The Ministry of the Believer

Do you sometimes need reminders?

Boy, I do.

You know, those appointments to the doctor or to the dentist or wherever will creep up on you.

And you just know you're going to remember them.

But then you get that phone call.

Mr. Brown, you do know you have an appointment today.

You know, those kind of phone calls.

And I'm grateful that now they're really good.

They'll text you several times or they'll make a phone call.

Sometimes just putting it on the calendar doesn't necessarily work.

But we all really, let's just, a group of us today, let's just admit we need reminders.

Well, God has placed reminders in His Word that if we'll just read them, we'll say,

Oh, that's what He thinks is really important.

And I do that all the time, don't you?

It's like you'll be reading a passage you know you've read several times before.

And you'll think, that's what God needs to do in my life.

He needs to continue working through scriptures like that to change me and change my mind.

And those reminders can be very powerful.

And today is no different.

I just need to remind you.

And maybe a different voice reminding you of something that you have heard before

might be the one thing that you need today.

That reminder from God's Word.

Today, I need to remind you that every believer is a minister.

And so I want to talk about the ministry of the believer today.

But I need to ask you the question right at the beginning.

Do you really believe, I mean deep down in your heart, do you really believe that every believer is a minister?

Now, most of us grew up knowing that the minister was the person who stood behind the pulpit on Sunday morning.

And eventually, they finally got around to calling the choir leader the minister of music.

So you got included in that minister.

And then, of all people, the person who works with the youth, the teenagers,

do they call you a youth minister here or minister to youth?

It doesn't really matter.

So, you know, for most people who are sitting in a pew on Sunday morning,

the minister are the professional people who probably get paid to do what they're doing.

That's how we grew up.

Those were the ministers.

Those were the ministers who's the minister at your church.

I'd say, well, Dr. Batson.

I mean, that's just how we grew up.

But it doesn't match what the scripture says.

In fact, I don't know who put it on that old brick sign over there in front of the Sunday school building.

Just right over there in the grass.

It says, Pastor Fred Stone, right?

But then it also says right below that, as a reminder, if you'll notice, every member, a minister.

I hope you'll see that more often and be reminded.

Every time you come to church, I hope it reminds you that you, as well as those who stand up and do leadership type things,

you are a minister of God's church.

Now, I know that for many of us, it's not that easy to see ourselves that way.

But let me show you from a couple of scriptures where God says we are all ministers.

Starting with Ephesians chapter 4, verse 12.

Ephesians 4:12

Ephesians 4, 12.

Now, focus on that verse, but let me begin reading in verse 11.

It describes how God has given people to the church to lead and to guide and to equip.

And so, beginning in verse 11, it says,

And he himself, meaning God, gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.

And then it tells us why God gave those to the church.

Verse 12,

For the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying or the building up of the body of Christ.

Let me just stop here just for a moment.

As I was young, growing up, and probably long before that,

most people would have read that particular verse in scripture,

seeing that it was the job of the minister of the church

to equip the church and to do the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ.

I mean, that's just how we looked at it early on.

As if God had put a comma after the building up or the equipping of the saints.

But God didn't put a comma there.

No, the job of the leaders of a church are to equip each of you,

as a believer in Jesus Christ,

to do the work of ministry,

so that the body of Christ can be healthy and strong and effective and vibrant.

That's how God designed it.

And I give thanks for all of those who are leaders in this church.

And they work tirelessly, well, I started to say tirelessly,

but that's not necessarily true, is it?

If you're a leader, I know that you do sometimes get weary,

but you are already leading this church to do and to be what it is.

And I'm so, so grateful.

But God also speaks in places like 2 Corinthians

about this ministry that He has given to every believer.

This is 2 Corinthians 5, verse 18.

2 Corinthians 5:18

It talks about how God has reconciled us to Himself.

But there's more to it.

2 Corinthians 5, 18 says it this way.

Now, all things are of God or from God,

who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ.

And there's so much we could say about that.

Thank God He did that.

But it continues.

And has given us the ministry of reconciliation.

Reconciling.

That's what God has done, isn't it?

He has reached out in His love to us.

Those of us who were just sinners,

who did not trust in Him yet.

He reached out because of His love for us.

And He revealed Himself to us.

And He called us to Himself.

And He called us to believe in Him

and trust Him for salvation.

That's what He called us to.

But then, when we responded by faith,

He also said that needs to continue.

There are others who need to be reconciled.

And I want to give you, the believer,

the ministry of reconciliation.

Now, it is true that we don't reconcile people to God.

It would be great if we could.

I know some relatives that I have

that if I could reconcile them to God,

I would do it right now.

Knowing that they would have a good standing of faith in God.

But I can't do that.

Only God is able to reconcile things

so that we have a right standing before Him.

But, we can bring people toward God

that He may reconcile them

if they'll respond in faith.

In a very real sense,

what God has called us to be

are bridge builders.

Bridge builders.

In fact, the Bible actually tells us

that we are a kingdom of priests.

I won't go into that passage,

but I just want you to know,

not only does God call you to ministry,

or to be a minister,

He's called you to be a priest.

You know what the word priest actually means?

That's where you get the word in Latin.

It's pontifex.

You know what it really means?

A bridge builder.

That's what a priest does.

He drills bridges.

Not literal bridges,

but spiritual bridges

so that those who do not yet know God

in a personal way through faith

may find a way,

may somehow be led toward God

by someone who knows Him.

That's how we are bridge builders.

In fact, more deeply,

we are the bridge.

For many people to come to know God

by trusting Him,

by faith.

Bridge builders.

The ministry of reconciliation.

But do you see

how this ministry is almost formed

by two bookends?

Ministry of all believers

is about building up the church

and reconciling people to God

so that they may have eternal life.

But there's a word of warning

and it comes really from

a young man named Matt Carter.

He's a pastor out in Texas

from Austin Stone Church.

And he said this,

I found this.

I thought it might be helpful

for you to see it.

The church, any church,

won't grow in a biblically healthy way.

It will not happen

unless

each part of the body,

meaning the congregation,

is fulfilling their personal calling

to the Great Commission.

The personal call

of ministry to

the Great Commission.

Now just a reminder,

when he says the body,

he's talking about the body of Christ.

Now, the body of Christ

is the group of believers

all around the world.

But more locally,

it's this congregation.

And the congregation

that I guess is still meeting,

I don't know what time they're out,

the Methodist Church over here

and the Presbyterian Church down here

and the Church of God down there

and all these other local congregations

are also

the body

of Christ.

It's that

gathering of believers

that

trust in God

and have trusted Him

for salvation.

Each

part of the body

fulfilling

their personal calling

to the Great Commission.

Now,

basically,

the Bible is saying

that we're body parts.

If we're,

if this is the body,

you're a part of it.

A very,

very important part

of this

particular body

of Christ.

Paul uses

a whole chapter

of Scripture

to talk about this.

In Romans,

excuse me,

in 1 Corinthians 12.

1 Corinthians 12,

whole chapter.

Now,

I'm not going to read

the whole chapter,

but I challenge you

sometime this afternoon,

maybe after your nap,

read

1 Corinthians 12.

He's talking about

spiritual gifts,

those gifts

that are given

to every believer

through the Holy Spirit.

And let me just

begin reading

in verse 4

of 1 Corinthians 12.

Paul says

there are

diversities of gifts,

but it's the same spirit.

There are differences

of ministries,

but the same Lord.

There are diversities

of activities,

but it's the same God

who works all in all.

But the manifestation

of the Spirit

is given to each one

for the profit

of all.

The whole congregation,

this particular body.

And then he begins

to name some of them.

Now,

when I read these,

I want you to listen

carefully to see

if anything sounds

familiar to your own

gifts,

passions,

strengths,

or skills.

Listen to this.

For to one

is given the word

of wisdom

through the Spirit.

To another,

the word of knowledge

by that same Spirit.

To another,

the gift is faith

by the same Spirit.

To another,

gifts of healings,

by the same Spirit.

Another,

the working of miracles.

To another,

prophecy.

To another,

discerning of spirits.

And to another,

different kinds of tongues.

And to another,

the interpretation

of tongues.

Now,

I know that many of you

have done a study

of spiritual gifts,

and you're very familiar

with all of these.

And there are good resources

on the internet

and through books

and CDs.

CDs.

Does anybody still

use CDs?

Maybe a podcast

or something somewhere?

But I encourage you,

look more deeply.

But this is a short list,

isn't it?

I don't think God

ever intended on

this representing

all the gifts.

In fact,

even in Romans

Romans 12 · chapter mention

chapter 12,

you'll find that

he lists even more.

Romans 12.

He talks about

having gifts.

This is verse 6

and following.

Having then gifts

differing according

to the grace

that is given to us.

Listen to this.

Let us use them.

Sounds like a biblical command.

So he said,

if it's prophecy,

let us prophesy

in proportion to our faith.

Or is it ministry?

