The Mindset Of Ministry

Ministry has been my life's work, whether I knew it or not.  I have grown up in church serving every single Sunday in one form or another.  My parents were the Children's Ministry workers for something like 15 years at the church I grew up in and I was helping every week.  To me, I only saw everything I did as what it was; making juice for snack, separating take home papers into weekly piles, shutting the wild kids up while my mom was leading singing or telling a story, and we can't forget keeping the task of not shutting my eyes during prayer so I could catch kids doing the same thing and mouthing in my scariest form, "CLOSE YOUR EYES!".  

Ministry has just been my life and it's really just now dawning on me how every task I've ever done, setting out snack, playing clarinet in the orchestra, leading worship, preparing crafts, has been a form of worship.

Last year I felt a very strong call from God to full time ministry and it's been a very defining moment for me.  You see, to me, at that time, full time ministry was becoming a speaker or pastor, leading alter calls and being an instrument of Christ to transform hearts and change lives.  So this is what I pursued very passionately.  But God certainly has had a different plan, like usual.

We all see a very different plan from God at times, and He has to spend a lot of time calibrating with us until we step into HIS plan and step away from what we think needs to happen to become the most effective.  

Ministry is a journey.  It's not a destination.

And it takes full surrender.  How can God use us to our full potential if we're stuck telling him, "No, God.  You're mistaken.  My calling isn't to this job or this ministry.  I'm supposed to be on stage with a light following me as I speak your word to people.  I can't be in the background.  I won't do this menial task."  

Ministry is a sacrifice.  It's not a stage.

No matter what it is that God has for you as your ministry, it will require sacrifice.  It requires us to die to ourselves and be full in the spirit.  Because until then, we will only see what we see for ourselves, not the big picture God is painting.  Ministry is often not seen.  It's often what we perceive as unglamorous.  It's often inconvenient.  But at what point was Jesus' ministry any different than this?  There are years of his life, from 12 years old to 30 years old that we don't get to see or be a part of.  But it was God prepping him for his short but world changing ministry where he tackled politics, the church and whatever it was the the "norm" was in that day.  He challenged it all.  As a peace loving person, this makes me so uncomfortable.  I despise confrontation.  But how will there ever be change without getting uncomfortable?

I find it rather humorous that I only experience the call as a 29 year old when I've been part of ministry for basically my entire life.  I've almost negated everything I've ever done up until that point because it was before my "call."  But we can't look at everything we've done and disregard the impact is has had.  When I prepared snack for kids, I was helping reset hearts and minds to be ready for the Bible lesson and giving kids a break from the formality of the class room.  When I was in the orchestra or praise team, I was a part of leading people to God's throne for worship.  When I helped with VBS, I was part of helping kids learn about Jesus more.  When I was separating papers, I was helping kids have a piece of age appropriate criteria to spend time with Jesus outside of church.

There is no unimportant part of ministry.

The enemy wants to get in and have you focus on everything you are sacrificing to do this job.  He wants you to hone in on how tiny of an impact you're having or that you're not having any at all and that it doesn't matter.  These are all lies and ways to make you ineffective, discourage you and give up.  Don't let this foothold pull the feet out from under you.  What you're doing, no matter what it is, is giving a lasting impression for Christ.  God sees what you're sacrificing to do what you've been tasked with and He is looking on you with favor, my friend.  Sacrifice is a form of worship.  You are saying no to yourself and yes to Jesus.

So I challenge you with this:

No matter what you're doing, know that it holds value.  It matters.  Push aside those thoughts the enemy plants in your head and go forward with joy because you are having an impact for the better.