Min_RightWay

MINISTERING THE RIGHT WAY

Ministering the Right Way or the Wrong Way!

Introduction:
It is so easy to conduct ministry for the purpose of self glory. Far too many ministries are conducted like a Fortune 500 business.

A. Purpose of the message: is to show clearly from Scriptural principles how God tell us as a church to minister.

1. We are all ministers, so we should all be involved in knowing how to minister God’s way. (Matt. 20:26,28; to the lost: II Cor. 5:18-19,
to the saved; I Pet. 4:10-11.)

2. We are all individually responsible to become involved in the work of the church’s ministry. (Eph. 4:11-12.)

B. Authority of the Message:

This message is not presenting a new program. It is the proclaiming of a Scriptural philosophy that should be the undergirding aim of every means and facet of the ministry of our church. It is not a way dream up or thought up by the pastor or any man--it is God’s way! (I Thess. 2:4, 13.)
If it were a man-made program it would be variable and optional -- but since it is the Scriptural philosophy of God’s Word it is unchanging truth and imperative.

C. Success: (Scriptural Success versus Success Syndrome.)

How we define and interpret success will determine the aims and goals of our ministry as a church. We should desire and strive to have:

1. A ministry approved of God rather than men. (I Thess. 2:4)

2. A ministry that is Scriptural in method rather than pragmatic. (Pragmatic means -- if it works it is right.) (II Tim. 2:5)

3. A ministry primarily to individuals rather than to crowds. Jesus is our supreme example of personal contact allows for personal influence of life on another’s life by transmitting a life message.
Scriptural Success Defined Building People’s Lives because of the right motive. Not: Building an Institution.

D. Motive: (God’s glory and purpose versus human fame and ambition!)

1. A ministry motivated by a desire for God’ glory rather than personal glory. (John 3:30; I Cor. 10:31)

2. A ministry motivated by a desire to see God’s blessings in the lives of others. (Matt. 22:39)
SUMMARY: Building people’s lives for God’s glory and their good.

E. Motivation: (Constraining love and Heart-fervency Versus Legalism and Emotionalism)

1. A ministry motivated by love for Christ rather than druderous duty,
(II Cor. 5:14; John 14:21, 23)

2. A ministry motivated by heart-fervency rather than by emotional excitement. (Jet. 20:9) (Illustration: self-motivation: Isa. 64:7;
II Tim. 1:6)

F. Method: (Salesmanship Versus Teaching)

1. A ministry of Holy Spirit conviction instead of human pressure.

2. A ministry of persuasion of the truth (faith), instead of blind belief (spurious or false faith). (Rom. 10:17) (Teaching -- Matt. 28:19).

3. A ministry of spiritual grace rather than of fleshly effort. (Gal. 5:22-23;
II Tim. 2:24-25) It is easier to condemn than to take the time and effort to instruct.

4. A ministry of going instead of inviting them to come. (Matt. 28:19; Evangelism - Acts 5:42; Teaching - Acts 20:20; Fellowship - Acts 2:46.) This way is slower but more personal and stronger in influence.

G. Productiveness: (Faith Versus Flesh)
A ministry of Divine products rather than of human products.
(Psa. 127:1; I Cor. 3:7)

H. Spirituality: (Organization and promotion Versus Prayer)

1. The early church turned their world upside down through of the power of God upon their ministry. (Acts 4:23-33)

2. There is a prayer meeting in Acts, chapters, 2, 3, 4, 5. If we spent as much time in prayer as we do in administration the church would be different.

3. Paul travailed in prayer for the new converts, no wonder these people grew spiritually. (Gal. 4:19)

How Can We Build People’s Lives?

A. We must have the proper foundation to build upon. (I Cor. 3:11)

B. We then seek to build their lives according to the blueprints of God’s Word. (I Cor. 3:10)

1. We do this by encouraging and helping them with their growth in grace. (Christian living and in knowledge or spiritual understanding of God’s Word.)

2. (II Pet. 3:18) We build their lives by the Word of God.

C. We build their lives by seeing and meeting needs.

1. Example: Jesus -- why was He moved with compassion in Matthew 9:36? Because He saw the tremendous needs in the lives of these people and that no one was meeting those needs and building these lives.

2. What did Christ do about it? He instructed and sent forth His disciples. (Matthew, chapter 10.)

If Christ could not meet all the needs of the multitudes by Himself, and had to send forth helpers, then surely the pastors cannot and must train and send forth helpers into the Lord’s harvest.

D. We must build our own lives before we can build the lives of others.
(II Tim. 2:21)

1. If you are unable to see the needs in your own life, you will be unable to see the needs in the lives of others.

2. If you do not learn how to meet the needs of your own life, you will not be able to meet the needs of others.

3. Seeing the faults and seeing needs with compassion is very important.
(Psa. 51:17; 34:18)

E. We build the lives of others by getting them to be or become so that they are being what God wants them to be, not by merely getting them to do certain things they ought to do.

