ministries) given to every man to profit, as God sees fit, I
What is the Corinthians 12:4-11, such as the word of wisdom, word of
Ministry?
Do you have to be "ordained" in
order to minister, or serve? WHO
can minister?
There Are Many Different Ministries
We are to be a living sacrifice to God, Romans 12:1-3. Just as
there were many types of animal sacrifices, there are many
types of ministering. Every man has a measure of this gift,
verses 4-13. Prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving,
ruling, and showing mercy are seven gifts, different aspects of
love, which God gives to us differently. Some brethren have
more of one gift than another. Some have several gifts. Maybe
some even have all seven gifts. But we all are members one of
another. We are not to think more highly of ourselves than
others, but esteem and value one other's gifts.
There are differences of administrations (same word as
Every Man Has a Ministry, Paul Had His
knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of
spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. We are not to
question the gifts God gives, verses 18, 28-31, such as
apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, healings, helps,
governments, tongues. Some say: "God hasn't given us a
prophet in this time." Are we to question God and say He must
have all offices filled in all ages? Today we know of no genuine
gift of tongues. God is in charge. He gives gifts to men, as He
wills.
In Ephesians 4:1-16, especially verse 7, we are shown that
everyone has a gift of grace, whether it be prophets,
evangelists, pastors, or teachers. These offices are to make
the saints perfect, to help them grow up and be fit together in
the body of Christ, who is the head. The apostles and other
offices are not the head of the Church. Christ is. He puts people
in offices for service. Again, is it possible for there to be times
when there is no apostle or prophet, but only teachers? Are
these "offices" the result of ordination, or of the gift of Christ?
Are we to be teachers? Hebrews 5:12.
Teaching, showing mercy, giving, etc., are all parts of the
ministry. The ministry isn't something you are in, it is something
you do, as the result of God's gift.
Every Follower of Christ Should Have a Ministry
The church of Thyatira had
"works, and charity, and service [ministry],
and faith" Revelation 2:19.
"As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted" Acts 13:2, the
Holy Spirit spoke and told them to lay hands on Barnabas and
Saul for the work God had called them to do.
"Ministering to the saints" is a fellowship, a giving of the self to
God, II Corinthians 8:4, 5, 9:1-2, 12-13. I Corinthians 16:15-16
describes the house of Stephanas, who "addicted themselves
to the ministry of the saints," showing that everyone should
help spread the word and serve the brethren.
Paul received from Jesus the ministry to testify the gospel, Acts
20:24. He had a ministry to the Gentiles, Acts 21:19, Romans
11:13.
Paul and Barnabas fulfilled their ministry, Acts 12:25.
Jesus put Paul into the ministry, I Timothy 1:12.
Paul was made a minister for the church's sake, not for his
personal glory or aggrandizement, Colossians 1:23-25.
Women Can Be "Ministers"!
Romans 16:1 tells of Phebe, a sister, who was a servant of the
church. And in Luke 10:40, Martha was cumbered about with
much serving Jesus, which was fine, but she needed to also
choose the "good part" of spiritual instruction from Jesus, verse
42.
These are the same words (diakonos, diakonia) elsewhere
translated "minister." A Christian "minister" is not
necessarily ordained to preaching and teaching.
Ministers Must Be Faithful
We as co-workers, are to give no offense in anything so that the
ministry be not blamed. We are to approve ourselves as the
ministers of God, II Corinthians 6:1-4.
Colossians 4:17,
"Take heed to the ministry which thou hast
received in the Lord, that thou fulfill it."
Verse 7 tells of Tychicus, who was
"a beloved brother, and a faithful minister
and fellowservant in the Lord."
Ministers must be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, I
Corinthians 4:1-2. Distributed FREE by:

What Are Ministers? Servants by Whom We Believe

Paul and Apollos were nothing "great" on their own,

"but ministers by whom ye believed, even

Mustard Seed Evangelistic Work (MSEW)
as the Lord gave to every man" I Corinthians
3:5-7. For Inquiries, email: mseedwork@yahoo.com

Ministers are only servants; the credit should all go to God, who If you need additional literature, you may request from the following (free of
gives the increase.
charge):
We Are Ministers of God
1. Are You Ready for Baptism?
Every priest was a minister, Hebrews 10:11. 2. Which of the Ten Commandments Did Jesus Repeal?
3. God’s Diet Plan for Healthful Living
We are (right now) a royal priesthood. We are the ministers of 4. Keeping the Sabbath Holy
God, I Peter 2:9. If civil rulers are the ministers of God, 5. What is the Bread of Life?
Romans 13:1-6, how much more should we be God's
ministers? 6. Who Should Prophesy?
7. Does God Have a Merry Christmas?
I Timothy 3:8-13 describes church deacons. The words 8. Should Christian Really Vote?
translated "deacon" and "office of a deacon" mean in the literal 9. Doing the Works of God
Greek "those who serve" and "act of serving." Not everyone in
10. What Matters Most: Achievement or Goodness?
the church are ministers, but those who meet these
qualifications are. Everywhere else, the word "deacon" is
translated "minister" or "serve." So we see that the function of
the "ministry" in the church is for more than ordained preachers.
"Ministry" extends in one way or another to every member
of the church.

Written by: Richard Nickels

The writer is founder of Giving & Sharing, a nonprofit service

organization serving Sabbath-keepers since 1978. Visit his
website at www.giveshare.org.