I tried to tell myself what ministry would look like, but I was wrong.
When I first stepped on Gardner-Webb University’s campus, ministry was not on my mind. But when I walked across the stage last May, I held a piece of paper that said I had a degree in Biblical studies.
Through the many semesters of classes at GWU I found myself asking time and time again, “what is ministry?” and “how do we do ministry?” I still find myself asking this question today.
I didn’t realize what the Lord was opening my eyes to until a friend asked me what He was teaching me in the “pre-World Race launch” phase of life.
After stumbling over my words for a while, I thought about the Great Commission: “go into the nations and make disciples…”
What I had not yet understood was that this verse could not be taken at a surface level. It wasn’t going to be as simple as “going.” Ministry is much more.
At Training Camp, we were told “ministry is life and life is ministry.” It was not something that should be switched on and off. These two things are to be inseparable.
I should really read the Great Commission in this way: “as you go, make disciples.”
We aren’t hopping on a plane just to go minister to people in the countries we will be in. But as we go, we are called to love each and every one that we come in contact with.
This idea of ministry is not our destination but it is our mode of transportation.
If we read the Great Commission at surface level, we can easily convince ourselves that if we don’t physical go to another nation then we don’t have to make disciples. When in reality, we are all called. As we go about our day, we are to continuously show the love of Christ. As we go to the grocery store, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We are supposed to bring Kingdom each and every day.
This commission is an “as you go” kind of commission, not a “when you get there” kind of commission.
As I am sitting here on the front patio of BAIS (Bandung Alliance Intercultural School), a Christian school located in a Muslim country and in the town of Kota Baru, writing this blog, I have thought about what life has looked like so far. Ministry this month is not what one would typically think of as ministry on the World Race. So far, we have helped in English classes, led chapel services, organized hundreds upon hundreds of books, painted two canvases, sharpened pencils, rearranged furniture, and assisted with a swim meet.
We may not have healed the sick, raised the dead, or held the orphan this month but we have still been the hands and feet of Jesus. We have took some of the weight off of the teachers who have given their lives to the work at BAIS. We have spoken truth into the youth at every opportunity. We have shared with some of the students moms that attend English classes. We have prayed over every square inch of a local safe-house for exploited women.
The Lord has taught me that the Great Commission is less about physically going somewhere and more about being obedient in the place that you are at the time that you are in it.
I want to leave you with a quote that our ministry host shared with us at secondary chapel last week:
“a [believer] is not one who crosses the sea, but one who sees the cross.”
Until next time,
Shelby
