How do we define ministry? How do we, as humans, decide what is and isn’t ministry to glorify God? How do we not feel guilty for the gifts the Lord has given us? That was just a few of my many questions this month as my ministry changed from what I was expecting to behind-the-scenes ministry. Here is what I decided:
Starting this month, I was out there doin’ the thing (AIM term for ministry that you would expect to see on the field). I was doing evangelism, cracking walnuts (see last blog for understanding), and doing children’s ministry. Then, about the second week in, my squad mate Janele asked if I could help edit a video from a ministry day we did, called the New Testament project. After discussing it with my team, I decided to help her with that for a few days, and boy did I love it.
A few days later, we as a squad, were approached by our host about how we could get the word out about his ministry in a more efficient way. One of the suggestions was to make a video to send out to short term missionaries. Instantly I knew the Lord was calling me to help with this, but I was scared to ask my team for fear that they wouldn’t see it as a ministry.
I made up scenarios in my head of how they would react, why they would say no, or why they would be mad at me for doing it. So I prayed about it, talked to our squad leader about it, and decided to just ask them, and you know what they said? “Oh yeah you should so take this opportunity” “I think you would be really good at that” “You should take every opportunity to use the gift God has given you.”
A gift?
Was this really a gift from God?
Is being able to take pictures something I can call a gift?
Then I began to think back to before the race. I had asked God to let me use videos and editing for ministry, but I had limited skills and I was worried. So here it comes in month two. He let me use video editing for ministry, and He brought me a sweet and patient friend like Janele to take the time to teach me SO much about editing and all the little things that go with it.
BUT
I was still struggling to see how this was ministry. I brought it before the Lord, and was surprised with what I felt after speaking to Him. I realized that it isn’t the gift of editing videos, it’s the gift of creating to glorify him. Weather the creating is through writing, videos, painting, building, or whatever you like to create, it is doing something to glorify Him.
So with the ability to create through videos, I decided I had to give myself guidelines of what is for ministry and what is for my own selfish desires. Here is what I have decided and put before others to keep me accountable:
I will not post videos of people that I don’t know anything about, I want to make sure that I at least know a little about them before I post something about them.
I will not work on editing videos when I am feeling like it is forced, or when I feel like I should be spending my time with the Lord in a different way.
I will focus more on others and less on myself (but I will still post a little about myself hehe).
I will be open and honest about my content and footage and will not sugarcoat it.
Lastly, I don’t want to see people only through the eyes of a lens, so I will video only when I feel the Lord’s presence in the moment.
So how do we, as humans, define ministry? I now and forever define ministry as any and all things that the Lord can use you as a vessel to glorify and further his Kingdom.
Below are two of the videos that I helped co-create with Janele. Enjoy!