1. Being is more important than doing.

2. Emphasis must be put on building the personal life and not service as the paramount thing.

SUMMARY: OUR GOAL --

Building people lives on Jesus Christ by the Word of God for the glory of God and the good of the individual whose life we are helping to build!

CHALLENGE: What are You Doing to Build the Lives of Others??

Building People’s Lives!

A. Scriptural Principles Proving Our Responsibility to Build People’s Lives.

1. The principle of glorifying God by helping others to become like Christ. (Matthew 45:16; Galatians 4:19; Ephesians 4:12, 13)

2. The principle of love
(Matthew 19:19; Galatians 5:22,23; I Corinthians 13; I Corinthians 5:14)

3. The principle of edification
(Romans 15:2, 14; I Corinthians 10:23,24; Acts 20:20)

4. The principle of duty
(Ezekiel 3:18; Acts 20:26,27; Genesis 5:9; Luke 10:27-37)

B. Broad Meaning of Building People’s Lives.

1. Evangelism -- canvassing, planned home evangelism, hospital, children’s groups, bus ministry, jail ministries, (Foundation for a life.)

2. Discipleship -- personal one on one or with a married couple
(personalized, informal, study and instruction)

3. Teaching -- Sunday School, Children’s ministries, youth groups, Christian School.

4. Ministering to social and physical needs.

5. Edification -- exhortative (comfort, encourage, challenge) preaching, heart-felt uplifting music, mutual admonishing.)

C. Building People’s Lives by Evangelism

1. Scriptural Principles:

a. Success in Evangelism: It takes two things to produce faith and the new birth: the Holy Spirit (John 3:5, 11), and the Word of God (Rom. 1:17;
I Pet. 1:24).
The Holy Spirit becomes active through our prayers; therefore, evangelism must always be in total dependence upon God to give the increase. Also the Word of God is essential.

b. Responsibility in Evangelism: The balance -- God does not require you to produce results. He requires you to be faithful in study, in witnessing, in prayer and compassion.
As you are faithful, God will give the increase in some lives.

Our Responsibilities God’s Responsibilities
Intercessory Prayer Conviction
Compassion, brokenness Repentance and Faith
Knowledge of God’s Word The Increase
Witnessing faithfully
Inviting the lost to Christ (stair stepping people to Christ)

c. Message of Evangelism
Clear understanding of the great message, I know whom I have believed!
Powerful personal persuasion that this message is eternal truth.
(II Corinthians 5:11)
Burning desire to communicate this message. (Jeremiah 20:9)

d. Method in Evangelism
Teaching -- (Matthew 28:19) Systematic teaching of doctrines of salvation give the foundation for faith -- allows the Holy Spirit to produce the conviction or persuasion which is faith.

e. Efforts in Evangelism
Efforts should be concentrated on individuals -- who are reachable and teachable. (Mark 6:11; Acts 10)

f. Location of Evangelism
GO to the lost! Where they are.
Every great revival has been produced when the Bible was taken to where the lost are -- out of the church -- into the homes, fields, factories, streets, etc. (Luke 14:

g. Spirit of Evangelism
Meekness -- not argumentative, but instructive, compassionate, generous, and genuinely concerned for individuals is so needed.

2. Seeing and Meeting Needs

a. A foundation for faith
(Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1) Must be taught doctrines of salvation.

b. A realization of genuine concern (Psalm 126:5) compassionate witness.

c. A work of conviction. Soul winner must be a prayer warrior.
(Romans 10:1)

d. An appeal to the will. Soul winner must invite them to Christ.
(Revelation 22:17)

D. Building People’s Lives by Discipleship!

1. Scriptural Principles of Follow-up.
a. The need of it
A new convert is a spiritual new-born baby (Greek - brefous) This new convert has needs -- feeding, care, help, teaching, and training.

b. The example of it.
(I Thessalonians 2:7-13; 3:10; II Timothy 2:2; Acts 20:20; 31-32; Acts 15:36; Romans 1:11; Isaiah 54:2) Scripture list not exhaustive; there is much more.
It was a personal one on one ministry to build lives.

c. The goal of it
To bring the baby to maturity and stability. (I Peter 2:1-3)
Building people’s lives to become like Christ. (Galatians 4:19)
Maturity means they are indoctrinated, taught how to live the Christian life, and trained to build other people’s lives. (II Tim 2:2)

2. Seeing and Meeting Needs

a. Grounding the new convert
Grounding them in doctrines of salvation and security producing assurance (planned outlined studies provided). Personal in home study continued -- answers to personal questions made possibly weekly.

b. Instruction for the new convert
How to grow spiritually and live the Christian life. (Planned outlined studies provided and studied weekly.) Personal in home study continued for three to six months. Rapport is being built so personal needs can be met.

(See materials under discipling section.)