and everyday send us to different assignments. May this be our experience as we succeed in ministry. In Jesus name, Amen!
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I feel like to ask this is true we can be ministers of gospel by choice.
We don’t choose ourselves, it’s not by our personal choice.
John 15:16 (NIV)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
Hebrews 5:4 (NIV)
And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
thanks now I know. I used to believe that life is made of choices Joshua and Elijah instruct Israelites to choose who to serve and worship now I have seen sense of been chosen, empowered and send.
When it comes to serving God and God’s call – He chooses us – we have an option to turn Him down