I used to put this word in a box. Ministry. It’s that thing that missionaries and pastors and volunteers at the church do. It’s what you call when you go on a missions trip to a third world country and build schools, show unconditional love to orphans, go to hospitals and pray for sick people, do door to door evangelism, and preach to people anywhere and everywhere. That’s ministry. And if you’re not doing one of those things, well, then you’re not really doing legit Christian ministry.
Ministry.
This thing we do every day on the World Race. This thing that I thought I was getting myself into where I’d be praying for strangers that God would lead me to everyday. Praying for miraculous healing on people’s bodies. Or doing street evangelism. Or preaching in churches every Sunday.
Over the months I’d started to become a little discouraged over the lack of “ministry” we’d do when it didn’t involve overtly “Christian” things. Ex: teaching English or planting gardens. Yeah, I know it’s our “ministry” but what the heck if it’s not working in an orphanage every day or doing door to door evangelism!? Is that not what I signed up for?
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him who have been called according to his purpose.”
Ministry: “The spiritual work or service of any Christian or a group of Christians”.
It’s this LABEL that I now really just hate even using.
I have learned so much about what this word ministry means and what it looks like on The World Race and as an every day Christian wherever you are. Ministry on The Race may surely be working with orphans, living and working at a church for the month, serving at children’s homes, evangelism, sharing encouragement and the gospel, and intentionally praying over everything we do. But it also can look like simply spending time in a local coffee shop or restaurant days on end all month. Sightseeing or shopping with our contacts or host family. Making dinner for someone. Going on prayer walks. And just making random friends places and hanging out with them.
How?
Because by going to the same coffee shop or restaurant we’re able to slowly but surely establish friendly relationships with the workers which, by the end of the month, have broken down the wall of passive stranger and allows us to genuinely and loving share the Good News of Jesus with them.
Colossians 3:5-6 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Jesus is a personal, relational God and He has instilled that characteristic in us to build relationships and love people. So by solely spending time with our contacts and/or host families, in whatever we do, it binds us together and deepens our relationship. Again, it moves us past an “employer/employee” relationship, so to speak, and builds us up as friends instead. Friends who then can easily encourage, pray, and speak words of Truth with no hidden agenda. Friends who we can show and share the love of Christ with whether that’s during an hour car drive to a tourist hot spot or over a family meal together that we provide. Establishing trust and love in relationships is essential and sometimes it takes time and even “out of the ordinary” ministry tasks.
Romans 12:10-11, 13 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
By planting gardens, it gives people a self-cultivating and cheap way of producing food so a poor family of 12 can eat and make money. Teaching English, though tiresome and methodic, allows children to learn the most coveted language in the world. AND, through my prayers, so they may better understand the teachings of Jesus for when we share with them (with no translator) and when they perhaps encounter future English-speaking Christ-followers.
Honestly, I have learned that “ministry” is less of a verb and more of an adjective. It is a lifestyle of openness to the words “Yes Lord ” and “Obedience”. What may seem like arbitrary nothingness or days filled with “just fun”, know that there is probably twice as much unseen Goodness in these moments than is ever mentioned. The conversations that are had, the prayers prayed, the relationships made. I do this all to the glory of God so others may come to know Him through whatever means possible! God may use me to bring people closer to the Lord that I will never know about. Or God may recall to someone’s mind 3 years from now the words of Truth I spoke to them once about Jesus. I am here and live day to day in obedience in every situation trusting God is in it and He is working!!
