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Building the Church through Ministry On June 14, 1999, an unidentified man boarded a New York City subway at rush hour and died in his seat. In the midst of all the passengers who rode that subway, he simply died and nobody noticed. Investigators say there was no sign of struggle or foul play; he just died. His dead body rode the subway four to five hours while people got on and off the train that runs from the southern tip of Manhattan to the Bronx. It’s hard to imagine somebody dying on a busy subway and nobody noticing for several hours, but authorities speculate that “no one noticed him because the train was so crowded and people were in too much of a hurry.” Such a description of negligence could define any number of occurrences in ministry. Crowded places and crowded schedules can tragically crowd out compassion and concern. Whether it’s in a crowded subway or a crowded church, we can all easily miss the hurts of those around us. By taking a few extra minutes each day to more seriously consider the needs of the people we encounter, we may be able to prevent one of the greatest tragedies of life ... negligent oversight of another human being.

Houston Chronicle, June 15, 1999, p. 4A

For the last six weeks I have been speaking about five characteristics that we believe to be foundational truths every healthy church will practice. These behaviors are found in the first recorded record that we have of the early church following the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We find this record in the book of the Bible called Acts. It is the Acts of the Apostles. It is the record of what transpired in the in the formative years of church.

The five characteristics are:

Prayer
Unity
Sharing
Grace and today we look at Ministry.

We don’t want you to forget them so we have conveniently posted hung the metaphor on the back wall of the church so you can see them as you leave this room each week. We all can see them and practice them with each other.

When Jesus Christ walked and lived on this earth He gave some very clear instructions.
He taught His disciples that Christ followers would be reflections of Himself.
He taught that we were to share the good news of the message.
He taught that all Christ followers would be fishers of men.
He taught that we were to be His lights to a dark world, his bread to hungry people. We are to be salt which brings a distinct flavor to the culture.

We are to keep ourselves loosely connected to the world and always remember that we are but pilgrims and strangers passing through this earth. We are to build our lives on the Word of God and the principles and commandments found in the Bible.

It is abundantly clear when you read the New Testament that Christ had one main objective with His first followers and that was to turn them into ministers.

The word minister is all inclusive. It does not refer to men or women who respond to a specific call and then go into full time church work as a staff member of a local church or a missionary in another country.

Every Christ follower is a minister! Every Christ follower in this room has been given gifts and talents by God that He wants us to use for Him.

After World War II, some German students volunteered to help rebuild a cathedral that had been damaged by enemy bombs. The English church had a large statue of Jesus that was badly damaged. The students worked diligently to restore the entire statue, but had trouble deciding how they would handle the delicate restoration of the hands. After great deliberation, they agreed to make a statement by leaving the statue without hands. The statue’s inscription stands to this day: “Christ has no hands but ours.” Baptist Beacon, May 23, 1996, p. 5

We answer the call to ministry:

1. Because there is a Great Commission.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit., and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28:19

This statement should be the driving force behind everything a church does. If we truly want to be followers of Christ we will engage in the business He left us to do.

We must continually ask ourselves if we are fulfilling this mission.

2. Because there is a Great Commandment.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love you neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31

We are called to live our lives in ministering and answering the call of God in our lives.

3. Because there is a sense of conviction and commitment.

“It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up...” Ephesians 4:12

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

The Holy Spirit was given so that we would be empowered to minister to others.

If you could just take a minute or two and sit back and put it all in perspective. The Christ follower looks at this world through entirely different eyes than do people who are not following Christ.

John Maxwell is well known for his practical approach to ministry. One of his pragmatic ideas helps solve two problems at once. People can tend to feel as though they are not receiving adequate ministry, or they are not a significant part of providing ministry to others. Either problem can be frustrating for a Christian. Maxwell suggests both of these problems can be remedied by leaders knowing and caring for three primary factors—the person’s name, need, and niche. When we know who people are, where they hurt, and what they do best, we can help them experience the joy of both receiving and giving ministry. “How to Get Commitment for Ministry,” John Maxwell, The Pastor’s Update, April 1991

4. Because there is a sense of connection.

The people in the early church were connected to each other but more importantly they were connected to the mission and to the God who ordered it.

The one thing that has been proven by the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq is that this generation of soldiers is courageous and willing to fight. They don’t run from commitment. Sometimes church leaders have been afraid to use strong words that call for us to obey but obedience is a vital part of being a Christ follower. It is not just some emotional feeling we sing about. It is knowing what God wants, being what He wants us to be and doing what He wants us to do.

In Acts four, Peter and John were released from prison and instructed to not preach or teach in Jesus name. In verse 18 of chapter four in the book of Acts we read:

“Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question—we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard.” Acts 4:18

When they got back to the other believers they shared the warnings and then prayed.

“Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” Acts 4:29-30

When we are connected to the mission that God gave the church to do we will find ways to be connected with other people. That is the reason we will be emphasizing small group participation in the new year.

5. Because there is a sense of completion.

“Day after day in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42

When Anthony Demello saw a starving child shivering in the cold, he became angry with God. He turned to heaven and said, “God, how could you allow such suffering? Why don’t you do something?” After a long silence, Demello sensed God’s answer. He said, “I have done something ... I made you.” When we pray for God to do something, we must be willing to become the agent of ministry through which he answers our prayers and “does something.” Better Families, Aug. 1996, p. 2

Video:

Iraq story:

And the final answer is:

      Those that are enlightened are enrolled.      Those that are enrolled are enlisted.      Those that are enlisted are endued.

Those that are endued will enjoy the favor of all the people.

2003/12/14