Your Place of Ministry

My kids and I went for a leisurely stroll on the beach last week looking for sea shells. The obvious thing I noticed was the great diversity in the shells we picked up. All of them were from the ocean. All had originality.

In the body of Christ we are members of one another, but we all have a unique function. The Father has placed different giftings in us all, and He wants us to function in the gifting that He’s placed within us.

The ministry offices are Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. They are given to prepare the saints for the work of the ministry. All of these have a preaching and teaching anointing. I stand in the office of the Pastor and Teacher.

But there are other giftings of ministry that are important and necessary. Romans 12 mentions other necessary areas of ministry: prophecy, ministry (deaconing, being a helper and a servant), teaching, exhortation (being an encouragement to others), givers (those with a special knack for making money and financing the gospel), leaders (those with organizational skills that can assist ministry offices), and mercy (those with a special enablement to help those who are down and out for whatever reason).

1 Corinthians 12: 28 also mentions helps as a necessary place of ministry. Those called to help assist those who fulfill the ministry offices found in Ephesians 4:11. All of us should be involved in helping. I started out in the ministry of helps over 30 years ago. As I was faithful, the Lord opened up what He had planned for my life.

I believe every believer should be involved in the helps ministry. And as they prove faithful there, the Lord will open up what He has for each one.

Don’t wait for something to open up without doing anything. You may wait a lifetime. Choose today to be a faithful person. Find a need and be the supply for it. Don‘t wait for someone to ask you to do something. Be faithful to help fulfill whatever need you see. I believe this is often a test for us. The Lord wants to see if we will just be faithful in whatever needs to be done before He places us in our life’s call.

We are as diverse as sea shells. All of us are necessary, but we must choose to be used by the Father to bless others. Find a need today and fill it!