There is a reason that the average church has 20% or less of the members serving in ministry. Church leaders create too many hurdles. Often this is unintentional, but it warrants our attention. Is it possible that we are making ministry service difficult for most believers? There are four particular hurdles that I want to […]
First of all, God is not playing a “hide and seek” game with spiritual gifts. It has been biblically established in the last post that every follower of Christ has at least one gift for the purpose of ministry in the Church. So how does God reveal these to believers? There are many theories that […]
Ten Nuggets to Discover from 1 Corinthians 12 About Spiritual Gifts 1. God does not want us to be ignorant about the work of the Holy Spirit or the use of spiritual gifts. (verse 1) 2. There is diversity in the Body of Christ, because we have differing gifts. (verses 4-6) 3. There is unity […]
What if the Church is leaving a great resource largely untapped? What if the key to church growth and reaching the world for Christ is right in front of our nose? The potential to radically impact the world for Christ is unrealized because applicable principles regarding spiritual gifts are not being taught. Sullivan County, New […]
Fifty years ago, life was simpler for most church people. They raised their family, worked their job, and went to church. They volunteered in their church, because it was the “right thing to do.” They embraced a community of faith and rarely left their church over hurt feelings or a disagreement with the pastor. They […]
Are believers in Christ working so much at their jobs that they don’t have time to minister to people? One trend that has influenced volunteer ministry in the church is the career decisions of believers. Marlene Wilson acknowledges that the times have changed. “The fact is that people are volunteering- just not in the ways […]
Prior to the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus, “the ministry” was delegated to a small percentage of people. These included Levites, Priests, Prophets, and a few other leaders in Israel. The cross of Christ, however, changed that. The ministry responsibility was expanded exponentially- to every believer in Christ. Believers are a volunteer army that […]
By definition, ministry leaves an impact on others. Bill Hybels states, “Each volunteer we add means that one more Christ follower is discovering the thrill of serving, and one more spiritual need is being met.” (The Church Leader’s Answer Book, 364) When conducted God’s way, ministry is a real joy. I wonder how many pastors […]
At age fifteen, I had no choice. If I wanted to learn how to drive a vehicle and take the test to get my license, I had to learn to drive a “stick shift.” That extra pedal on the left and thing between the seats caused me more fear than the act of driving or […]
Music is beautiful when there is the perfect balance of a strong melody and a complementing harmony. For two accomplished piano players, whose love for music was stifled by debilitating strokes, this ability to enjoy the eighty-eight keys was severely diminished. Margret was impaired on the left side and Ruth on the right. Yet, […]
Follower of Jesus, husband, father, pastor, Bible teacher, doctor who has yet to do surgery.
Jeremy Amick: Marti,
That is a great and simple procedure for m...
martijennings: My definition of a good leader is what I call the ...
How to Get People to Follow You (5 Christ-honoring Distinctives) | Follow One Lead Others by Jeremy Amick: [...] Leads Others, Somewhere (Leadership Overview...
Mike Sain: What is your definition of leadership? one who lea...
Mike Sain: Is the church today winning? I have to say yes and...
