Healthy Church Ministry

 READ

Background & Context: Acts 1-5

Sermon Passage: Acts 6:1-7

 THINK

As Jesus continues to carry out His mission by the Holy Spirit through His local church, the Apostles are careful to make sure the ministry of prayer, and the ministry of the Word are not neglected while also ensuring that the needs within the body do not fall between the cracks but are properly cared for. In doing this, they both guard the unity of the church and further enable the witness of the church.

 APPLY

We must Guard the Unity of the Body and Enable the Witness of the Body by faithfully carrying out the Ministry assigned to us.

• Two vital ministries in a healthy church:
  • The ministry of prayer and the word
  • The ministry of care for the body
• Two very real dangers in a healthy church:
  • Disunity driven by unbiblical dividing lines
  • Ministry falling between the cracks
• We guard and enable by:
  • Being men and women of character (full of the Spirit) and competence (full of wisdom)
  • Responding to ministry needs with Biblically driven, prayed-through solutions
  • Engaging in ministry as a congregation and not just as individuals
  • Staying focused on the assignment – the mission and the ministry of Jesus

 PRAY

• Pray and praise God for who He is: the Sovereign Master of all Creation and Time.
• Pray for God to take note of our present situation and act on our behalf for His glory.
• Pray for God to fill each of us with the Holy Spirit that we would be bold in declaring the Gospel.
• Pray for open doors to proclaim the hope of Jesus to our families, friends, neighbors, and more.
• Pray that we would fear the Lord and love Him by obeying Him exclusively.
• Pray that we would be people who are full of the Spirit and wisdom.
• Pray that ministry needs in the body would be known and rightly cared for.
• Pray that we would walk in the unity and fellowship of the Holy Spirit – seeking to glorify Jesus and do what He says, how He says, wherever and whenever He leads.