Essentials of Ministry Paper
Anthony Brown
CHMN 201: Introduction to Church Ministries
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Summary of the Essentials
Saying Here am I, Send Me
The presence of God is revealed to every Christian in some way. For some it can be a revelation
through a passage of scripture during a daily devotional. For others it can be a dramatic
revelation as in the case of the prophet Isaiah. Regardless of how God choses to reveal Himself,
it will always leave us with a sense of awe. Usually a response is warranted. I don’t think God
will waste His time with us to simply “chat” but rather to expect obedience to do His bidding.
Isaiah responded to God’s calling. And so should we whenever we experience God. Dave Early
comments that “God is everlastingly looking for people who will go to the ends of the earth until
the end of the age telling all peoples the gospel.” (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016). It should be
normal for people to respond and be available to serve. God’s Holiness transforms us from the
inside out. Just as Isaiah, we experience a sense of low worth in the presence of a Mighty God.
Earley adds, “You cannot truly be a follower of Jesus until you are willing to go. You are not
truly following Jesus until you are intentionally going for Jesus.” (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016).
“Going” is a part of the Christian experience. Sharing the gospel of Jesus with others is a part of
every Christian’s DNA. To obey Jesus’ words to “Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations…” (English Standard Version, Matthew 28.19) is to love God.
Responding to the Call of God
What exactly is the call of God? It can be expressed within the context of salvation and the call
to ministry. Both become significant experience in the life of a believer. And both will always
demand a response and a total surrender to God. It’s not easy. At times it can be quite
challenging. Earley notes that he spent most of his middle school years running from God and
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doing all the wrong things (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016). This seems to be the norm for many
who are called to ministry. Our human nature will sometimes offer up resistance in an effort to
remain in its preferred state of disobedience and denial. The Old Testament tells the story of the
prophet Jonah struggling with God’s call over his life and fleeing God’s presence to Tarshish
(Jonah 3.1-3). Most of my friends who have a genuine calling upon their lives have had similar
experience where God’s invitation becomes overbearing. Earley describes God’s call as a
“compelling invitation” (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016).
Weather it’s the call to salvation, a call to ministry or the call to a specific ministry, God’s request
over our lives has a powerful effect upon our souls. I remember years ago running from God’s
call and attempting to open up a small tech business. All throughout the experience I knew I was
on the wrong path. It became a gnawing feeling inside I couldn’t shake. Things just didn’t feel
right. Needless to say, all was lost: inventory, the rental space, friendships, etc. God’s grace saved
my marriage and family.
Years have passed and I also believe the call to ministry is not glamorous. Everyday ministry will
involve hardship, pain and suffering. But knowing that you are where God wants you to be
overshadows the negative aspects, as joy and an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and
fulfilment takes over your life. Seeing lives transformed by God’s loving grace through the
ministry entrusted to us makes it all worth it.
Living a Life of Prayer
Its inevitable that prayer should be our number one priority to sustain ourselves in ministry. Our
direction and guidance must continuously come from God. As ministers we can easily get
sidetracked with daily responsibilities. Often these responsibilities, which can be quite important,
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can take up valuable prayer time. But we must not deter. J. Oswald Sanders observes that
“Mastering the art of prayer, like anything else, takes time” (Sanders, 2007).
Earley cites several notable bible figures, including Moses and Timothy who were advised to
devote themselves to prayer first (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016). Prayer should be at the top of our
priority list of things to do. Our day should start communing with God. No other activity
throughout the day will prove to be more satisfying or rewarding than time spent in prayer.
Prayer is to the soul as what a breath of fresh air is to our lungs: a necessity for life. The Bible
teaches us to maintain a continual prayer life at the highest levels of ministry work, “Rejoice
always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5.16-18).
E.M. Bounds declares that the Bible in its entirety illustrates the truth that God hears and answers
prayers (Bounds, 1978). Knowing this fact should help counteract our busyness. When prayer is
the default action of the morning, the rest of the day becomes more manageable. Even the
inevitable surprises that creep up are well received.
Maintaining an Eternal Perspective
Church ministry and leadership can be one of the most rewarding experiences as we witness
lives being changed. In a perfect world, things would run smoothly. Ministry would flow out of a
heart to serve, and people would respond in kind. But that’s not the case. Ministry can be
sometimes disappointing as we navigate through the challenges of a fallen world. Not everyone
will respond kindly to our message or ministry. Some people can really press our buttons, even
those who say they love you. Disheartening experiences of betrayal, frustrations, lack of
resources, and a tired spirit can push many leaders to give up.
