The Ministry of the Word - Part 3
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Acts 6 (KJ2000)
1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reasonable that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
In the Early Church, they started having problems as the number of disciples began to increase. Apparently, there were now administrative problems that didn’t exist previously. I have seen some ministries pray and believe God for growth, but actively resist the changes they need to make to encourage or manage the growth.
The apostles didn’t make a mistake many ministers make in modern times. They did not allow their need to attend to these administrative challenges to distract them from their need to “give themselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word”. Sometimes, what distracts us from the work of God is the work of God.
Sometimes, because a full-time minister doesn’t have a 9-5 job outside the church, he tends to think the idea is for him to be pre-occupied with administrative and menial tasks associated with the church during the week. It is not.
A full-time minister who pre-occupies himself with administrative or menial work the church needs to be done during the week is not very different from a part-time minister who has a job with a bank or with the civil service. The real purpose of being a full-time minister is so that you can devote a lot of the time you’re not spending on a regular job to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
1 Corinthians 9 (KJ2000)
6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we the right to forbear working?
What Paul calls “the right to forbear working” is the right to not have a regular job so you can spend that time in prayer, Bible study and preaching. It is not the right to not have a job in a bank so you can spend the time in a similar desk job at the church.
Please don’t take this position to an extreme. I am not saying that it is wrong for ministers of the gospel to have a job in the city or to devote any time at all to administrative or menial tasks in church. Most churches would struggle and eventually fail if no one devotes any time at all to administrative matters. I am saying that for the Body of Christ to do well, we must be fed by ministers who refuse to be so distracted by other necessary tasks that they do not have time to prioritise “prayer, and the ministry of the word”. They skilfully look for people who they can safely delegate such necessary tasks and responsibilities to. Sometimes, they may delegate such tasks to believers who are also called to pulpit ministry but are currently serving as assistant pastors.
A Side Note to Part-Time Ministers
If as a minister of the gospel you have a 9-5 job, then you must be your best at that job, and you must also prioritise prayer and the ministry of the Word. A part-time minister of the gospel really has two jobs. He must be excellent at both. Neither vocation must suffer because of the other.
A Side Note to Ministry Leaders
As the leader of a ministry, you should prioritise prayer, Bible study and preaching as the activities which take up most of your time. If much of your time is currently engaged in administrative or menial tasks, then you need to invest in team building. You need more people serving in the ministry of helps. Not doing so could be the reason why the ministry isn't growing.
Some of the assistants who are serving in your ministry in a supportive role may be called to pulpit ministry. If this is the case, make it a point of duty to help them to improve as preachers/teachers of the Word. Do not consign them permanently to the administrative or menial tasks they may be undertaking to help you. Constantly look for opportunities to help them to develop their ministry gift, too.
Many times, no matter how well paid an assistant is, no matter how well you treat them, no matter how much they enjoy their job doing administrative or menial tasks for your ministry, if they have the call of God to stand behind the pulpit, they will have to find expression for that call within your ministry, or they will leave you.
A Side Note to Assistants
As an assistant in a ministry, you need to be mature enough to realise that even if you’re called to a pulpit ministry, you may need to start out in an administrative or menial role. Sometimes it may be frustrating to know that you’re called to preach, but all you seem to be doing for now is picking up ministry guests at the airport or depositing offerings in the bank.
Don’t allow your day job in an administrative or menial role to be the reason you do not spend much time in prayer and Bible study. At the same time, be very faithful in your administrative or menial role. Don’t expect that your ministry leader will reward unfaithfulness in such a role by making an excuse for you, “The reason he’s not a good office staff is because he’s called to preach”. Don’t allow your frustration in such a role to cause you to decide to leave the ministry, or worse still, lead a ministry split.
Continue in grace!
Many thanks for this very insightful words of wisdom.
Blessed by this . Lord help me to be my best in the work you have put in my hands