You may be familiar with the television show, “Myth Busters,” that was popular for several years. The idea of the show was to explore science in order to expose commonly held beliefs that were actually myths. It’s amazing how many myths we think are true!
Just as our thoughts about science and nature can be misconceptions, our thinking about spiritual things can be faulty if we’re not careful. Specifically, there are several myths about Christian ministry that people sometimes carry. However, we can do some “myth busting” of our own by looking at the Bible to reveal the truth.
For instance, one myth is that God only uses a select group of leaders to minister. The truth is that God has called all Christians to the work of the ministry. The apostle Paul taught, “[Christ] Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11, NKJV). However, they are not the only ones with the responsibility to minster. In fact, Paul goes on to explain that the very purpose of the service of those leaders is “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).
You see, to minister simply means to serve, and we can all serve! After you answer “yes” to God’s call to salvation, you should also say “yes” to the ministry He has for you. There are many ways to minister such as speaking an encouraging word to your friend, offering a prayer for your co-worker, giving money to someone in need, or keeping the nursery at your church. When you serve for the Lord, it becomes a ministry.
Let God move on your heart concerning how you can minister to others. I’ve found that if I stay open to His voice, He’ll give me ideas of how I can share His inspiration with others. In another instance, Paul explained, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). In other words, God will place desires in your heart to do things that please Him, and He’ll also give you the ability to carry out those desires. That’s what ministry is all about … moving in response to God’s leadership in order to put into practice the desires He places in your heart.
However, I’ve also found that stepping into ministry often requires stepping out of our comfort zones! In fact, we may be so uncomfortable that we start making excuses not to obey God. We may even say that our ministry won’t make a difference, thinking that no one really needs the ministry we have to offer. However, such a thought is clearly another myth.
Jesus told His disciples, “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35). Jesus wasn’t referring to natural fields but spiritual ones. He was telling the disciples that people were “ripe and ready” to receive the ministry they had to offer. I believe His message is the same for us today. We should lift up our eyes and look at the fields that are ready for harvest!
So, don’t settle for myths. Know that God wants you to be active in ministry and that He has placed desires in your heart for His purposes. There are people who need the ministry you have to offer. So offer it gladly, and let God use you today!
Reflections 