“Congratulations, you get to go into full-time ministry!”
I’ve been receiving greetings like that a lot lately. It feels pretty good, actually. After, literally, a lifetime of serving on a volunteer basis, I was offered and accepted a full-time position at a church that my wife, our boys and I call home.
It felt like a long time coming. Nancy and I have spent the majority of our adult lives, both as singles and as a couple, in volunteer positions. Of course, we’ve loved every second of it. And now a great opportunity has been given to us.
With great opportunity, though, comes great responsibility. A French playwright who went by the pen name “Voltaire” and lived through the 1700s said something similar. This thought has consumed my mind in the last few months leading up to my first day here at Journey. Not only have I weighed this idea in a context of what I will be doing as my ‘job’ here, but it also has sparked the thought of what it means to be in “full-time ministry.”
While there is great biblical substance concerning the role church leadership (Ephesians 4:11-16), we/you shouldn’t discount the ‘job’ you have as a witness of the gospel. The definition of ‘ministry’ doesn’t singularly designate the work of a church or religion to a paid staff. If you have decided to be a Jesus follower, then guess what? YOU ARE IN MINISTRY! YOU’RE HIRED!
Here’s your task; Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15.) No matter where you find yourself you’re always on the clock. Consider it a promotion, with the greatest benefit package ever offered.
Jake
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