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from the desk of

peter b. hansen

"….for the kingdom of God

is….righteousness and peace

and joy in the Holy Spirit…."

romans 14:17

Essentials Of The Ministry

At Alive in Christ Ministries, it is our desire to convey a Biblical view of just what the ministry is. We are very much aware of the importance of our mission/ministry not only to those within the Church....but as well, we are aware of how essential is the impact of the Church upon the non-Christian culture/world around us (Matthew 5:13-16 [see #17 below]) We are also aware of the importance of Christianity being lived in submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and thus affecting every area of life in which we find ourselves. We are also aware that the church (and its ministries) exist solely for the purpose of bringing blessing, praise and worship to our sovereign Lord (Ephesians 3:21 [see #1 below]). To this end, we offer the following twenty key Biblical truths as a means of beginning to understand what is the Gospel ministry, to the praise and the glory of His grace, and in Jesus' name.

1] "The glory of God is the motivation for the ministry in that the purpose of the church is to bring glory to God "

I Corinthians 10:31; Ephesians 3:21

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

"Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Whatever it is that we do in this thing called "ministry," the primary motivation is that we would bring glory to God, living to the praise and the glory of His grace (Ephesians 1:12)

2] "Ministry is to be that which is a sacrifice of blessing, praise and worship to the Lord."

I Samuel 3:1 - "Now the boy Samuel ministered to the Lord in the presence of Eli…."

Acts 13:2 - "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said…"

Psalm 100:2 - "Serve the Lord with gladness….."

Deuteronomy 6:13 - "You shall reverence the LORD your God and serve Him…."

Colossians 3:23-24 - "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men……for you serve the Lord Christ….."

It is true that we do serve people in the name of Christ…but primarily, first and foremost, ministry is worshipping and serving the Lord…and must be seen as a ministry of praise and worship to the Lord before it can be effective in its relationship to serving people.

3] "Prayer is the backbone of the ministry"

I Thessalonians 5:17 - "pray without ceasing"

The key to any spiritual success in ministry is much prayer. It is in prayer that the Church moves forwards on her knees. (in coming weeks, we will have a link for prayer requests to be sent in and shared with us and others as well)

4] "Worship is essential; Worship includes not only praying and singing, but most importantly Gospel preaching"

John 4:24 - "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth…" [The text allows also for "worship Him in Spirit (under the Holy Spirit's control)….for certainly the Holy Spirit must be involved in our worship…it is the Holy Spirit who energizes our worship]

5] "Emphasize what God has done for us and NOT what we should do for God."

Ephesians 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…."

The emphasis of Biblical Christianity is on the blessings of the Lord and of all that He has done for us. Here at Alive In Christ Ministries, it is our purpose to direct believers past man to Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 4:7), and to be reminded that we are not to be dependent on man but upon God alone.

6] "Where and when God guides, He provides"

Philippians 4:19 - "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Alive In Christ Ministries will seek to depend on the Lord for whatever our financial needs might be; and as the Lord blesses us, we will seek to be good stewards of His resources (Romans 12:11)

7] "You gotta be the servant of all"

Mark 10:45 - "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Consistent servanthood was Jesus' style of ministry, and so it must be ours as well

(John 13:3)

8] "The Scriptures call on us to be submissive and unconditionally loyal to God alone."

James 4:7 - "Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ by the empowering of the Holy Spirit is essential to our walk with Christ and is basic to Christian life and experience.

9] "God wants inspiration, not perspiration"

II Timothy 2:24 - "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient…"

Here at Alive In Christ Ministries, we believe God has a timing for His ministry and we desire to yield to His timing. We have no desire to strive knocking on a door that God has already closed, but rather to take steps of faith that are inspired by God.

10] "Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be broken."

Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding…"

We seek to stay open and flexible to the things that God desires to accomplish through us.

11] "Minister to others and do not seek to be noticed…"

Ephesians 4:11-12 - "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…"

Each member of God's family has special ministry gifts. We need to continually serve God with them, giving and ministering to others (Ministry is first to the Lord, and then to others…)

12] "Alive In Christ Ministries is a ministry to everybody…"

Galatians 3:28 - "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

At Alive In Christ Ministries, our desire is to minister to everyone across the board; we desire to be available to all who are in the Body of Christ, without partiality, in Jesus' name.

13] "Feed the flock of God consistently verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, book-by-book, through the Word of God."

Acts 20:27 - "For I have not shunned [avoided declaring] to you the whole counsel of God…"

The church is to be a place where the Lord's sheep love to feed on the Word of God. Here at Alive In Christ Ministries, it is our vision to supply resources that will lead to the fulfillment of that purpose.

God's Word is powerful (Hebrews 4:12) and we believe that it should be taught line upon line, verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, book-by-book, and precept upon precept.

At Alive In Christ Ministries, it is our desire for believers to know the teaching of His full counsel, the entire Bible.

