What is the "work of the ministry"?

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What is the "work of the ministry"?

If I asked you to tell me what ministry is, what would you say? Who does it? If it is "work" does it only count if you get paid to do it?
Just what is the work of the ministry and who is responsible for it?

Where do we typically get our image of what the work of the ministry is?

What does the Bible say?

Eph.4:11-16

If you've grown up in the church, you may have the tendency to view ministry as doing certain, pre-decided ministries within the church (pastor, deacon, nursery worker, Sunday school teacher, usher). Breaking away from considering ministry as ONLY these can be tough!

Ministry is all of that and more! Ministry is lived out in the relationships of every follower of Jesus.
Ministry can also be reaching out to those who are around you, when you see a need you can fill, a person you could invest in, a relationship you could build.

Life phases -- changes personal ministry. What you once did may need to change.

What is most important when all is said and done? Where is the value? Where do we see God at work, lives impacted, eternal fruit realized?

How do we evaluate where to best use our time, efforts, and spiritual gifts?

How to break out of the BOX other Christians (or you yourself) try to put you in...
Ministry equals ...WHAT?

It's not merely what makes me feel good about myself! I can feel productive without doing anything of eternal value.

Ministry is found whenever I submit my will to God's and surrender my life to be used by Him in the lives of others.

If you think about the "one anothers," how does that affect your view of the ministry? Where do we live out the one anothers throughout the week? Are we fulfilling these in practical ways?

Homework: Write down a list of people you'd like to build relationships with in order to invest in their lives. Then choose the top three. Reach out to each of these; put out "feelers" to see if they respond to you and your invitation to interact with each other (meet regularly, talk spiritually, grow together)