Do you, like so many others, like the idea of being IN the ministry? Or do spend time each day and week DOING ministry, like Jesus commanded us to? (Mat. 10:7-9, John 14:12) Many have a sense that being IN the ministry is awesome! Imagine to get paid for sitting in an office, going to staff meetings, going to lunch with people and talking to people in the church about Jesus! What a great gig, right? But this is a wrong concept based on the average church’s unscriptural view of ministry, perpetuated by their denominational backgrounds. Jesus defined ministry as healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers and casting out demons (Mat. 10:7-9), not sitting in an office and going to lunch. Jesus always told His disciples they could also do this and do it well. (John 14:12) Actually, the people who are able to be full time in ministry should be the best in what they do in DOING ministry so they can TRAIN OTHERS to DO ministry. Teaching others can’t be legitimately done unless that person has experienced something that they can pass on to others. This is only allowed because we have a culture in America that elevates knowledge over experience to the point we have Legal, Economic, Educational and Business schools “training” students led by professors and teachers who have NEVER argued one case, balanced a checkbook, lived among average people or even run a lemonade stand. These “educated ones” are training students in theories that they have developed based on others experiences and data. No personal “real-world” experience was involved. So most of what they “teach” is not based on their working out problems in ANY of these fields. No wonder our country is in such bad shape!
Jesus told us we can ALL do this and that He sent the helper, the Holy Spirit to help us. ALL that Jesus’ disciples or His trainees actually saw Him DO, He showed them these things so that they could also do them. He walked on water and healed the eyes of the blind NOT as a magic trick but to model another way of living on the earth! Every miracle He did, every healing He performed was NOT just to prove He was the Son of God but also to show His disciples another way of living. This AIN’T rocket science! We can do this because He SAID we can! So our goal should be DOING ministry, not being in it! With God, nothing is impossible! Mark 16:16-18- Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover. 1 John 2:3-6 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. |
AuthorPastor Marc Lawson Archives
July 2018
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AboutThere are 168 hours in every week. The 166 Factor is the answer to the question: "Who are you the OTHER 166 hours a week when you are NOT in church?" Join the community here as we will be discussing this and other topics related to Reformation in the Church, The End of Church (As We Know It) & The 166 Lifestyle.
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