EXPERIENCES IN MINISTRY
I. I have learned to appreciate those who help me in the ministry
Rom 16:3-5(KJV)
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. (6-15 names many others)
A. Jesus himself demonstrated the importance of teams in doing ministry. When He started his ministry the first thing he did was to start forming his team, the 12 disciples Matt. 4:18-22:
18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20At once they left their nets and followed him.
21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus who knew God intimately, was directed to use the team to change the world. Today this is still the will and plan of God for the Kingdom of God. The Lord is the coach and he is putting us through training camp so that we can learn to become an unbeatable team. But many of us still don’t want to be a team player.
Jones states, " I once had a discussion with a gentleman from another country who said he was envious of Americans’ ability to form teams. "When your people want to get something done, they gather a group and assign the tasks. In my country, unfortunately, we do not have it so easy. Many of us cannot even seem to sit down together at the table. We spend years playing King of the mountain, while your people have already figured out how to move it, save it, or make it bigger.”
If you want to accomplish anything for the Lord you need to comprehend that you must be apart of the team (the church). The next step toward unlocking the door to revival is found in teamwork.
There are many teaching that God uses super men and women to do his work. They focus on rugged individualism as the key to success in ministry. They promote the lone superman image, the lone ranger image. But if you read the book of Acts you discover it takes a team to build a church and spread the Kingdom of God..
1. Jesus used all types of people with different backgrounds to reach the world Matthew 10:1-42
2. Jesus knew that people contribute their uniqueness to churches and therefore they make it stronger.
3. Each person in the body contains a host of knowledge, insight and experiences to a scenario, a situation.
4. Look at those who surrounded Jesus: A tax collector, a physician, fishermen, a woman who was a prostitute and at one time possessed with seven demons. Some were poor. Some were wealthy. Some were very energetic, while others were passive. Some were explosive like Peter. Others, like James, were logical" (pg. 101).
B. Remember the Titans
In Virginia, high school football is king. It is a way of life, an institution revered and venerated, each game celebrated more lavishly than Christmas, each playoff distinguished more grandly than any national holiday. And with such recognition, comes powerful emotions.
In 1971 high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria. But when the local school board was forced to integrate an all black school with an all white school, the very foundation of football's great tradition was put to the test. In what was a potentially volatile situation with far reaching consequences, Herman Boone (DENZEL WASHINGTON) was brought up from South Carolina and hired as head coach of the T.C. Williams High Titans over Bill Yoast (WILL PATTON), a coach with several years seniority and a steadfast following.
Hiring Boone as coach of The Titans was a very precarious situation. However, as he and Yoast learned to work together, they found they had much more than football in common. Both were men of integrity and honor, with a strong work ethic. Although from vastly different backgrounds, these two coaches not only molded a group of angry, unfocused boys into a dynamic, winning team, but helped to guide them into becoming responsible, caring young men. Their determination to work together and win was a triumph of the spirit and brought together a town torn by prejudice and intolerance; their love of the game initiated a lifelong friendship.
Gerry Bertier’s newfound friendship with Julius Campbell.
Like Alan and Ray, Bertier’s girlfriend Emma Hoyt is not so sure about the idea of integration. She is baffled by Gerry Bertier’s newfound friendship with Julius Campbell. Emma is played by newcomer Kate Bosworth. "I don’t know that Emma is really a racist," says Bosworth. "She’s just naïve and frightened of the whole idea. She’s nervous about this new way of life but she does undergo a change, which is why I liked the character so much. I think she symbolizes society evolving."
Although history might not remember the names of such heroes as Herman Boone and Bill Yoast, it is because of them that Virginia will always "Remember the Titans."
T- together as a unified & unique group of believers
E- each one of us
A- achieves miraculous results
M- more than we could ever do on our own.
C. Most people get distracted from the harvest when there focus becomes self- centered or inwardly focused.
1. Philp. 2:3 "do nothing out of selfish ambition"
Do all to the glory of God what ever you do not to the glory of self.
I Cor. 10:31 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
2. There’s a wonderful story about Jimmy Durante, one of the great entertainers of a generation ago. He was asked to be a part of a show for World War II veterans. He told them his schedule was very busy and he could afford only a few minutes, but if they wouldn’t mind his doing one short monologue and immediately leaving for his next appointment, he would come. Of course, the show’s director agreed happily.
But when Jimmy got on stage, something interesting happened. He went through the short monologue and then stayed. The applause grew louder and louder and he kept staying. Pretty soon, he had been on fifteen, twenty, then thirty minutes.
Finally he took a last bow and left the stage. Backstage someone stopped him and said, “I thought you had to go after a few minutes. What happened?”
Jimmy answered, “I did have to go, but I can show you the reason I stayed. You can see for yourself if you’ll look down on the front row.” In the front row were two men, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that’s exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully.
D. WITH OUT THE HELP OF OTHERS THE LOAD OF
LEADERSHIP GETS HEAVY ON THE PASTOR
Exodus 17:11 It came to pass, when Moses held up
his hand, that Israel won, and when he lowered his
hands Amalek won.
1. Physical hands get heavy and tired.
2. The load was much more than hands, it was a spiritual battle.
If we would work together in our churches, we would be able to accomplish so much for the body of Christ. Would you be a team player?
II. I have learned to be myself
1 Cor 15:10a(KJV), “But by the grace of God I am what I am:”
A. 0% pretended perfection
B. Brings a peace of God (He loves me as I am, but thank God He isn’t going to leave me this way
III. I have learned that there is joy in serving God and others
Luke 10:17(KJV)
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
A. Making a difference in others lives
IV. I have learned to enjoy the journey
A. Ministry is a journey not a destination.
V. I have learned that prayer changes things
VI. I have learned to never regret the hurt in ministry
Prov 27:6(KJV)
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
A. If you get hurt, it means that you loved someone enough to get hurt!
VII. I have learned that hope will never make me ashamed
Rom 5:5(KJV)
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
VIII. I have learned that faithfulness is a noble calling honored by God
A. There is something about growing old with your family or friends that speaks volumes about your character and who you are as a person.
1. God told Moses that He would give Him a congregation that wouldn’t complain or murmur or mess up. However, Moses stood faithful with His people and God honored Him and His faithfulness.
2. Dream team players know the importance of sticking in one area and focusing on the task rather than jumping from one team to another all the time. They know that the grass is not greener on the other side.
· Dream team players know that they are not free-agents but God’s agents.
1. A real leader doesn’t flee when trouble comes around.
John 10:12 But he that is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. 13. The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.
IX. I have learned that God loves and watches over you and I
A. His eye is on the sparrow
X. I have learned that nothing you do for God is in vain
