Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Administration vs "Ministration"

As looking at Romans 16....i'm really reminded of how people are the most important and still at times they feel the least they are to the body of Christ!   Paul's entire letter is written to the Roman gentile reader and sends a message to those reading of the blessing and usefulness of those in the body of Christ!

From Phoebe to Priscilla and Aquila to Amplias and others, they are well commended for their gifting and use in and for the body of Christ.  It's evident that those in the church at that time surely knew how to administer their gifts to others and use their gifts for ministering!  It's important I believe that we not get all caught up with the methods and systems of our churches...the administration over the "ministration" (if that's even a word), and continue to focus on how in the middle of administration...Jesus still ministered.

This then is not just a listing of people who all of a sudden love Jesus and minister to others...because they didn't begin that way.  Every person named in Chapter 16 of Romans is a person who was discipled and trained in the Gospel of Grace!  Without people discipling others...we will never encounter the Urbanus' or Apellas' or Rufus' of our own churches!  

We must take an interest in the people who come to our churches and really, really look at where the Lord wants them to be!  The Lord doesn't see us where we are so much as where we will be!

So let me encourage you with this...keep focused on the people and not the system or method...pray for your people by name and ask God to use YOU in making disciples of the men and women we love...because so many of our people get lost over the "mission" and need guidance.