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Thanksgiving is a great antidote to the natural feelings of wanting to giving up. Having a
thankful heart in ministry is like a relief valve on a steam boiler; whenever things get too hot,
being thankful releases accumulated pressure. Being authentic also ensures endurance in
ministry. “We should invest our time and effort into being our best selves as opposed to trying to
be someone we are not. Enduring ministry is the result of maintaining a perspective of
authenticity” (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016).
Refusing to Coast
They say that a moving target is hard to hit. This is true, not only in military circles but also in
ministry. Coasting is defined as “moving or advancing after effort has ceased; to advance or
proceed with little or no effort” (Dictionay.com, "Coasting"). Coasting implies moving along
without producing sufficient energy for the journey. This may seem practical, but may prove to
be unwise.
As a bi-vocational minister, I recall the wise words of one of my last employer named Joe. Our
product was umbrellas and fashion accessories. We understood these products weren’t in high
demand year-round. There were certain times in the year where sales peaked. During the low
seasons, our manager would instill in us “other tasks” to prepare for the upcoming orders. The
warehouse staff were kept busy managing inventory, tagging merchandise and preparing
shipping cartons. The office workers and sales staff managed to contact customers, develop new
leads and marketing strategies. Joe understood the value of not coasting during the slow seasons.
He knew sales would inevitably turn around and everyone would be busy again.
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On occasions momentum may carry you through on a particular project, but if we’re not careful,
momentum may be a two-edged sword and may keep us from achieving our goals in the
ministry. We must not allow ourselves to get too comfortable, but rather develop and sustain a
level of discipline that will carry us through, even during difficult days. Developing practical habits
of daily prayer, bible study for personal enrichment, and a good exercise regiment will yield great
rewards and lead to personal growth. Earley observes that “Effective ministry leaders build
necessary disciplines in their lives and live those disciplines daily (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016).
Loving People
Loving and caring for people like Jesus did has to be one of our biggest priorities. Not programs,
or events, but rather love. Our ministry will be based upon how much time is spent with people
not projects. The relationships we develop will be critical to our success in leadership and
ministry. Why? Simply because ministry itself involves serving, and who do we serve? People.
As difficult as it may be dealing with people, we must learn to love all people for the sake of the
gospel. Jesus loves all people, and so should we. Earley observes that “if you are in ministry, you
are in the people business” (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016). It involves more than budget, assets,
bottom lines, and vision casting. How we establish and demonstrate care to those we seek to
reach will ultimately build the foundations of our ministry. If people sense the love we have for
them, they will follow us.
Love becomes an action and a choice. This becomes critical especially when we encounter
people that are unlovely. This means we must be proactive to demonstrate love through our
everyday actions by words and deed. Furthermore, it becomes a choice. As we are confronted
with folks that are difficult to love, choosing to extend love becomes a challenge. But in Jesus we
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find encouragement: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate
you” (Luke 6.27).
The more we love people, the better we understand love as being a deposit unto their lives.
Maxell observes: “The first thing a leader must declare is not authority because of rights, but
authority because of relationships” (Maxwell, 1993). Essentially, we deposit acts of kindness into
the lives of those entrusted to our care. It’s an investment that in time may yield bountiful
dividends.
A Life Without Compromise
An uncompromising life is said to be one of unwavering faith and commitment to Jesus no
matter what the circumstances. It is a combination of steadfast character and integrity in the life
of the minister. Not necessarily a perfect life, but a blameless one, where we do not become a
disheartening stain to the fabric of the gospel. John Maxwell observes that “Integrity is not only
the referee between two desires. It is the pivotal point between a happy person and a divided
spirit.” (Maxwell, 1993).
Developing an uncompromising life takes time and discipline. It cannot be accomplished on our
own merits. Daily spiritual disciplines must be practiced in order to foster this type of
commitment to faith and ministry. An example of this type of commitment is displayed in the life
of the prophet Daniel, who even after realizing the perils of the king’s decree, decided to
maintain his principles and spiritual regiment.
