Your Ministry

What are your spiritual gifts?  How are you using those gifts to build up the Church?

To give an illustration of the importance of using our spiritual gifts, let’s examine Nehemiah 11.  In that chapter, we read the lists of the heads of families in Jerusalem (11:3-9); the priests (11:10-14); the Levites (11:15-18); the gatekeepers and temple servants (11:19-21); various officials appointed by the king of Persia (11:22-24); and, the people who lived outside the city (11:25-36).

Each person served in their respective positions for the effective operation of the city and the nation.  Those who lived outside of the city had to farm the land to provide food for those in the city.  Each person and each group had a different role, but each role was vital to the entire cause.

In the body of Christ, God has gifted us in different ways, but every part is vital for the overall functioning and health of the body, as we read about in 1 Corinthians 12 and elsewhere.  We need to value the variety of gifts God has given us!!  Each person and each gift is important for the effective ministry of the Church!

Not all are gifted in extending mercy; not all are gifted in evangelism; not all are gifted in administration.  God has made us all differently (PRAISE GOD!!) and to make a difference in our community, we need one another to exercise our unique gifts!!  So, ministry involves serving in a way in which God has wired us and called us.

The pioneer missionary, William Carey, was a cobbler before he left for the mission field.  He would keep a map of India before him in his shop, stopping every so often to study it.  He longed to go there and preach the gospel.

He did a lot of preaching and teaching on the side, with the result that his trade dwindled.  One day a friend admonished him for neglecting his business.  Carey said, “Neglecting my business? . . . My business is to extend the kingdom of God.  I only cobble shoes to pay expenses.”  I pray that is our mindset!

Friends, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are in ministry NOW!!  And, God has placed you where you are to do the work of ministry (in your neighborhood, in the city, in your work place, in your social connections) for such a time as this.  And God has gifted you uniquely to make a difference where God has placed you.  As with the people Nehemiah addressed, each had their own role within the community.  And, you have an important role within the church.  Therefore, may we each look for ways to be a blessing to all those for whom we come in contact.

Stuarts Draft Elementary School is searching for a teacher for Weekday Religious Education (WRE).  Please pray that a wonderful person will be found.  If you know someone who may be interested in such a position, please contact Cindi Custer, East Augusta WRE at (540) 476-5539.  Kathy Doyle is meeting with Cindi in July to discuss the possibility of our missions team helping to create a new WRE informational video with the assistance of Tyler Boutillier of our A/V team.

Our Missions Team is active keeping in touch with our missionaries and other ministries.  Please keep updated!  You can visit our website and go to the Outreach Page.