Qualifications for ministry

God calls people to minister

Qualification is by call, not gifting or achievement

Deuteronomy 7:7–8 NLT

“The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

See also

God calls those who the world regards as weak or foolish

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 NLT

Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

Feelings of inadequacy to God’s call are common

Moses; Gideon; Saul; David; Solomon; Isaiah; Jeremiah

Responding to God’s call to minister

Readiness and availability

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Faith, rather than natural talent or moral perfection, is required

Hebrews 11:1–2 NLT

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

See also Jacob was a deceiver; Moses and Aaron disobeyed God.

David committed adultery and murder:

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Solomon disobeyed God’s command.

NT ministers are recognised by call rather than their achievement

The Twelve

The Twelve, including Peter and Judas, failed Jesus Christ at critical times.

Paul

; ; ; Though greatly gifted, Paul was kept humble by his sense of unworthiness, difficulties and disappointments and his “thorn in the flesh”;

Ministry in the NT is described as service

Serving God

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Serving Jesus Christ

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Serving the gospel

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Serving the church

; ; ; ; ; ;

Ministry is described in terms of its source, content or nature

Its source

It is of the Spirit:

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It is from God.

Its content

the word of God; reconciliation

Its nature

Apostolic:

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priestly

Various ministries are equally linked by qualifications of character

the replacement for Judas; the Seven

Overseers:

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Deacons; Timothy

The personal qualifications for ministry

Faithfulness

Timothy; Paul’s claim for his own ministry

“faithful” is the sole description of the ministries of Epaphras and Tychicus:

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Godliness

Simon was not right with God.

Timothy:

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Christlikeness

The replacement apostle for Judas had to have been with Jesus Christ from the beginning.