Let us use it

in our ministering.

He who teaches,

use your gift

in teaching.

He who exhorts

or encourages.

He who gives.

There are some

who are especially blessed

to give

with liberality.

He who leads,

lead with diligence.

He who shows mercy,

do it with cheerfulness.

Now again,

that's a short list

because there are

many gifts

that are not necessarily

just named

specifically in Scripture.

You see people

every Sunday

who are using

a gift

when they sing

or play an instrument

up here.

That's a gift

that they use

for the glory of God.

It's not listed here.

But we all know

that it's part

of the giftedness

that God

has given to us.

The gifts

can be

wide variety.

I was told this morning,

I did not know this

until this morning,

that Ray Reese

had a gift

of woodworking.

Somebody told me

he made that.

I mean,

literally made it.

Is that a gift

that he could use

for the glory of God?

Absolutely.

What do you do well?

What do you enjoy doing?

What is your passion?

What is your,

what skill do you have

that you could use

to build up

the body of Christ

and to bring people

toward God

so that they may

be reconciled?

Whatever it is

that you have

that comes

from God's spirit

as a gift,

use it.

It doesn't even

have to be named

right here

in these short verses.

Make sure you know

what it is.

Make sure you're willing

to use it.

Well, let's get back

to this idea

of the Great Commission.

Let me show you

another slide

by Matt Carter.

I sometimes

just call it

the mission

and it looks like

that's what he is

doing as well.

This is what he says

and I agree with him

wholeheartedly.

The responsibility

for the mission

that I'm talking about

doesn't,

and I would add

the word just,

doesn't just fall

on the shoulders

of the pastors,

but every person

in the church

that names

the name of Christ.

The responsibility

for the mission

is not just

for those

who stand up front

and do things.

The responsibility

for God's mission

is yours

from the youngest

to the oldest.

It's still yours.

Whether you're young

and have a lot of energy

or whether you're tired

and you want to quit

and sit down,

you still have

the responsibility

for the mission.

Now, I don't know

if anybody's asking

the question or not,

but let me ask this.

But isn't the Great Commission

given to the church?

Haven't we talked

about that?

If you've been in church,

you know it's been

talked about all the time.

The Great Commission

or the mission

of the church.

We put it in the context

of the church.

Well, the answer

to the question is,

yes,

it has been given

to the church.

But no,

it's not just simply

to the church

as a whole.

In other words,

if it was just

to the church,

you could say,

well, I'll just give

my money to the church

and let them

do the mission.

That'd be easy,

wouldn't it?

In fact,

the truth is,

many people do that.

Let somebody else

do it.

But no,

God's given

to every believer

ministry

of building up

the body,

reconciling

the world

to Christ.

I think our problem

has been this.

And it's a problem

that I think

has been true

for a long time.

Is that our definition

of church

can sometimes

hinder or distort

our view

of God's call

to ministry,

meaning our personal

call to ministry.

You know,

it's when we say,

where are you going

this morning?

I'm going to church.

What are they doing

up there at the church?

Right?

We use that language

and there's really

nothing terribly wrong

with it,

except that church

began to mean

building

or organization.

When God

never intended

for church

to be some

brick and mortar

and beautiful

decorations

and stuff,

I mean,

he's not against

this by any means,

but church

is you.

In fact,

you don't go

to church,

the church

comes here.

You are the church.

I mean,

you know,

the,

I don't even know

my fingers

are letting me,

you know,

the,

here's the church

and here's the steeple

and open.

Well,

no,

actually,

this is the church.

All the people.

So we need to get

our head around

the fact that we

are the church

and as the church,

we are responsible

for the mission

that God has given

to every single believer.

it's not just

an organization,

it's more like

an organism,

a body of people

working together.

Some of you are hands

and some are feet,

some are mouths,

you know them,

they're always talking.

Thank God

that some of you

are ears

because you're willing

to listen.

Some of you can smell

a problem.

Some of you see

a little bit further

than others

about what we need

to do ahead,

like next year

or something.

You see,

we all have a part

in this body

and that's the way

God designed it.

We're an organism.

Imagine with me

just for a moment.

And I know

that God is blessed,

First Baptist,

in really,

I think,

unusual ways.

But you are not

all that you could be.

I think it's probably true

that I've heard it

most of my life

that in any given church

about 20% of the people

do about 80%

of the work.

Now,

I don't know

if that percentage

is correct.

I really have no idea,

but I do know this.

And this is from,

I don't know,

30-something years

in ministry.

