Building up believers and the New Testament church

God's Call to Ministry

Stewardship

Ministry called of God demands 100 percent involvement in the fulfillment of its stewardship--the stewardship of the grace the minister has been given and is moving in. A minister cannot be halfhearted in his commitment. Only the valiant in faith move into the kingdom of God and know God's rest. The rest of God is a place where man has ceased from all self-effort, and God is laboring. Everything is being done in faith and in union with God. Ministry must remember that Jesus never moved separately from the Father. Ministry cannot move separate from the Spirit.

The goal of ministry is to see each member brought to the place of responsible action and response in the life of God, and moving together. Only the Spirit can teach us the ministry of life. The ministry of life is not just ministering the word. It is ministering life by the word. Only life can bring forth life, after its own kind.

Many today have put much value in their knowledge of history, Hebrew, Greek, customs and so forth, but these still fail to bring forth a ministry of life. If all scriptures are given by God, it doesn't matter whether they are written in Hebrew, Greek or English. The Spirit is the one that must give us understanding of His living Word.

If you want to be recognized by man, you must look to man, receive his approval, and be qualified according to his standard. But if you want God's approval, you must look to God and fulfill His qualifications. If you are called to work in His church, you must meet God's requirements. Of course if you have been called by men to work in their so-called churches, you must meet their standards and receive their approval.

Therefore, to work in God's church, you need to be qualified in Christ. He is our wisdom, our understanding, and our ability to minister life. You must continue to look to God and know that His order is divine and heavenly, not just a gathering of people in some group down here on earth. God's working is beautiful to behold. God's wisdom will be given by His Spirit, so that His eternal plan may be accomplished. God gives a gift, a ministry, and a message to those He calls. God builds His church in the hearts of His ministers. Through His ministers He brings His church to the fullest expression of His life. He gives power to minister His word. The Spirit's work is to reveal a full expression of the Son. "Till we all come...unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ " (Ephesians 4:13).