Three Essentials of Ministry

There are three things that are of great importance to me as a minister:

Scripture

The Bible is the absolute most important piece/collection of literature ever written. 2 Timothy 3:16 states that all Scripture is God-breathed and is used for something that nothing else ever written can be: teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Why? Because it’s God’s Word. God’s laws and standards are unchanging, while everything changes. Therefore, you cannot know God or know the reality of the created world we live in without it.

Prayer

This should be a “duh” moment for you. When I say that prayer is vital, it shouldn’t be a surprise or a reminder. Prayer is the one and only way we can talk directly to God. Sadly, we do not look at it this way. We forget to pray, think that some things aren’t worth talking to God about, you name it. I’ll tell you that in college chapel services, many students are looking around or whispering during prayers. I’ve been guilty myself. We should not hold prayer so low, either corporately or individually. When someone is praying they are speaking to God, and we should be speaking with them. It is much less about asking for things than it is about maintaining your relationship with the Father.

The Gospel

Oh, how this is so easily forgotten. How many times do we hear a sermon that doesn’t mention Christ? Whether you’re teaching from the Old Testament, the New testament, or teaching on life’s daily issues… The cross of Christ and His Good News should be central to the message. Jesus even speaks about the fact that the Old Testament is about Him. There is absolutely no reason why the Gospel isn’t made central to teaching, praying, evangelizing, or any aspect of the daily human life. The Gospel isn’t just an idea, it’s the reconciler of all creation.