Loyalty to the Truth
Change is inevitable. We may struggle with it, resist it, or even ignore it. But it does come, and
sometimes at a fast pace. Technology is one of the fastest indicators of change in our culture, as
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we have managed to produce amazing technological devices to help make our lives more
productive, comfortable and enjoyable. Gutierrez advises that with all this change in technology,
we must remain loyal to biblical truth (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016).
Spiritual discernment is at the core of being faithful to biblical truth. We must rightly divide the
word of truth in order to discern truth from error. Knowledge and practice of biblical truth is
foundational to everyday ministry. The word of God is the source of all truth and becomes the
change agent for believers to grow and mature in their relationship with God.
Living up to your Name
The names given to us at the moment of birth will often have a particular meaning. A child may
have been given the name of an ancestor in order to honor that person. Perhaps the child’s name
has another meaning which alludes to a desired trait, like “peace”, “love” or “harmony.” Every
parents desire is for that child to live up to that name or the meaning of it.
God is also described with different names in the Bible that describe who He is. Jehovah Jireh
describes God as our Provider (Genesis 22.14) and Jehovah Rapha portrays God as our Healer
(Exodus 15.22-26).
The church is also described with several names in the Bible that help us to conduct ourselves in
that descriptive manner. The body of Christ, describing we are to be a united body of believers,
dependent upon Christ and each other. The bride of Christ, describing we are to be a faithful
body, likened to the faithfulness of a husband and wife in marriage. The flock of God, describing
our total dependence on Christ as are ship to a pastor. The family of God, describing us all to be
part of a loving and supportive fellowship. And finally, a holy priesthood, describing each
individual’s purity before Him.
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We are all called by different names. In heaven, we will all be given a new name, according to
Rev. 2:17. But for now, we are all called to be the church and to embody what the bible describes
us to be. Let’s live up to these.
Keeping the Obedience Bar High
An often-neglected principle is that of being an example to others. At the end of the day, people
that follow us throughout our lifetime will most be impacted by who we are, than the many
things we have said. Gutierrez calls this influence and example (Earley and Gutierrez, 2016).
The bible also supports this thought. In 1 Timothy, Paul gives Timothy some practical advice
about ministry and leading the church: “Command and teach these things. Let no one despise
you for your youth, but set the believers an example…” (1 Tim. 4.11,12).
Paul understood the value of living out the Christian faith, rather than just lecturing on it.
Timothy was supposed to be an example to others, in the same way Jesus was an example to the
disciples. Our lives as ministers of the gospel should go farther than the Sunday pulpit.
The call to ministry involves a higher standard of living for the sake of the gospel. We adhere to
a greater sense of responsibility within our private and public life due to our level of influence
over the people we serve. In essence, it is a life controlled daily by the power and the grace of
God through the Holy Spirit.
1.Identify two greatest areas of weakness
My two greatest areas of weakness are maintaining a life of prayer and always being available
(“send me”). By default, I am a heavy task and goal-oriented person. Not that I am not praying or
that I don’t delight in prayer. I really do. But admittingly, it’s a weakness. I should focus more
on my prayer life and not so much on all the things that have to get done in ministry. Always
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being available to everyone (“Here I am”) has proven at times to be chaotic to my personal
ministry and family. Through the years I’ve noticed improvements by saying “no” more often,
but I realize its an ongoing struggle.
2.Provide a specific and measurable plan for improvement
The discipline of prayer is always at the top of my list as far as priorities. For the past year, I’ve
managed to isolate a specific time in the morning for prayer and devotional that works well and
stick with it. The hour fluctuates a bit depending on my schedule, but I’ve seen gains in spiritual
vitality and closeness to God. The more I stick with it, as in an exercise routine, the easier and
enjoyable it has become.
Regarding being available to everyone, I am learning more and more the value of time
management and that I cannot do it all. I’m employing strategies like delegating to others,
calendaring most of my activities for better planning, developed a yearly sermon calendar, and
just saying “no” more often to some folks and things and activities which can be time wasters.
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References
Bounds, E. M. 1978. The Reality of Prayer. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House. Kindle
edition.
Dictionary.com. Accessed February 8, 2018. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/coasting?s=t.
Earley, Dave, and Ben Gutierrez. 2016. Everyday Ministry. Nashville, TN: Broadman &
Holman, 2016. https://www.mywsb.com/reader.
Maxwell, John. 1993. Developing the Leader Within You. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Kindle
edition.
Sanders, J. O. 2007. Spiritual Leadership. Chicago, IL: Moody Press. Kindle edition.
