EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS A MINISTRY

From the 1st Century to the 3rd Century of Christian history, believers knew that they each had a ministry in the Kingdom of God. There was no such thing as a division of clergy and laity, for Christians ministered in the gifts that the Lord gave them when He ascended on high according to Ephesians 10:4f. The believers didn't separate life into secular and spiritual for to them everything was spiritual and was done “as unto the Lord”.

It was only after hundreds of years of tradition that Christians were divided into clergy and laity and that life was separated into secular and spiritual. During the Protestant Reformation, there was the beginning of the return of the teaching about the “priesthood of the believer”. However, it was a limited understanding that primarily emphasized that each individual Christian was a priest and thus did not need to go to an earthly priest to confess sin and be forgiven. They believed that every believer could go directly in prayer to the High Priest, Jesus Christ, to confess their sins and be forgiven.

But there is so much more involved in the priesthood of the believer that we need to understand and obey. According to Scripture in I Corinthians 12, the Church is like a body with many members and that as we as believers are placed into the Body by the Holy Spirit, we become a functioning part of the Body.

Everyone of us has a place of ministry and unique gifts to be used for Kingdom service. Just as the human body is not complete unless all of its members are functioning properly, so the Church is not whole until all of its members are functioning as well.

In Ephesians 4:8f, “when Jesus ascended up on high, He gave gifted people” to the Church to equip us for the work of ministry. These gifted people were 1) apostles (“sent out ones), 2) prophets, 3) evangelists, 4) pastors and teachers. These were given to the Church not to do the work but rather to equip all of us to do the work of the Kingdom. Every Christian has a ministry and should be serving the Lord for His glory.

We are never too young nor too old to serve the Lord. Serving the Lord is not limited by lack of education, experience or money. As long as we have life in our bodies, we can serve the Lord through the ministry He has given each of us.

The Bible, according to Romans 11:29, 12:3-8, 13; I Corinthians 7:7, 12:4-31; Ephesians 2:16-22, 4:1-16; and I Peter 4:10-11, teaches that we all have ministries and gifts and we are to use them for His glory.

In addition to the equipping gifted persons of Ephesians 4, “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers”, other gifts include:

1. Exhortation (encouragement, comfort, admonition)

2. Giving

3. Helps

4. Hospitality

5. Mercy

6. Organization/Administration

7. Service

Others:

1. Discerning of spirits

2. Word of wisdom

3. Word of knowledge

4. Faith

5. Miracles

6. Healings

7. Languages

8. Interpretation of languages

I want to encourage each of you to know your ministry in God's Kingdom and for you to serve Him for His glory!