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What Full-Time Ministry Is
by Jerry Ousley In our modern church world we hear a lot about full-time ministry. The organized meaning of this term defines a person who professionally is a pastor, or Christian worker, spends at least eight hours a day doing it and gets paid for it. It was something my heart ached for especially during the nearly thirty years we were pastors of one form or another. Even though for a couple of years I received a small salary (it amounted to $200.00 per month and I don't blame the congregation for that by the way; it was all they could afford and I understood that), I never really obtained an acceptable full-time status. But before anyone starts feeling sorry for me I want to clarify that those years formed the service into which God has placed me today. Even though I still have an occupation I am completely satisfied with the work the Lord has given me to do. I found that a good part of my life I was never really satisfied. I was always looking ahead to the next big thing perhaps the thing that would finally catapult me into what the church world accepted as full-time ministry. I tried everything I knew from joining the Army as a Chaplain's Assistant to playing the lottery. I quickly found out that you can't become a Chaplain by being a Chaplain's Assistant and the chances of winning the lottery are astronomical. Neither ever happened for me. What I did discover after years of wishing my life away was the secret of becoming satisfied. I spent a lot of years of dissatisfaction before I found out about this. Man, do I ever wish I had become satisfied years earlier! We talked about John on the Island of Patmos. Many probably thought him to be a failure in ministry. Actually John discovered the true meaning of full-time ministry. You see, God really never intended for us to be separated in ministry. Don't get me wrong; the New Testament actually does list several offices of service such as pastor, evangelist, teacher and so on. These are actual services into which we can be called to serve. Also, Paul taught that it is not wrong for those who spend their lives promoting the Gospel to live of the Gospel (in other words, be paid for their service). After all, we must have some form of income in order to survive and meet our physical needs. But the true meaning of full-time service to the Lord goes beyond these things. It is a calling that is beaconing to each and every believer in Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean that we can all go out and quit our jobs and somehow get paid to live for the Lord. But it does mean that each of us is called into the ministry of worship. On Patmos John learned the deeper reality of worshipping God. He discovered how to "be in the spirit." It was becoming lost to one's self and our physical condition. It is becoming absorbed in the presence of God. You don't have to be abandoned on an island to be in the spirit. You don't have to be in a special room in order for this to take place. In fact, wherever life finds you, whether at a machine at work, in an office, in your automobile, at home, or confined to a bed or wheelchair, you can be in the spirit. Being in the spirit means that we have shut out all the noise, all the hustle and bustle going on around us and are absorbed in the presence of the Lord. Of course we can't shirk our jobs and responsibilities; and if you're driving down the road you can't shut your eyes and not watch the road; that could result in tragic consequences! During my lifetime I have worked in factories and I have sat behind desks. I've stared at computer screens and watched parts go by on lines. I've discovered that even while we are performing our daily tasks that our minds can still be directed at God. When we fill our minds with Him we can still do our jobs while we are in a state of worship. We are all called to worship the Lord. We were created to bring praise to the Almighty God. That is our primary purpose whether we are a pastor, a Sunday School Teacher or a janitor. We are all equal in that respect. Let's learn to focus on real full-time service to the Lord by becoming a full-time worshipper. When we do, regardless our occupation or calling, it will allow us to put things in the right perspective and order, and all things will come second after our full-time occupation. Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |