Tag: ministry

Log Jam

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Did you know that you, yes you, were created so that God might be glorified in your life? God wants to take the good, the bad, and the ugly, transform you through your faith in Jesus, and then put you on display so that the people in your life will come face to face with the living God. Have you ever thought of this, that there are people who will never get to know Jesus if they don’t get introduced to him by you?

Starting in the Old Testament, go through the Bible and search out the scriptures that speak of God’s purpose in using his people to reveal himself to the world. Even the past that you so desperately try to forget about can be used by God as a tool for his glory. Look, we’ve all sinned, we’ve all terribly missed the mark of God’s holiness, but he has made a way for us to experience his forgiveness and restoration. And, he wants to use this process in your life as an object lesson, giving others something tangible to see, so that they too can come and experience his love. Someone out there needs to know what you’ve been through and how Jesus saved and is saving you. They need to hear it from you, and see Him in you! Somebody is waiting for you to allow God to use you for some “show & tell.”

You know what a lumberjack is right (google it)?  Huge numbers of trees are harvested and processed into forestry products by logging companies. Lumberjacks  are the guys that cut down those trees. One way they get this massive number of trees from one spot to another, is by floating all these logs down the river. Well, occasionally a log  gets turned askew and stops the flow, creating a log-jam. So, you got this one log (a “key-log”) that is keeping the rest of the logs from reaching their destination. Did you know that you are a “key-log” in someone’s life, and they are waiting for you to get “straightened out” so that they can get to Jesus? It’s not some “professional” preacher or evangelist that holds the key to saving your family and friends- it’s you. You are the key.

It all starts with you giving your life to Jesus. He invites us to come, turn away from our sin, and put our trust in him. He is the One who can get you “straightened out” so that all those behind you, caught up in the “log-jam,” can experience what it means to truly be alive in Him.

Leaves

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I remember I hadn’t been in Christ that long, and I was riding up to the mountains with a group of people. It was fall, the leaves were changing, and I remember being totally overwhelmed by the beauty all around me. I must have really gone on about the leaves because I remember someone saying, “Yeah, and guess what; they do this every year.” They didn’t understand that I had been so caught up in my life, my sin, and all that goes along with it; I had been too busy to appreciate “little things” like the changing of the seasons. Jesus had saved me, I had been truly born again by the Spirit, and everything seemed new. Everything was new. My friends made fun of me a little because to them it was just another fall, and leaves have been changing like that for millennia. “Kyle, it’s only that you’re just now noticing it.”

So often we become caught up with things and think that it’s something new when in reality, that’s the way it has always been. So many of us in the church today are enamored with “new” things like, being authentic, community, relational discipleship, and (add your own catch phrase). To be honest, this is how it always has been. Perhaps I should say instead, this is how it has always been to the true disciple of Christ. True Christianity has always been about being authentic. True Christianity has always been about being in community with other believers (it’s called the body of Christ). True Christianity has always been about making disciples. Could it be that we have simply been so caught up in the business of religion, building personal kingdoms, and big “look at me” ministries that we have failed to notice what it means to be a real Christian?

This “church business” we are so addicted to is over folks. We have made religion our priority instead of Jesus. “The times, they are a changing.”  There is a danger though that the “new boss is the same as the old boss.” What do I mean? Well, if we make authenticity, community, relational discipleship, and (add your own catch phrase) our priorities; it’ll end up being the same old thing just with a different hat. The priority of the Christian has always been Jesus. Everything flows out of our intimacy with him. We don’t concentrate on things. We concentrate on Jesus, and as we abide in him; we bear much fruit.

The Heart of Ministry

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

I remember not too long ago I was reading in the book of II Corinthians, and I came to the part in chapter four where Paul said, “…always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you.” After reading these words, I thought to myself, “Now there’s the heart of ministry.”

There is much talk today concerning the validity of the pastoral ministry model and the need to employ the five-fold ministry paradigm found in Ephesians 4, but I don’t think the answer is quite that simple. I think we have lost the true heart of ministry all together. We’ve made ministry all about the minister. Ephesians 4 tells us that ministers are given to the body of Christ for the equipping of the saints, and the building up of the body of Christ.  Our churches abound with self proclaimed super-prophets, apostolic rulers, and double portion Davidic worship leaders who have made it all about them. We don’t need superstars; we need servants.

