Why Volunteer, Serve, or Join a Ministry Team?

This article is one of a series of articles entitled “Why Volunteer, Serve, or Join a Ministry Team?” My hope is that these articles will inspire you to serve faithfully and/or will help you, as a leader, cast a vision for serving and helping others find their joy in serving as well.

Reason Four: You Are Called to Works of Ministry

I love being a Pastor of a local church. I love serving with you and others; just doing my small part as a member of the Body of Christ. I love using my gifts and talents as you use yours and, together, we make a difference in this world.

But as a Pastor, I can’t neglect one of my primary roles and responsibilities, which is to help you and other believers not only find their place in ministry, but train and equip you to do the works of ministry. This is my Biblical mandate.

Ephesians 4:11-12 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,12 to equip his people for works of service (ministry)…

I believe that every believer is called to be a minister. We are all called to serve and minister the love of Jesus to those around us. As I am serving and ministering to others, part of my job and responsibility is to teach and equip others to do works of ministry as well.

Why?

Why should you and I be equipped, and why should we make it a priority to equip others?

• Ephesians 4:12b…so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Because we are called to minister to others- we better get spiritually in shape!

Do a little spiritual body building. The equipping process will help us all be stronger, more effective, and reach more people for Jesus.

• Ephesians 4:13 … until we all reach unity in the faith!

As we all participate in this training and equipping process we work together, we encourage one another, and we begin to walk together in unity!

We are unified in our faith, mission, and purpose. There is so much we can say about unity, but for the lack of time, let us be reminded that it is from a place of unity that God bestows (some versions say “commands”) his blessings upon us.

Psalms 133 1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. _For there the LORD bestows _his blessing, even life forevermore.

• Ephesians 4:13 …and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

As we equip and encourage each other in ministry and serving, we all grow more in our knowledge of Father God, His ways, and His love for humanity.

We become mature, not according to the world’s standards, but according to the standards God has for us; until we all reach or measure up to the “fullness of Christ.”

Ephesians 3:18-19 May have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

• We will all grow up strong and mature.

Ephesians 4:14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

There are several references in scripture concerning God’s desire for us not to stay baby Christians forever, but that we all should grow up! Mature and strong.

Equipped ministers and servants of God won’t be tossed around by the waves and blown by every wind of false, yet tricky, teachings nor by crafty and deceitful schemes of the enemy.

We all know what its like to have the ocean toss us around and knock us over. This makes for a fun day at the beach, but this is not the way we are to live our lives.

The enemy loves to lie and deceive with partial truths that sound good on the surface, but don’t stand in the light of God’s Word.

If you are ill equipped, watch out!

• Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Equipped and trained ministers, servants of God, and volunteer and team members learn to speak the truth rather than the deceptive subtle lies. And because our whole motivation for ministry is love, we speak the truth to others in love.

The Body of Christ has a beautiful head, Christ Jesus. You don’t get any better than that! Itdoesn’t make sense to have this beautiful head on a weak and feeble body. Therefore, we commit ourselves to always learn, grow, and be transformed into the image of Christ Jesus. We want to look like and be that mature body that you would expect to see the beautiful head of Christ on. The head, Christ Jesus, who is leading and guiding us in our works and ministries.

One of My Dreams

I’ve always said, “Before I die, I want to see the Body of Christ firing on all eight cylinders!”

It truly is my desire to see the church operating as it should with every single member doing their part and fulfilling their respected functions and purposes. Each member uses their gifts to their fullest potential. What a glorious sight that will be!

But this will never happen until we all are equipped and activated. As Paul concludes Ephesians 4:16, “_So, each one of us can do our part.” _This is why we all need to be equipped,

Ephesians 4:16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Again, what a beautiful picture. Every muscle, fiber, and even every ligament is growing stronger! And the amazing thing is that we all grow and get stronger as we build up ourselves in love! Love is like the glue that holds us all together, but none of it works as it should unless you and I all do our part. Firing on all eight cylinders! Doing the works of ministry that we are all called to.

Yes, every believer is a minister. So, let’s continue to get better at what we do as we continue to be equipped and equip others. To this we are called.

Pastor Scott Moore

09-29-23

scott.moore@believersmail.com

Believers Church of Statesboro

www.believersstatesboro.com