Faithful Ministry - Part 1

Being faithful in ministry means taking heed to your words, your walk, and your witness.

Be an Example in Word

We live in a day and age where profanity and crass language is seen as the norm, while truthful words are ridiculed.

What NOT To Say

Colossians 3:8–10 ESV

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Don’t speak in anger, wrath or hate towards others.

Don’t slander.

Don’t use filthy, vulgar language, crass joking.

What To Say

Speak wisely with unbelievers - pointing them to Christ.

Colossians 4:5–6 “5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

Speak edifyingly with believers - building up.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

Hebrews 10:24–25 “24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Spurgeon said that if you are not willing to say something to a person don’t say it about them.

An All-Round Ministry: Addresses to Ministers and Students “Forward!”

If you say one thing to one man, and another to another, they will one day compare notes, and find you out, and then you will be despised. The man of two faces will sooner or later be the object of contempt, and justly so. Now, above all things, avoid that.

How to Guard Your Words

Let God’s Word dwell in you. Colossians 3:16–17 “16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

It will build you up - Acts 20:32 “32 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.”

It will sanctify you - John 17:17 “17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

Challenge - Memorize the Word of God.

Find a time. Read it out loud or listen to it. What you commit to memory will come back to you in time of need. 601-373-4295

John 15 for your walk with the Lord Jesus.

Romans 6 for overcoming temptation.

1 Corinthians 13 for learning to walk in love