14] "We are theologically balanced...and yet at the same time biblically and doctrinally precise. Biblical balance does not imply carelessness with the text of Scripture "

Ephesians 4:14 - "….that we should no longer be children, tossed to and for and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…"

At Alive In Christ Ministries, our desire is to avoid doctrinal extremes. We desire to be doctrinally sound while shying away from present-day extremes.

15] "Healthy sheep beget healthy sheep"

Acts 20:28 - "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which He has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood…"

We believe that healthy sheep are the result of other healthy sheep being fed upon the pure Word of God.

16] "When confronted with something we don't understand, always fall back on that which we do understand"

Psalm 34:8 - ""Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"

We ought always to fall back on these foundational truths: (1) The Lord is good;

  • (2)God is Holy; (3) True salvation issues in a transformed life (4) Jesus is Lord, and (5) The Lord is ever-present and will always be with you. As we hold fast to these truths, we will find that the Lord will get us through anything.

    17] "The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (and our Christian testimony) must impact not only those who are Christians, but must as well have an impact on the non-Christian culture around us."

    Matthew 5:13-16 - ""You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its savour, how then shall it be salted? It is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the foot of men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven"

    18] "Essential to the ministry is the preaching of Christ and Him crucified, to the end of presenting every man complete in Christ Jesus."

    I Corinthians 2:2 - ""For I determined not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."

    Colossians 1:28 - ""Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man complete in Christ Jesus."

    19] "Essential to the ministry is the understanding that there is no Biblical distinction made between the so-called "clergy" and "laity." True revival and reformation will come to the church when each member of the body of Christ functions as a vital part in contributing to the growth of the entire body (see I Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4:11-16) as seen by how the early New Testament church practiced mutual participation by all in their meetings. As such the New Testament church includes leadership that practices the servant-model portrayed by Jesus in Mark 10:42-25."

    Mark 10:42-45 - ""But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, 'You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you: but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, butto serve, and to give HIs life a ransom for many.'"

    Ephesians 4:16 - ""from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."

    20] "Essential to the ministry is the biblically and doctrinally precise exposition of the Scriptures within the context of speaking the truth in love, exhibited by Christ-like patience towards all. The greatest commandment our Lord Jesus Christ ever gave us was the command to love God...while at the same time reminding us that people would know that we are Jesus' disciples by our love for one another. Thus it is important that our Gospel preaching (while necessarily involving reproof, rebuke and exhortation) be reflective of the patient, merciful, gracious, and sovereign care of our loving Lord."

    Ephesians 4:15-16 - ""But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly jointed together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effecutal working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

    II Timothy 4:2 - ""Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

    21] " The purpose of Gospel preaching is to call the church, amidst our dying culture, to repent of its worldliness, to recover and confess the truth of God's Word (for example, as those from the Reformation did), and to see that truth embodied in doctrine, worship, and life."

    II Timothy 4:2- ""Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

    Isaiah 55:6-7""Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return unto the LORD, And He will have mercy upon him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon."

    22] " Essential to the ministry is the understanding that the church be defined by its stand on the Scriptures as the sole and sufficient norm for preaching, doctrine, worship and life; grace as the sole and sufficient cause for God's salvation of the ungodly; Christ as the sole and sufficient Saviour who fully merited the redemption of sinners; and faith-alone in Christ alone as the sole and sufficient instrument through which God justifies the ungodly."

    Psalm 19:7-9""The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether."

    II Timothy 3:15-17""....and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise with reference to salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

    Ephesians 2:8-10""For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

    Acts 4:12 ""Nor is their salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

    Romans 4:5 ""But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness."

    Romans 5:6-8""For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

    23] "Essential to the Christian ministry is the understanding of that glorious freedom and liberty that God has given to all believers in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, and that the believer may be (and is) free from all systems of religious legalism, manipulation and/or intimidation ."

    Galatians 5:1 ""Stand fast therefore inthe liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

    John 8:32""Then Jesus said....'And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free...'."

    Romans 8:2 ""For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."

    24] "the chief ministry of the church was and continues to be at least six-fold in nature.

    1] To minister to the Lord (Acts 13:2a),

    2] To worship Him as priests by the indwelling Spirit (Philippians 3:3).

    3] To carry out His will on earth by performing His works through the power of His Spirit (John 14:12,16-17).

    4] To be a constant witness for Christ and His Word (Acts 1:8).

    5] To disciple Christians so they can attain the fullness of the stature of Christ in their lives (Ephesians 4:11-15; Hebrews 10:25-28; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 12).

    6] To reveal the future glory of the church (Ephesians 3:10,21; Revelation 21:9-27).

    [See also "THE MARK OF THE CHRISTIAN" by Francis Schaeffer and "AGAPE LEADERSHIP: LESSONS IN SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP FROM THE LIFE OF R C CHAPMAN" by Robert Petersen & Alexander Strauch (these may be found in excellent summary form at www.antithesis.com)]

    • Alive In Christ Ministries desires to be a ministry to the Lord, serving the Lord, and to be to the glory of God alone. With that in mind, we know that the Lord will cause us, by His Spirit, to minister to you, the Body of Christ. We want you to know that we are here to minister to you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.