I recently spent half a day helping at our Christian Academy. School is out for the summer, yet there is still a lot of work going on. Brother Bob took advantage of empty classrooms to strip tile floors and shampoo carpets. Brother Al and I worked with Brother Bob’s son, Caleb moving furniture and appliances out of the way, so they could work on the floors. At 14, Caleb is a wealth of knowledge and experience. We eased Brother Bob’s workload a bit, but he moved everything back by himself when we couldn’t help him later in the week.
Officially, Brother Bob is our school Principal, one of our Assisting Pastors and our Youth Pastor. He winds up doing most of the maintenance in our small Church and Christian school, because there is no one else to do it. Fortunately GOD blessed him with many skills and a servant’s heart. He was sick on the day we were there, but he helped someone jump-start their car, worked with us and then continued working long after we left.
Some would say that Brother Bob is just doing his job, but I beg to differ. Since when is it only his responsibly to take care of our Church and school? We certainly can’t afford to pay someone to do all those tasks. Maybe we became spoiled by our Senior Pastor and his staff doing all that work? They have always worked hard to keep up our facilities, but we should all share the work of the ministry. Much like we have people who help as ushers, in praise and worship, the sound booth and as teachers, we need to help maintain the Church buildings and grounds. A few people have used their skills to help out but we can do so much more.
There is another area we have been called to work in. JESUS said “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Mat 9:37 KJV). The harvest is souls and we are the laborers who have been sent to do the work of the ministry. A common reply is “That is what we pay the Preacher for!” but that is wrong. JESUS told us to “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Mat 28:19-20 KJV). He didn’t limit that commission to Preachers. We are the Body of CHRIST and are called to do His work.
More specifically, He “gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry” (Eph 4:11-12 KJV). You ask how can I be a Minister when I have a full-time job? Witness where you work! The Pastor can’t go to your workplace and He isn’t with your coworkers or customers like you are. Let your light shine wherever GOD has placed you. There is also the power of multiplication: the Pastor leads many, who can reach many more, etc!
JESUS said, “ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 KJV). That is how you can be witnesses in your home (Jerusalem), your community (Judea), the surrounding areas (Samaria) and the world (the uttermost part of the earth); by using the internet, by supporting missionaries, through prayer, and by the power of the HOLY GHOST! The “Help Wanted” sign is posted, so do your part!
Wayne Lance (2019)