Why are you in ministry?

God has given us all gifts in the ministry, some to sing, some to preach, you know the scripture, Ephesians 4:11, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” But honestly, why are you in ministry, what is your motivation? If your gift is singing, why do you work to perfect your craft? If it’s preaching or teaching, why do you study so hard to perfect your message? To make a name for who? As I prepare for ministry ordination, I must not just ask myself these questions but answer them as well.

I was reading John 7:1-24, where we have Jesus' brothers urging him to go to the Feast to show everyone the miracles he had been performing. Two scriptures stuck out as I read that started this thought process: vs. 4, "No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret." and vs 10, "he went also, not publicly, but in secret." Here we have Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world who is knowingly in his last year of ministry and still does not seek the spotlight. As he is teaching he lets the people know that he doesn't speak to bring honor to himself but to the one who sent him. This is our purpose for ministry, not to make a name for ourselves, to bring glory to ourselves, but to bring glory to God, the one who sent us.

In Matthew 6, it says that the Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you openly. I believe the most powerful conversions that Christ performed, those with the greatest impact, were those that were private. They may have been in a public place but they didn't become public until their testimony. (The woman with the issue of blood, the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, the woman at the well) In today's society it is easy to get caught up in the ways of the world but as believers we have a higher standard. We don't do ministry for the lights and recognition, we do it for Christ; for the benefit of others and their salvation.

Philippians 2:1-11 sums it up, urging us to take on the mind and attitude of Christ. Not to do anything out of selfish ambition but humble yourself and seek the interest of others. Christ who could claim that he is God, humbled himself to nothing, a servant, became obedient to the cross. Because he did not try to make a name for himself, God exalted his name above every name. Christ did which pleased the one who sent him and was glorified by him.

Christ never had to go out and make a name for his ministry, his ministry made a name for him.

As you operate in ministry, "be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children".