Finish the following sentence: “What my ministry really needs is…”
Did you answer with a new sound system, another paid staff person, more supportive church leadership, or a ministry lake house (that was mine)? In ministry, we like to focus a lot on what we DON’T have. We dream of the day when we will have what we really need in order to accomplish the ministry God has called us to.
As someone who works at a large church, let me burst your bubble. It will never be enough. There will always be something else that you will want that will make your ministry complete.
My prayer for you this week is that you would be empowered in the sufficiency of Christ in your ministry. The ministry you’ve been called do will not be accomplished through more ingenuity, resources, creativity and personality.
Check out what Peter says: “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).
He doesn’t say that God has given us “some” of the things we need. No, EVERYTHING we need for the God-life is already supplied by Jesus. This is easier said than believed. We must admit that there are times when God’s promise of provision and sufficiency isn’t enough to move forward in faith.
Think of the Israelites leaving Egypt. Right after walking through the Red Sea on dry land, they are complaining to God for not providing for them. How quickly they forgot. How quickly we forget! When we forget that in Christ we have all we need, we are really forgetting that the God we serve has not left us high and dry.
Jesus did ministry without a budget but God still provided a temple tax from a fish’s mouth. Jesus did ministry without a building and slept with rocks as pillows. Jesus certainly didn’t have support from leadership yet he reached thousands.
What did Jesus have? Jesus walked each day knowing His place as a Son of the Father and in the power of the Spirit. That’s what he needed to accomplish his ministry.
These same resources are given to you. In Christ we are made sufficient because the God who calls you is sufficient. Jesus has given you all you need for your life.
You may need to get creative. You will most likely have to get on your knees. But you will never be ill equipped for the ministry to God has called you to.
So let’s go back and review. Finish the following sentence: “What my ministry really needs is…” I hope you have a new answer.