In any church

you go to,

it's a few people

who do most

of what needs

to be done.

It's not the majority.

I don't know

why that's true.

It shouldn't be.

And I don't even know

if it's true

for First Baptist.

But here's what I do know,

that even in your church,

most people

are not fulfilling

their call of God

to do the mission

of the church.

If it were true,

you'd have to have

more room.

If it were true,

you'd have to have

more services.

If it were true,

you'd be having

so many people,

you'd have to start

another church

on the other side

of town

as a,

what do they call,

like a satellite church

somewhere else.

Do you hear

what I'm saying?

If every one of you

were to take

your responsibility

seriously

and a full commitment

to it,

God would grow

this church

in ways that

you never imagined.

That's how I know.

So what if

every believer

read the Great Commission

as that personal call

to make disciples?

What a transformation

would happen.

What a revival

would happen.

At my last church,

they asked me one time,

they said,

what do you think

it's going to take

for Griffith Baptist Church

to experience revival?

And I told them

very simply

and plainly

and they didn't

necessarily appreciate it

but I said,

when every member

does what God

told them to do

in the scriptures.

And they said,

maybe,

maybe there's something else.

Don't we need

some revival services

or something?

And I said,

no.

If every member

would do just what

God tells them to do

in the Bible,

then you couldn't

contain

the revival

that would happen.

Let me finish

by saying this.

And by the way,

I think that somebody

told me that we can

stop at around 1230.

They may not

have been correct.

Don't start leaving.

I'm not going that long.

I promise.

Let me just share

some observations.

And these are just

observations from

having been in ministry

from this side

of the pulpit

and having been

around God's people

for a long time.

This is observations

that I think

may help you

understand

what God is saying

in the scriptures

we've looked at.

Number one observation

is this.

You,

in order to make

disciples,

you have to

be a disciple.

Now,

I may be wrong

in this.

I can't say this

that I'm right

100%.

But not every

believer

is a disciple.

There are believers

who will come,

I saw some faces.

There are people

who truly trust Christ

for their salvation.

100%.

100%.

And they'll come

to church

and they'll sit

and they may even

smile at the preacher

sometimes and shake

his hand on the way out

but they never

make any other

kind of contribution

to the health

of the church.

To the mission

of God.

They believe in God.

They believe in Christ.

They're saved.

But that's all.

They're basically

pew sitters.

And that's not

a bad thing.

It's good to come.

But what if that's

all you do?

No,

a disciple is really

a learner.

It's someone

who faithfully

follows

a leader

or a mentor.

A disciple

is someone

who's learning

and growing

and changing.

That's a real

biblical disciple.

And you can

disagree on the

definition

if you need to.

In fact,

thank God

for the guys

up in the booth.

I saw a picture

this morning

between services

that I wanted

to show to you.

And I want you to

see this picture

that I found.

I hope you can

see it all.

Yeah.

It says this.

I'm going to have

to read it

because I haven't

met.

A disciple

is someone

who has moved

from being

the recipient

of the church's

mission

to being

responsible

for the church's

mission.

Would you

consider yourself

a disciple

or just a

Christian

who attends

church?

If you really

want to take

seriously this

mission to

make disciples,

then make sure

you are

a disciple.

In fact,

you need to be

a disciple

that is learning

to grow

in Christ's

likeness.

What does

God want

from every

disciple?

To be more

and more

like Jesus.

To resemble

him

more

and more.

We can't

do it alone.

That's why

God gave us

the Spirit

and that's

why God

gave us

other Christians

to encourage

us.

But are you

growing more

in Christ's

likeness?

Do you

resemble him

more?

Just read

the scriptures

and it'll

tell you

what he's

like.

Just spend

time with

God in

prayer.

Spend time

reading his

word.

Spend time

putting your

gift into

practice.

You become

more like

him.

Little by

little.

It's a

supernatural

happening.

But God

has given

us a

great task

in making

disciples

because he

expects us

not just

to lead

someone to

Christ.

There's more

to it than

just leading

people to

God.

You need

to continue

your opportunity

because when

we make

disciples we

are supposed

to make

disciples who

also make

disciples.

A quick

word from

2 Timothy.

Paul is

talking to

Timothy when

he says

this.

He says

Timothy the

things that

you have

heard from

me among

many witnesses

commit these

to faithful

men and

women.

Well that

makes sense

doesn't it?

What you've

heard from

me?

Pass it

on to

others.

But Paul

didn't stop

with that

word.

