Keys to an Effective Ministry

Keys to effective Ministry

Mark 2:1–12 NKJV

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Mark 2:1 NKJV

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house.

Introduction

One major problem that confronts many localized churches is that they are very conscious of the fact that the Ministry of the Church is supposed to be Effective, Effectual and Efficient, but they are at a loss as to how to make it so. Their dilemma is How to move from the Supposed to the Actual.

The truth of the matter is, that many of the ministries in our churches lack the necessary Tools or Means to accomplish the goal of being an effective Church.

There must be a strategy involved in moving from a stale, static and slumbering assembly to an Energized focused and effective ministry that is actively and consistently engaged in the hurts, hopes, healing and struggles of the community in which God has planted has planted us!

There is a real danger in becoming complacent! You know, satisfied with just huddling for the sake of maintaining the routine activities of hour weekly meetings (e.g. mission, brotherhood, ushers, choir rehearsal and prayer meeting and bible study).

But if no one knows that you exist as a healing community, if no one knows of your ministry and mission, if no lives have been impacted by your ministry, if darkness and demons are still in force around you; then the truth of the matter is YOUR MINISTRY IS INEFFECTIVE!

Our main mission cannot be just building and maintaining our physical buildings and property; but the crucial question is, How are we going to use the buildings and properties?

In this sermon I want to lift up some keys, that is, some means or instrumental fundamentals that we can us to gain entrance into the control and possession of an effective ministry.

As you know, Keys are only valuable when they are used to fit the specific lock or machine for which they were designed. And God has given us thru His Word the Keys to the Kingdom which houses those spiritual treasures and resources we need to function here on earth!

These are Keys to an Effective Ministry. That is, a ministry that produces a decided (unquestionable) effect; a ministry that is ready for Service or Action; a ministry that actually produces a meaningful and lasting effect or result; a ministry that acts in such a way as to avoid loss or waste of energy in effecting, producing or functioning.

Let me begin by saying that I believe that it is the will of the Lord Jesus for this or any other localized, authentic church is that Our Ministries Be Effective!

Now right away in verse 1 this is hinted at by John Mark. For he immediately incorporated the adverb “Again” in relating this incident.

Mark writes in verse 1, “And again He (Jesus) entered …” Now Mark is notorious for using the adverb “again,” for he uses it over 26 times in relation to Jesus and to others.

In using it in relation to Jesus, Mark highlights the Againness of Jesus, His Persistence and the Repetitive Nature of Jesus’ Style; as if to say, Jesus that the Lord’s theme song was “lets do it again”.

For repeatedly Jesus performed certain acts and repeated the pattern of certain events or incidents. There is a Pattern of Repetition that is displayed in the Ministry of Jesus. For thru-out this Gospel of Mark, we get snap-shots of Jesus as

again and again He went by the seaside;

again and again He entered into the synagogue;

again and again He passed over and back to the other side of the Sea of Galilee;

again and again He taught and preached;

again and again He taught the disciples privately;

again and again He performed miraculous works on the sick and demon-possessed;

and again and again He went away and prayed.

I submit to us that in these Repetitive Acts and Events is revealed the Persistence of Jesus. Meaning,

He will not leave us alone,

will not allow us to settle for the ordinary and the routine,

will not allow us to become complacent or satisfied with mediocrity.

HE COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN!

Mark says “And again He entered …”

By now we must have perceived in this Againness of Jesus a Strategy for making us Effective. For again and again He comes to prune us that we may bear much fruit.

He desires our light to so shine before men that they may see our good works (effectiveness) and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

So AGAIN AND AGAIN He trims and adjusts our light. In setting our lights on the lamp stand, His intent is effectiveness and efficiency, in that, our light is to give light to all that are in the house.

The Lord desires the church to increase and multiply both numerically and spiritually. His will is that the Ministry of the church produce results of a Lasting and Beneficial Kind. So, HE COMES BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN INSPECTING, TRYING, PRUNING, PURGING, NUDGING, CHASTIZING AND ENCOURAGING US ON TO GREATNESS IN MINISTRY! So Mark says in verse 1 “And Again (Anew, Afresh, Once More, Back Again) He entered …” This Againness of Jesus says that He wants our Ministry to be Effective in dealing with the Needs and Life-Experiences of Hurting Humanity!

Luke 13:6–9 NKJV

He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”

So let’s examine this Markan passage afresh for Some Keys we can use in making our Ministry Effective. Now if we would hush our hearts and still our suspicions I believe the Spirit of Truth will reveal FOUR FORCEFUL KEYS that are tucked away in the folds of these Two verses of Mark Chapter Two.

Mark 2:1–2 NKJV

And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them.

The First Key unearthed in verse 1 as it relates to an Effective Ministry is:

THE KEY OF PERSONAL SECURITY IN CHRIST.

. THE KEY OF PERSONAL SECURITY IN CHRIST.