First Ministry Class

The first class was an incredible experience in seeing the "behind the scenes" stuff of ministry. This class actually took place on January 29, 2006, but I'm posting it it here to help others who may be studying for ministry as well.

Today Kyle talked about the need for this class in equipping the saints. He said that it's been about a year and a half in the making. If all goes according to plan, it'll be a 12 week class.

Some of the notes/highlights are as follows:

You don't need to know where you are going. God doesn;t reveal the whole path at once.
As a leader, you have to set the expectations

There are 5 expectations. (These are between you and God)

1. Be involved in worship. This is the vertical connection. Come worship, grow and bring someone. Sunday mornings are more for visitors, while Wednesday evenings are more for feeding the flock.

2. Be involved in a small group or Sunday school class. This is the horizontal connection

3. Be involved in service. "The more you serve, the more you grow. The more you grow, the more you serve."

Every believer has two aspects of service:

- Ministry - All believers have a ministry in which they serve the body.
- Mission - All believers should be involved in reaching out to the unsaved.

4. Investing in an unbeliever.

5. Actively tithe. Matthew 6:19-20 says that where your treasure is, your heart will be also.


Personal testimony
As Christians, we should be prepared to give our testimony anytime, anyplace, within a 2 minute time period. The reason for the time constraint is that 2 minutes is usually the amount of time that you have to talk to someone when your in line at the grocery store, etc. You can always share deeper details of your conversion later.

Your testimony should include:

1. What your life was like pefore Christ
2. How you came to know that you needed Him
3. What led to your submission to Him
4. What your life is like after you accepted Christ

As you share, the Holy Spirit will minister to the person that you are speaking to.


Types of call
There are two types of call:

1. General call - This is a "whosover will" call when you come to know Jesus.
2. Specific call - This is a call to ministry. If the Holy Spirit called you, he called you before you were born.

The farther that you run, the more difficult it will be to resist the will and call of God.

The call to ministry is irrevocable. This is an awesome thought. Kyle said that sometimes all you have to go back to when things are falling apart is your calling so, be able to talk about your specific calling.

Romans 11:29 says that "for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable." be in the middle of His call no matter what.

Final thoughts
God has called you into ministry. Start serving Him now. You are not in ministry when you have a paid position in a church. You are in ministry now.

Acts 16:10 says that "When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them." (emphasis mine)

Read Ephesians 4, especially verses 11-13 and think about what you feel that God has called you to do.