Ministry

1. Ministry Strong’s G1248 – diakonia
2. service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others
3. of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men
   1. of the office of Moses
   2. of the office of the apostles and its administration
   3. of the office of prophets, evangelists, elders etc.
4. the ministration of those who render to others the offices of Christian affection esp. those who help meet need by either collecting or distributing of charities
5. the office of the deacon in the church
6. the service of those who prepare and present food

There are over 29 verses in the New Testament regarding ministry. So often it’s easy to get caught up in the thought that ministry is done from the pulpit or on special occasions out in the community. Yet, if you look through the passages in the New Testament about ministry, the majority of them are not from “the pulpit.“

• Martha was ministering through serving while Mary was ministering at Jesus‘s feet.
• There was the ministry of the disciples, Judas, and Matthias being appointed in his place.
• There was the distribution of food with the Hebrews and the Hellenist women, the ministry of serving tables.
• There is the ministry of the Word.
• The ministry of the gifts of the spirit in service, utterance of wisdom, utterance of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, and speaking in various tongues.
• There is the ministry of God’s mercy.
• There is the Ministry of relief for the Saints through giving.
• There is the ministering of Paul service to the Lord.
• There’s a ministering spirits to serve for the sake of salvation, which is done by angels.
• The ministry of service to the Church or brethren.
• Ministry through testifying to the gospel of grace of God.
• Service to the saints is a ministry.
• The ministry of reconciliation.
• The building of the body as a ministry.
• Evangelism as a ministry.
• There was service in the church of Thyatira.
• There is the service of Paul to the Gentiles as ministry.
• The gift of serving is a ministry.
• Service to Jerusalem is a ministry.
• There’s a ministry of death.
• There is a ministry of the Spirit.
• There is a ministry of condemnation.
• There is the ministry of righteousness.
• And service of God as a ministry.
• The ministry of righteousness.
• And a ministry in service of God.

I often think of ministry as preaching or as the fivefold ministry, but this one little word has many different facets beyond the ministry of Jesus, the disciples, and the fivefold ministry. Serving others physically is ministry serving the needs of others financially his ministry using the gifts of the spirit is ministry God has entrusted us with his ministry angels minister to us ministering to others by building them up these are all ministries

There is something for each of us to do in ministry for God. There is no way to say that we can’t be involved. There’s no reason that we should discount the ministry that we provide just because it doesn’t come from the pulpit or is not part of the fivefold ministry.

Prayer – Lord, help me to value the ministry that You haven’t trusted to me. Help me to not make excuses but to walk in the knowledge that I am serving You. You Word says whatever I do in word or deed, I do unto you. Help me to serve, to minister to the best of my ability.