Are you currently involved in a church ministry? If not, do you have a desire to volunteer your local church? We will help to guide you how into discovering the best ministry for you, examine the motivations of your heart for ministry, and teach you how to pray for your place and ministry in church.
When you have received Jesus Christ into your life as Lord and Savior and became a Christian believer in God, you receive your inheritance as a child of God and with this new identity in Christ your spiritual gifts were also given to you to be used for God’s purposes.
Spending time seeking God through your personal devotion and quiet time, meditating and declaring the promises of Scriptures, fellowshipping with fellow Christians in church, volunteering in missions, are some of the ways that you can easily learn what area of ministry in the church is best for you and find God’s purpose for your role in ministry. A word of caution, sometimes you may come across those in ministry who may feel that because you started in one role you should remain there forever. Well, you just need to let them know that you are just “trying out the ministry” to be sure that you are gifted in that area before making a final decision on where you fit. This is really important or you will be stuck doing things in the church where you’re not gifted and someone else with those gifts may not move into that role because you are there.
Ministry requires service without any financial remuneration so it is through the love of Christ that you serve others with your giftings. Some of
the areas of ministry where you could serve include deacons, ministers, evangelism ministry, church administration, going on mission trips, hospitality ministry – greeting visitors, preparing meals & refreshments, prison ministry, homeless ministry, ministering to the elderly, children’s ministry, prayer ministers, and visitation team to the sick. Ministry is basically anytime you help the church whether it’s in front of others or in the back performing a service that is needed. It’s ministering to the needs of others – that’s ministry.
Sometimes your life may already be quite full with family, work and school and you may feel that you don’t have the time or capacity to take on another task. Well, there is always time! You just need to do some careful planning. Ministry can happen at any time, if you are praying for people over the phone then you can do that at any time 24 hours per day, you can pray for people over emails for 1 hour per day or just once per week. You can arrive at church one hour earlier so that you can greet the new people who are coming to church. There is always some time that you can volunteer. Start slow with only 1 hour per week and then go from there. The spiritual reward from this service is huge! And, it will certainly allow you to grow even more in your relationship with the Lord.
Let me encourage you to approach God and seek His will, purpose, vision, and mission for your life. You will hear God when you are in a posture or position of rest. Decide to spend some time like a week to commune with God in prayer or better yet in fasting. Meditate on His Word and declare them for your life.
Perhaps, you need to get honest with yourself and assess your own skills, talents, giftings, and anointings. Take note of the people involved, activities, events, and undertakings that you enjoy doing and are capable of accomplishing. This will give you a clue on the kind or type of ministry God has in mind for you. Here is a Spiritual Gifts Test that will help to highlight the areas where you may be spiritually gifted.
Do you enjoy speaking before a crowd and training people? Or do you like being with kids or gifted with singing or playing instruments? Do you have the knack for giving advice or counsel or listening longer periods at a time to someone with problems? Do you love praying and interceding for people? Do you delight in planning programs or taking admin roles? How about visiting the sick, prisoners, or evangelizing on the streets? Or do you love to travel and impact places and people for short or long periods? Do you love to write, journal, and inspire people through your words? Do you have a kind or generous heart to support missions and ministries financially or do you want to mentor churchmates on financial planning or debt elimination?
These are but some of the ministries in local Christian churches. There are people who are not directly ministering inside the church but they are ministers altogether. You may have some brief times to text people of prayer requests and praise reports. You may also do email or phone brigades if requests are longer than usual. You may also use the internet and social media to write blogs, articles, testimonies and Facebook posts on what God has been doing in your part of the world. Some people when they receive their salary, will buy meals and distribute to the homeless on the streets. For people tied at home, they can counsel and pray for people over the phone or through chats.
Remember that anything you do for anyone as unto the Lord pleases God. (Colossians 3.23) You do not have to minister under a ministry label or tag, just go on and do what God tells you to do. Many times we are becoming ministry-centered performing God’s work as a routine and obligation like Martha.
God wants us to minister like Mary who sat at the feet of Jesus listening attentively to everything He has to say. (Luke 10.39) Through this posture of basking in Jesus’ presence, listening to His voice and leading, spending time with Him, and doing what He exactly tells you to do, you become the hands and feet of Jesus to someone.
If right now you are encouraged to do something for God through ministry, pray this prayer for your ministry in church—
“Abba Father, You are the author of creation, life, work, and beauty. I accept your invitation for me to take part in this mandate to share the Good News to the world right where I am, right now. Forgive me for the many times I have backed down and retreated from receiving this call to work in Your vineyard in whatever capacity I can. Thank you for speaking to me at this moment not to fear but to be courageous to enter into my promised land, conquer and take dominion. Empower me through the Holy Spirit and the weapons of warfare You have given to me to destroy the wiles, plots, schemes, and demonic methods of the enemy of our souls. I choose to walk into the purpose and mission You have for my life. As I continue to heed Your call, attune my ears to hear only Your voice so that I may know the hope of Your calling in me. Lead me to the people, places, and ministries You intentionally planned out for me. Close the doors that are not meant for me to undertake. Open the doors that I need to unlock and enter in. I pray for the right divine connections and right divine workers for my life. Bless my spirit, soul, and body to do what You desire for me to do on earth. Give me the joy unspeakable, shalom peace, and holy satisfaction as I step into this ministry You intended for me even before the foundations of the world. I am grateful for Your unfailing love and faithfulness in my personal and family life. I surrender to You my family that they too will also be used by God in due time. Protect me and everything about me with the blood of Jesus. Do not allow the enemy to do retaliation or backlash as I walk into your destiny for my life. I resign from performing and striving but I begin to rest in Your arms and receive love from You which will overflow out of me and such love can heal, restore, redeem, and save people I encounter and minister to. I choose Jesus and the life He has to offer, a life overflowing with the expressions of Your bountiful bosom of love, light, and life. Show me the areas where you have gifted me for Your Kingdom and Your Glory and give me the wisdom to know where and how to use them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”
If you have prayed this prayer to find your purpose and ministry in church, you have taken the first step towards serving. Keep your mind and heart open to see where God is leading you in ministry and go to that leader in your church and let them know that you want to serve there “on a trial basis” to ensure that you are in the right area or ministry.
If you have already been in the ministry and lost the passion or there is something that happened that hindered your ministry for a while right now, Do not worry, God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1.9) and He will fight for you in your battles. (Exodus 14.14) He is well able to restore everything that you have lost, heal relationships, and revive you to go back and minister once again. It is all a matter of recognizing where you have fallen and humbly and sincerely asking God to help you get back on your feet once again.
Look at the life of David, Jacob, Nebuchadnezzar, Peter, and other characters in the Bible who slipped one time (or even more!) but God restored them again for service. (Jeremiah 15.19) The ending story of each of these people is glorious and so is the story of everyone who loves God and was called according to His purpose.
Be the eyes, hands, and feet of Jesus to everyone that comes your way. This is the ministry that God has for you. Love Him, others, and yourself.
Wow! Restoration is taking place as I prayed. Continue to pray for me and my household to do God will.