There are three specific areas that are crucial to a dynamic church. They are:


The Mission             The Vision           The Ministry


What is a ministry?
it is defined as being: "the implementation of the God-given vision."


Tucker Swamp's Ministry

Ministry marks the believer

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the king will answer them, 'I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.'" 1 Timothy 4: 12-13


We have a bad idea that if we do enough good things then we will be thought of as a good Christian. Doing ministry does not make a believer a better believer. A believer is known as a genuine believer because of the ministry that he or she performs. When we have given our lives to Christ; when He is our Lord and Savior, then we desire to do ministry as a natural expression of our love for Him.

Ministry is not a suggestion, it is an expectation.

"Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things. For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body -though many- are one body, so too is Christ. But as a matter of fact, God has placed each of the members in the body just as he decided. Now you are Christ's body, and each of you is a member of it.1 Corinthians 12:4-12, 18,27


To each and every believer, God has given some gift and some ministry. This gift is to be used. God expects it! It is not just the paid pastor's position that is called to ministry. It is every believer's -every church member's- responsibility to minister to:
each other
the community
as missionaries in our nation, and other nations

Ministry has great rewards but not ministering has grave consequences.

Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, 'Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.' But his master answered, 'Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn't sow and gather where I didn't scatter? Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Ministry has great rewards. Many Christians can share stories of changed lives, new beginnings, and a better community. It was in the giving that they received. We receive blessings when we obey God and serve in ministry. But the consequences of not serving will be the memories of those we could have helped, missed opportunities to change lives, and the lost chances to make a difference.


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