“Others.” A plaque of golden wood sat above the threshold with this word etched boldly into it. I first noticed it sitting at the kitchen table of my mentor’s home while eating breakfast with him and his family. This family dedicated their lives to serving college students. Dwayne Carson was a pastor at Liberty University for over a decade. In addition to training and caring for 1,000 plus prayer leaders distributed across the campus dormitories, the Carson’s made it a point to know every leader by name and served as hall parents to Dorm 18 every year. A few students, like myself, had the privilege of spending set-aside time with their family. The word “others” was a regular part of their vocabulary and the plaque stood above their backdoor—the door they used every day. It was no mere decoration. It was there intentionally to remind the entire family why they existed—for the sake of others. Practically speaking, “others” was the mission statement.
God calls hundreds of students into vocational ministry every summer at Crossings. This month we are going to consider the nature of a ministry calling, how to discern it, and once found, how to develop it. If you are one of those who indicated you were called into ministry, you need to read this series of posts coming in August. If you are thinking about vocational ministry, in any form, for any duration, you need to read this series. But even if you are thinking “I’m not called into ministry,” or “I don’t know if this series is for me,” you need to keep reading. In our next post, Trey Brunson will outline the hallmarks of what a specific calling looks like. This week though, I want to talk about the calling of every Christian to minister to others. The moment Jesus saved you, he recruited you into his kingdom army and he expects you to make war on the enemy by seeking any and every opportunity to serve others.
Called to a Productive Life
I’ve been reading through Matt Perman’s What’s Best Next with my communications team. Perman’s book argues that our lives are productive only if they are productive about the right things. He defines the right things as the things that bring glory to God. In the world of the New Testament, doing the every day things of life for God’s glory is what ultimately brings God glory. The New Testament identifies these every day things as “good works.” The book of Titus has a unique emphasis on good works in the believer’s life:
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Titus 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
Titus 3:13 Do your best to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
Jesus gave himself so that we would be “zealous for good works.” The other passages above command our devotion to them and even our learning of them. Ephesians 2:10 indicates that we are remade into the image of Christ for the very purpose of good works: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which he prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” In fact, all believers are called to a ministry of good works. Titus 3:14 warns that believers ought not to be unfruitful. Fruitful work for the kingdom goes hand-in-hand with discipleship and belief. All believers are called to this unequivocally and unilaterally.
What are good works?
If you are tracking with me logically, then you should be asking the question, “What are good works and how do they relate to a ministry calling?” I’m so glad you asked! Ephesians 4:11-16 will first provide us some perspective to the latter question, “How does this relate to ministry?” Ephesians 4:11-16 indicates that God calls specific people (pastors, shepherds, etc.) in order to make all believers faithful ministers. Wait? Did you say God calls pastors to make everyone a pastor? Not quite—but the New Testament isn’t that far from this equivocation. Let’s look at the passage:
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
There is a lot packed into those 156 words; yet, they make one clear and vivid point. Pastors are not called to do the work of ministry. You are. All of us are. The church is a massive construction project—working on itself. The goal is the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ—until we all speak and act and serve and sacrifice like Christ Jesus every second of every day. If you just hired a pastor who is adept at creating ministry programs, you might need to stop and reread this second paragraph. God wants you to call a pastor who will train you to do these things. I once heard a pastor, who was encouraged by the number of member-led ministries and initiatives in their church, say to his wife: “We are like the vine and they are like the fruit.” He was not comparing himself to Christ in John 15, but he understood his role of feeding the saints with the Word and supporting the saints in prayer so that they might bear fruit.
What are good works? The classic statement on good works comes from James 2:14-17:
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
James teaches that good works are caring for the needs of your brothers and sisters that are right in front of you. Titus 3:14 links good works with cases of “urgent need.” Acts 9:36 praises Tabitha for being “full of good works and charity.” Thus, giving generously to those in need—whether of time, money, or resources—is a good work. Ephesians 4:15 indicates that believers build one another up in the faith by “speaking the truth in love.” Although it does not call this a good work, I believe the concept is present and well established. When we encourage the fainthearted or rebuke the straying or teach the questioning, we are doing good work. 1 Timothy 5:18 lists the qualifications for an “enrolled widow” to include: “10 and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.” 1 Timothy 6:18 commands the rich to: “18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share…” This last verse links whatever is “good” with good works. Whatever brings God glory, shows care to others, and actively loves our neighbor is a good work.
There are many more passages we might look at, but I trust the point is clear by now. Here is a small list of the good works that all believers are called to:
- Being generous to the poor
- Caring for cases of urgent need
- Showing hospitality, especially to missionaries (cf. 3 John)
- Caring for the afflicted
- Bringing up children in the fear and admonition of the Lord
- Speaking the truth in love
- Washing the feet of the saints — in modern parlance, meeting the most basic and human needs that people have
- Praying for others
These are only the things from the list above. Frankly, anything believers are commanded to do in the New Testament is a good work and is an act of ministry to either God or our fellow brothers and sisters. We all need so start seeing our day-to-day lives as lives lived in ministry to others. It makes me think of Dunkirk. Have you seen the movie? If not, I won’t ruin anything by telling you what is already known to history. Thousands of ordinary British citizens in their ordinary pleasure and merchant craft crossed the English channel to the war-torn beaches of Dunkirk and rescued over 300,000 stranded British men from the shores of France. It is the greatest retreat in the history of mankind—performed by ordinary citizens with no special training or special skills. All they had were boats, a love for others, and a willingness to give their lives for the sake of others.
Are you ready to give your life for the brothers?