The body of Christ needs ministers who are experiencing the fellowship of his sufferings, manifesting the dying of Jesus in their bodies, those who are willing to become of no reputation, and give themselves for the life of body of Christ. Ministers are not called to be movie star, super-hero, peddlers of the gospel, but slaves of their Master Jesus who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant. The true heart of ministry says, “I will gladly be poured out and used up that I might help my brother’s and sisters mature in Christ.” The prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor, and teacher are called to build ministers not ministries.

I Corinthians 4:9-13 puts it like this,  “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.”  Let me ask you, does that sound like any ministers you know? Perhaps the body of Christ would experience more of the power of Christ’s resurrection if its ministers would participate in the fellowship of His sufferings.

I’ll sum it up by simply saying that if you want to see the heart of ministry, just look at the cross.

“This Aint No One Man Show!”

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

Recently we have been talking about how everyone who is a disciple of Jesus is called to do the work of ministry. We have been trying to learn what we can about ministry from the story of feeding the 5,000 found in John 6. We have discussed how Jesus had brought the disciples into what appeared to be an impossible situation, but in reality He already knew what He was going to do. The disciples saw the great need and figured the best thing to do was send everybody away to fend for themselves, but;  Jesus being the ultimate shepherd (pastor), saw this as an opportunity to equip, teach, and meet the needs of those who had come to hear Him speak.

Someone once said, “You’d be surprised what can be accomplished when you don’t care who gets the credit.” I think another thing to be learned  from the  story in John 6 is that sometimes in ministry Jesus may use you to be a coordinator. You may not be the one who directly meets the need, but you may be one who the Spirit of God uses to coordinate. Like the disciples you may think you have nothing to give; but, God has a plan. That day on the hillside the disciples figured that perhaps the best thing to do would be to send the folks away. They saw the multitude and didn’t see any way they could meet the need. How many of us have avoided ministry because we didn’t think we could be used of God? We saw our own lack and thought, “What can I do?”  Perhaps, we need to understand that true  ministry is not a “one man show.” Real ministry involves the whole “Body.” We can see this in the story of the feeding of the 5,000.

Andrew (one of the disciples) becomes aware of a boy that has brought a packed a lunch; but doubts that it could accomplish anything. “Lord the need is so great, what will this little bit accomplish?” How many times have you felt like sharing or giving or saying something, but felt like it wouldn’t amount to anything? But what did Jesus say? He said, “Bring the lunch to me.”

Once, as I was reading this story, I began to wonder about the little boy with the lunch. Was he really the only one who had sense enough to bring food that day or was he the only one who was willing to surrender his? Sometimes we are so concerened with our growth, our relationship with the Lord, etc… that  we forget that its not all about us. In the Old Testament , when the land was being alloted and the 2½ tribes opted to stay on the east side of the Jordan, they still had to send their warriors to help their brothers  who had yet to obtain their inheritance. Are you so focused on you and yours that you have forgotten that there are brothers and sisters in Christ (not to mention unbelievers) who need you to minister to them?

To this day the little boy with the lunch remains nameless and faceless. We don’t know who he was, his name, or anything. He’s the kid with the food. How many of us would have been like,  “Ah, this little bit wont do any good” or “I’m keeping my stuff they should’ve known better” or “I can’t believe Jesus didn’t even mention my name; they should’ve at least named the grassy slope after me.” Can you see how cool it is that Andrew became aware of the boy, the boy was willing to give up his lunch, and Jesus was the one who performed the miracle and brought glory to God. That’s how true ministry is supposed to work. We all just come to Jesus and say, “Here Lord, use me how ever you’d like to.”

Jesus used a little boy to give the disciples something to distribute among the people. It all came from Jesus’ hand; that’s how true ministry works. Maybe you’re the little boy, nameless & faceless, or; maybe you’re like the disciples, seen and used to distribute the food- it doesn’t matter. It’s all from Jesus and for His glory. Will you come and give yourself and what you have to Him. Will accept your role whether it be known or unknown? Will you come and surrender yourselves and your gifts that He may bless? Will you allow Him to break it up and distribute it as He sees fit?

Service is not something that a lesser person does to someone greater; no, it is the lifestyle of a disciple. You are called to minister, you are called to serve. That pride and selfishness which is resident in so many of us must be broken so that what God has given us may be used to bring others to Christ. Our American “I’m supposed to be a celebrity” mentality has to be broken. You are called to ministry beloved by the one who though He was God, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant.

“You give them something to eat.”

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

If you read Who, me? (Equipped for Ministry) you remember I was talking about how all who are in Christ are called to ministry and that it is not just the job of the “professionals.” According to Ephesians 4 it is the job of the “professionals” to equip the saints so that they themselves can do the work of ministry. The cool thing is, Jesus already knows how he wants to use you. He knows what He wants to accomplish through you. Let’s check out John 6.

“Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, ‘Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?’ He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, ‘Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!’ Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. ‘There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?’ ‘Tell everyone to sit down,’ Jesus said.” (John 6: 3-10)

 There’s a lot we can learn from this story, but for now; let’s just look at this one aspect : Here, in John 6, Jesus knew what He was going to do. He is asking Phillip how they would feed the people, but He already knew what He was going to do. Jesus may bring you into a situation where you cannot possibly meet the need in and of yourself. Like the disciples you may look out and say, “Lord, we need to send these folks away so they can get something to eat…” and He replies, “No, you feed them.” You look around and it seems impossible, the need is to great, but He knows what he’s going to do. He is teaching us that it is through our relationship with him that we will be used to meet the need of those he brings into our lives.

You see part of equipping Phillip,the rest of the disciples, and you and me for that matter is deliberately putting us in a situation in which we are insufficient within ourselves to minister.  We begin to learn to trust in Jesus’ ability, in his sufficiency. We come to the place when we realize that it is only that which flows out of our union with Christ that will glorify God and meet the need. We look around and see so much hurt, so much pain, so much need, and we say, “Lord, help them. I can’t do anything.” BUT HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO!!  And he wants to use you!

As it is with all true ministry,this feeding of the 5,000 would glorify Jesus and show the crowd who he was, and; that’s what you are called to do- show those he brings to you who He is. You may not be called to stand behind a pulpit or travel to Haiti or write books or make cds, but; you are most definitely called to show others who Jesus is. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 2:10 that “you are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand for you to walk in.”

Yes my friend, if you are a disciple of Jesus; you are called to do ministry. But, don’t you worry; the Lord is in control and He already knows what He wants to do through you.  Oh, I almost forgot; don’t be surprised if it seems impossible.

Who,me? (Equipped for Ministry)

Posted on by Kyle Fuller

When you think of ministry what comes to mind? For so many of us, when we think of ministry we think of Billy Graham, pastors we have seen on TV, or perhaps our local pastor, but; did you know that if you are a Christian, you are called to ministry? “Who, me?” Yeah, you! Those who occupy the pews more often than not have the idea that it’s the “professional” minister who is called to do ministry, the big named evangelist who is called to reach the masses; it’s the anointed worship leader who will do the work of ministry.   So many sit comfortably in their pews under the misconception that all they are called to is to love the Lord, come to church regularly and “be fed.”

You hear people say, “I’m just not getting fed.” Why not? You have the same Holy Spirit, the same Jesus. Yes, the “five-fold office gifts” (please, let’s not argue over semantics) are to feed and teach to some degree, but; you the believer are to abide in Christ, sit at His feet and hear His voice. John tells his hearers in his first epistle that the “anointing” you have received teaches you. You know, when all we do is continually eat we can become obese and doctors tell us that obesity is a primary cause of all kinds of diseases. Maybe that’s why we have so much sickness in the church, because all we’re doing is gorging ourselves and not doing ministry- I’d better stop.

We find that in Ephesians 4 the bible tells us that Jesus gave gifts to the church: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers for the equipping of the saints (that’s you if you are in Christ) for the work of the ministry (your Bible may say work of service or something similar). So really, the job of the “vocational minister” is to equip the saints do ministry. We need to move away from this “clergy/laity mentality” and understand that all who are in Christ are called to do the work of ministry. Ministry, is something all believers are to do.

Okay, so what does it mean to be equipped ?  Well if you study the word translated equip you find that the word refers to that which has been restored to its original condition, is being made fit or being made complete. The root word was used as a medical term used for setting bones! Secular Greek also used it to refer to the furnishing a house. Paul’s use in the context of the Body, the Church, pictures the complete furnishing of the believer so that he/she might be made ready to fulfill their purpose in the body of Christ where they have been placed by God’s Spirit. This equipping denotes the “net-mending” process the fishermen would utilize, equipping the net to catch the fish. The Greek word denotes not so much an adding something that is lacking, but rather a straightening out. We have handed all ministry over to the “professionals” when in reality it is the job of the “professional” to equip the saints to do ministry themselves!

My friend there are people who will listen to you that will never listen to Billy Graham. There are people who need to hear what God has done in your life. There are people who may never, ever be touched by the love of Jesus if they don’t hear about it from you. Let me leave you with this: “…you are a chosen people. You are royal priests,a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”