Effectice Ministry

4 Keys to Effective Ministry

Paul made a farewell address to the elders at the church at Ephesus and pointed out 4 areas to sustain the ministry of Jesus Christ. He recognized that effective ministry is to the Lord, to the church, to the lost and to self. This holds true for any person that desires effective ministry.

Ministry to the Lord

Acts 20:19 NASB95

serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews;

Paul knew that he would have to answer to the Lord for the ministry that he did. This is why he sought to please the Lord first and foremost. He was less concerned of the opinion of the people and more concerned with pleasing the Lord. Paul says in Gal.1:10

Galatians 1:10 NASB95

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

When a person engages in ministry they must be strong in the Lord so they are not sidetracked by the opinion of others. When the Lord calls you into His ministry, you are to engage according to His word and his way. You are not doing it to appease others, but to do what the Lord has called you to do.

I recall a conversation that I had with a fellow pastor. He was stressed out about a decision and direction the Lord had laid on his heart that he had to make because there were a couple of leaders in the church that opposed his decision. I asked him if he feared those leaders and his response was I opening. He said, “I fear these leaders because they are the loudest in the church, but i am more fearful that the majority that are in favor will remain silent.” He just told me that he was more fearful of the people than he was not doing what the Lord had laid on his heart. I ask him, “would you rather be persecuted for doing what the Lord has laid on your heart, or disobey the Lord and lose the ministry?” He began to cry because he knew the right answer.

Understand that ministry is difficult and you will always face opposition. People have their own agenda that may conflict with the direction of the Lord. I am not saying that you operate as a dictator and not listen to wise council. What I am saying is do not delay or deny ministry for fear of mans opposition

Ministry also requires humility. This is shown in obedience. When we do what the Lord requires of us regardless of what we desire this is true humility.

Paul ministered in tears because of what was required of him and the suffering that came as a result of following the Lord. Everywhere Paul went he was persecuted by Jewish pharisees the people he loved and shared the gospel with. His journeys were not often easy and many times was faced with dangers.

Effective ministry must always be rooted in pleasing the Lord.

Ministry to the Church

Acts 20:20 NASB95

how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house,

Paul reminded the elders at Ephesus that he did not avoid dealing with difficult issues but declared all things that were profitable. When dealing with issues of morality he says in 1 Cor. 6:12

1 Corinthians 6:12 NASB95

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Many of the church members at Corinth struggled with moral issues. Paul did not avoid these difficult issues, but shared the what the word of God said to address the issues of morality. These are very sensitive issues that can become emotionally charged when discussed. They are also areas of conflict.

Effective ministers must be able to deal with conflict. It can not be avoided. An effective minister must be able to handle conflict in a way that teaches what is right. Paul told his young disciple Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:2

2 Timothy 4:2 NASB95

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Ministry must instruct the church in the ways of the Lord. This is done in public and private. Public venues are corporate worship, Sunday School, bible studies, and other times that many gather. Private ministry involves personal counseling.

The church is the organism that Jesus has ordained to carry on His mission. He has called ministers to minister to his church

Minister to the Lost

Acts 20:21 NASB95

solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul had a heart for the lost and preached a message of repentance and faith. Repentance involves sorrow of sin that leads to change. Remorse is feeling bad for what you did and perhaps getting caught. Remorse is sorrow for the consequences, repentance is sorrow for the sin. Paul put it this way in 2 Cor. 7:10

2 Corinthians 7:10 NASB95

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

We must address the sin of the lost on order to lead them to repentance. This is difficult because dealing with sin is never comfortable. Though it is not comfortable it must be dealt with in order for repentance to happen.

An effective minister must also share the message of redemption from sin through faith in Jesus Christ. He is the one that died for our sins and rose again from the dead to bring us salvation from our separation from God and redeem us through adoption into the family of God!

A minister to Self-Sacrifice

Acts 20:22–24 (NASB95)

“And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

The first area of effective ministry that the minister must realize that he is no longer his own. He belongs to the Lord and must do as the Lord instructs. We are bound by the Holy Spirit to carry out the ministry of the Lord.

We may not know every step of the plan but must exercise faith to take the next step.

We must “testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”

Strengthen the Church

Paul teaches the elders to strengthen the church by protecting it from false teachers, prepare yourself by knowing the word of God, and give your very best to the church.

Protect the church from false teachers

Acts 20:28–30 (NASB95)

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Paul cautions the elders to be on guard against false teachers that will arise within the church to lead the people of God astray.

We see this happening in the Methodist, Presbyterian, Catholic, and many other denominations. They question the principles of the bible to attract more people to their congregations.

The Bible is the inerrant Word of God that is the instruction manual for the church. We have the Holy Spirit residing within us to reveal the truth of scripture. John 16:13

John 16:13 NASB95

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

There will always be doctrinal differences among churches. These difference typically are second tier differences and do not deal with matters of salvation.

Know the Word of God.

Acts 20:32 NASB95

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

We are to know the word of grace. It is in knowing God’s word that we will be built strong as a church. It is knowing the God and His word that will lead us to everlasting life and enable us to disciple one another.

Give your very best to the church

Acts 20:35 NASB95

“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Paul demonstrated to the elders of the church that he gave all he had to the church. He did not have a desire for other people’s stuff. He did not minister for money. Instead he worked for his keep and for those that helped him minister.

The joy of ministry is not what you get from ministry, but what you get to give through ministry!