Minister On Purpose Series

This morning we’ll be viewing the purpose of “ministry” or “service.” In The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren says, “Growing up, you may have thought that being ‘called’ by God was something only missionaries, pastors, nuns, and other ‘full-time’ church workers experienced, but the Bible says every Christian is called to service. Your call to salvation included your call to service . . . [and] one reason why you need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways” (pp. 229-230, The Purpose Driven Life, Zondervan, 2002).

In The Purpose Driven Church, which is the main resource we’re using for our Wednesday night Bible study, Rick Warren defines “ministry” as “demonstrating God’s love to others by meeting their needs and healing their hurts in the name of Jesus.” He also tells us, “Every believer isn’t a pastor, but every believer is called into ministry. God calls all believers to minister to the world and the church. Service in the body isn’t optional for Christians” (p. 368, The Purpose Driven Church, Zondervan, 1995).

In Mark 10:45, Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” According to Warren, “service and giving are defining characteristics of the Christ-like lifestyle expected of every believer” (p. 368, The Purpose Driven Church, Zondervan, 1995); and this morning, we’ll see the reason and rationale explaining why ministry and service is expected and necessary of every believer in the body of Christ.

Some Overlooked Widows (v. 1)

1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

We read here about trouble brewing among the disciples; “disciple” being a designation given to Christ-followers before they were called Christians at Antioch.(1) A complaint arose against the Hebrews by the Hellenists; a complaint that threatened unity and growth in the New Testament church. The Hebrews were native-born Jews, and the Hellenists were Jews “who either spoke Greek rather than Aramaic, or had adopted Greek customs.”(2) The daily distribution of bread was being neglected among the widows of the Hellenists; therefore, they were offended, taking it as discrimination.(3)

The distribution of bread worked like this: There were appointed collectors who received every day from every court, a piece of bread or any sort of food, or even money from whomever offered it; and then they divided that which was collected, in the evening among the poor, giving every single person his or her daily sustenance called the “Tamchui.”(4) This distribution of bread became a huge task as the number of new converts grew into the thousands; therefore, people were being neglected, not because of prejudice, but for a lack of human resources or “man power.”

James said, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). If we take care of the orphans and widows, then our demonstration of love and care reveals a pure heart before God. So, how are most churches doing at caring for the orphans and widows within their congregation? If they’re not being shown enough care, it might not be for a lack of “man power,” but for a lack of “will power.” Many church members don’t have the will or desire to serve others; and therefore, many needs go unmet.

Rick Warren says, “The greatest need in evangelical churches is the release of members for ministry. A Gallup survey discovered that only 10 percent of American church members are active in any kind of personal ministry and that 50 percent of all church members have no interest in serving in any ministry” (pp. 365-366, The Purpose Driven Church, Zondervan, 1995). He continues to say that God “expects every Christian to use his or her gifts and talents in ministry” (p. 365).

Selecting Table Servers (vv. 2-4)

2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

“Dwight L. Moody used to say that it was better to put ten men to work than to try to do the work of ten men.”(5) It seems the twelve apostles were doing the work of 144 men, figuratively speaking. In verse 3, the apostles informed the disciples, “Seek out from among you seven men . . . whom we may appoint over this business.” The apostle’s solution was to recruit help. This sounds like a reasonable plan; but the apostles felt that more explanation was needed as to why they, themselves, couldn’t perform this task alone.