Day 161: What Are the Questions That Bring Ministry Into Focus
One of the truths that we have been trying emphasize in this study is that we are called to a Body, a group or people, that we live and work together with in our Vision and Mission as Christ’s people. As we develop the last questions today, always keep in mind that you will not be doing these things alone, as an individual, but with your fellowship, your local church/assembly—the people you connect with as your spiritual family.
As we close out the week, take some time to read and reflect and meditate on the following questions. These final questions help us bring these larger ideas to a place of practical application.
First, let’s review the questions raised by the Apostles and Prophets that we discussed last week:
Lord, To Whom Are You Sending Us?
Apostolic Vision and Mission is the motivating impulse for all that we do as the Church, The Body of Christ. We are His representatives, His emissaries sent to a world that does not know Him.
To whom is the Lord sending you to give a taste of the goodness of His Kingdom, especially someone who has not experienced it before?
With whom is the Lord sending you (who is your team, “your people”)?
Lord, What Do We Do Now?
The children of God are motivated by their zeal for His holiness: His love, His mercy, His compassion, His justice, His glory. We should be motivated by Prophetic Passion. We seek to follow the Holy Spirit as He works in and through us, leading us to Oneness and Christlikeness so that the glory/beauty of Father God is displayed in Christ. This means that we must gracefully challenge all that stands opposed to the reality of the One True God. Remember this: Idolatry > Ignorance > Injustice. These stand opposed to the Kingdom of Christ and have always been the focus of prophetic challenge.
The Lord does desire for you to have a prophetic facet of your life. Consider these questions:
In what ways are your passion for justice/goodness roused: where do you see a need to challenge the “status quo”
(idolatry > ignorance > injustice) with the Truth?
How can you get involved with your church/assembly/fellowship to challenge the status quo with the glory/beauty/splendor of Christ, in Grace and Truth?
Lord, Where in my area does The Gospel need to take root?
As we think about the way the Evangelists equip us work and serve the Gospel, we realize that the Truth of Gospel should saturate our lives, our cities, our countries. Once the “Seed” has been planted by Apostolic work, we seek to cultivate its growth in every area of life. Think about these questions:
Where is a person or group in which the Gospel needs to be more deeply rooted and cultivated?
How can you and your fellowship proclaim and live the Gospel in a way that draws others to Christ?
Lord, Who are my brothers or sisters who need care?
In the Body of Christ, we are called to care for one another in compassion, protecting it from its many threats. We want to learn how to care for one another in grace and truth. With this in mind think about how “Pastoral Care and Protection” is being cultivated in your life:
Who do you know who needs to be cared for and nurtured gracefully?
(the physically sick, the “spiritually sick”, shut-ins, the down and outs, those who just need someone to care.)
How could you serve, help, protect, build up this person/group?
Lord, Who do I know who needs to know what I know?
The Body of Christ, the Church, is built on Faithful and True Instruction. The Written Word of God points us to the Living Word, our Lord Jesus. We want to know Christ deeply in order to share Him with one another and others richly. At this point, you should be able to share and teach the basics of faith to someone else. With this in mind, think about the ways in which the work of teaching is being cultivated in your life:
Who do you know who needs to know more about Christ and His central significance to all things?
How can you share the truth in grace, pointing toward Christ?
As you think about these questions, begin thinking about your closest relationships and then move out from there: family > friends > co-workers > groups with shared interests > “providential meetings”, etc. Be mindful and aware of people that the Lord brings into your life on a daily basis.
Always remember that you are inviting people into something larger and eternal. And you are not meant to do this work alone. We will pick up here next week.
*You can find a complete list of all the MilktoMeat readings here.