He says

commit them

to faithful

persons who

will be able

to teach

others also.

it's God's

great way of

multiplying the

ministry so

that we're not

just leading

people to

Christ and

not just

building up

the body

of Christ,

not just

bringing people

into a

reconciling

relationship

with God.

Those

disciples also

go and

make disciples

as well.

It's this

great process

that God

has set up.

So our

making

disciples

ministry

is never

ending.

It's

multiplying

in the way

that God

does it.

Another

observation is

this.

Making

disciples

can be done

within the

church schedule

by all

means.

It is

often done

within the

church schedule

in the

church building.

Thank God

for that.

Thank God

for the

Sunday school

classes that

are making

disciples and

the youth

ministry that's

making disciples.

Thank God

for Awana.

I was

amazed at

what God is

doing through

those children.

I was here

Wednesday night

at the big

celebration and

I just sat

back there and

was just

thankful and

amazed and

grateful for

what God is

doing.

All those

things are

happening within

the schedule in

this church.

But there are

opportunities beyond

this church.

In fact some

of those

opportunities may

be more

effective than

what happens

within the

church.

More effective

because it's

more personal.

What if you

take a

classmate that

you have been

talking to

lately and

begin that

process of

bringing them

toward God

with a

hopefully for

the end result

is to make

a disciple

that they

may become

a disciple

maker.

What about

a person at

work?

What about

a person out

on the golf

course or at

the lake or

wherever you

are?

Why not

use those

opportunities

outside of

church?

The truth is

there's a

number of

people in

this community

that will

never walk

into a

church on

their own.

They're just

not going to

do it.

But you can

go to

them.

I think

that's why

the Great

Commission

says,

go,

therefore,

not invite,

therefore.

It tells us

to go.

Use those

opportunities

beyond the

church services

to make

disciples.

The last

thing is

this.

Well,

actually,

I've got

two.

Very

quickly.

Are you

using your

natural

relationships

to make

disciples?

I know

that God

calls us

outside of

our comfort

zone sometimes.

I understand

that.

He needs

to.

Right?

The Bible

does say,

by the way,

spur one

another on

to good

works.

So,

sometimes it's

uncomfortable.

But why

not actually

use your

comfort zone,

your natural

relationships

within your

family,

within your

friendship

circles?

in fact,

Fred,

Pastor Fred

handed out

the first

of the year

that concentric

circles of

concern.

Remember that?

Do you have

it in your

Bible?

It's in the

front of

mine.

That's using

natural

relationships.

I know of

people that I

can think of

right now that

I want to use a

very natural

relationship to

begin moving

them closer to

God.

And you have

people like that

too.

You'd love to

see them come

to know Christ

and maybe even

come to church.

Use those

natural relationships.

It's a great

place to start.

That's within

your comfort zone.

So why not?

One more thing

that I want to

share with you.

It's really good

news.

You ready?

If you were to

take all this

seriously and

say, I want to

do that.

I want to be

what the Bible

describes.

Here's the good

news.

You ready?

You don't have

to be perfect

to start.

I know what

it's like.

I know most

of you.

I still say

that.

I don't really

want to do

that until I

get a little

bit better at

something.

I don't want

to embarrass

myself because

I'm not really

that prepared.

I want to

study some

more.

Can't we

have some

more courses

at church

before I try

and do this?

Can't we have

another program?

Can't we have

another something?

We're always

waiting to where

something more

than we are

to start

being a

disciple

maker.

Truth is,

he needs you

now.

What if we

don't have

tomorrow?

The time is

now.

What does the

old cartoon

used to say?

Time's a

wasting.

It's time to

be busy about

the father's

business.

Now.

The world

cannot wait.

They need you

to share the

good news

of Jesus

Christ.

And to move

people toward

God that he

may reconcile

them and

make them his

child.

That they may

become a

disciple who

makes disciples.

Are you

willing to

embrace this

truth?

To refresh

your commitment

to this

call of God

given to us

and his

word.

I know

many of

you work

so hard

at doing

what God

has called

you to do.

And I

thank God

for you.

But most

of us have

room for

improvement.

Room for

growth.

We can make

that fresh

commitment.

Would you

consider doing

that today?

I'm going to

pray just for

a moment and

ask you to

pray along

with me.

and maybe

my words

just simply

don't fit

what your

heart is

telling you.

So just

ignore my

words if you

need to and

pray your

prayer to

God.

Refresh that

commitment to

being a

minister in

God's kingdom.

If you

send

me

to

the

node

of

the

hell

of

the

of

God's kingdom.

And I

ask

you

and