When you look in the mirror, do you see a minister? If you are a follower of Jesus, you do! Unfortunately, when many people think of "minister" - they envision someone in a white collar who preaches sermons and officiates wedding and funerals. But Jesus and the Apostles taught that all Christ-followers are ministers.
It's true that there are some who are called to vocational ministry (such as pastors, evangelists, etc. - see Ephesians 4:11-13) but the term "minister" simply means "servant". Have you ever found it strange that in Western Culture we have professionalized the ministry so much that many churches in search of hiring a pastor will focus on higher education before things such as "character and calling." I'm not downing education. I have a degree in Bible and Theology myself. It's just that I wonder if our view of "the ministry" is a bit skewed...
In Acts 4, there's a cool story about Peter and John being dragged in to face a panel of judges who wanted to interrogate and threaten them related to their spreading the message of Jesus all over Jerusalem. It's interesting that the text says the council was "astonished" at their courage because they knew them to be "unschooled, ordinary men." Evidently these guys couldn't figure our how non-credentialed ordinary fishermen who were not "religious professionals" could be leading such a vast and growing movement.
It goes on to say that the only thing they knew for sure is that these men had "been with Jesus." Can you imagine? What a compliment! Peter and John were not qualified as ministers because they were educated in a prestigious seminary, or had come from the right family line. Rather, their sole qualification was that they had the influence of Jesus all over their lives!
My prayer is this: "God - help me never to become a 'professional minister'. When people get to know me, may they say ONE thing about me above all else - that they can tell I spend a lot of time with Jesus."
After washing His disciples' feet in John 13, Jesus said, "As I have loved you (through servanthood) so you should also love each other...." Granted, personally spending 3 1/2 years with Jesus would have topped any seminary education. But at the end of the day, these guys were still just blue-collar types who learned as they served. Join us this Sunday at Valley for "Vintage - Part 3" as we discover why ministry is something we are ALL called to.....and feel free to chime in with your thoughts related to this right here at Raw and Relevant!
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