How To Have An Effective Ministry

Posted on May 6, 2007

 

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Romans 15:14-33

When I first became Pastor of Bethel, I immediately began a ten-part sermon series entitled Ten Essential Qualities of a Great Church. I wanted to lay the groundwork and cast a vision. I believe we are in the process of becoming a great church, but I know that our desire is to become even greater. Every so often, we need to review how we’re doing, evaluate ourselves, and get motivated to continue on. Today’s passage from Romans is Paul’s personal words to the believers in Rome, and it reflects this passion to become a fully mature ministry.

TRUTH: It is possible to have an effective, life-changing ministry in today’s world when the biblical building blocks are in place.

THREE MARKS OF A MATURE MINISTRY… (v. 14)

• When we’re filled with goodness. (We live life according to the truth.)
• When we’re filled with knowledge. (We discover and apply the truth.)
• When we’re good enough to share what we know.

BUILDING BLOCKS OF AN EFFECTIVE MINISTRY…

We need the right basis for ministry – God’s grace. (v. 15-16a)

We need the right motive for ministry – growing God’s people for God’s glory. (vs. 16b-18)

Paul declares that his ministry is one with a priestly twist. He stands in between God and lost people and offers them the gospel. In turn, when they come to Christ, He offers them as a great offering to God. I truly believe that God is most glorified when lost people come to know Him and praise Him for the first time.

Paul also indicates that it’s okay to get excited about results and about changed lives, as long as the only thing in which we boast is what God is doing!

We need the right power for ministry – the Holy Spirit. (v. 19)

We need the right method for ministry – the purposes of God. (vs. 20-22)

• Matthew 28:18-19 gives us God’s plan for reaching individuals. We are to win, baptize, and teach them so that they might win others.

• Acts 1:8 reflects God’s plan for reaching the entire world. We begin in our backyard and work outward to the ends of the earth.

• Paul was fulfilling that plan by strategically starting churches in major cities and allowing the influence of the gospel to radiate outward.
  

• Today, as then, church planting is one of the key aspects of God’s strategy for reaching the world. New church plants reach new people and they do it more quickly than established churches.

We need the right support for ministry – the people of God. (vs. 23-33)

• God’s people make ministry happen by giving. (vs. 23-29)

Ministry was occurring in Jerusalem because of the giving nature of the people in Macedonia and Achaia. Paul mentions this to remind the Roman believers of this fact.

• God’s people make ministry happen by prayer. (vs. 30-33)

The phrase “strive together” could also be translated as “agonize together.” Paul calls upon God’s people to pray, even painfully so, that the gospel would be allowed to permeate the globe.

Have you found your place in the ministry yet? You’ll notice in our bulletin that it says that the ministers of Bethel are all of our members. That’s how we view ministry – it’s everybody serving and encouraging one another.

Ministry is all about bringing people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and building them in the faith toward complete spiritual maturity. Have you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?