Qualifications for ministry

God calls people to minister

Qualification is by call, not gifting or achievement

Deuteronomy 7:7–8 AFRIKAAN

7 “Die Here het jou nie liefgekry en gekies omdat jy groter was as die ander volke nie, jy was die kleinste van almal. 8 Omdat die Here jou liefhet en Hy sy belofte nakom wat Hy met ’n eed bekragtig het aan jou voorvaders, het Hy jou deur sy groot krag laat wegtrek en jou bevry uit die plek van slawerny, uit die mag van die farao, die koning van Egipte.

See also

God calls those who the world regards as weak or foolish

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 AFRIKAAN

27 En tog, wat vir die wêreld onsin is, het God uitgekies om die geleerdes te beskaam; wat vir die wêreld swak is, het God uitgekies om die sterkes te beskaam, 28 en wat vir die wêreld sonder aansien of betekenis is, ja, wat niks is nie, het God uitgekies om wat iets is, tot niet te maak. 29 Voor God het geen mens dus iets om op te roem nie.

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 AFRIKAAN

1 Om te glo, is om seker te wees van die dinge wat ons hoop, om oortuig te wees van die dinge wat ons nie sien nie. 2 Dit is immers vanweë hulle geloof dat daar oor die mense van die ou tyd met soveel lof getuig is.

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

; ;

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:

;

priestly

Various ministries are equally linked by qualifications of character

the replacement for Judas; the Seven

Overseers:

;

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.