The Measure of Effective Ministry
Acts 3:1-10
Effective ministry is measured by the churches ability to transform the lives of men and empower them to spiritually stand and walk on their own.
Many churches and pastors are guilty of measuring the effectiveness of their ministries by the size of their membership, budgets, facilities and ministry programs. Yet, Willow Creek Community Church and Bill Hybel will tell you that these are the wrong criterias to measure ministry effectiveness. The truth of the matter is, many of us will never pastor or be a member of a 20,ooo--multi-million dollar congregation. And so, we must measure the effectiveness of our ministries not by the aforementioned criterias, but we must measure our ministry effectiveness on our ability to transform the lives of men and empower them to stand and walk on their own. Acts 3:1-10, provides for us a picture of what, I think effective ministry looks like, upon effective discipleship.
Transitional Sentence: If the church is going to transform men lives and empower them to stand and walk on their own, the church must be...we must offer... we must...
I. Attentive of the Lame in our Path-(4-5)
A. We must be Attentive to the Appeal of the Lame
B. We must be Attentive to the Antidote for the Lame
II. Alternatives for the Lame to Ponder-(6)
A. We must offer the Lame an Eternal Alternative
B. We must offer the Lame an Empowering Alternative
III. Apprehend the Lame Personally-(7)
A. We must Apprehend the Lame Personally to Fully Elevate Them
B. We must Apprehend the Lame Personally to Firmly Establish Them
A Heart For Ministry
II Corinthians 8:16-17
Godly love will motivate the hearts of Believers in Christ Jesus to personally and passionately engage in redemptive ministry
Transitional Sentence: A heart for ministry is...
I. Supernaturally Produced-(16)
A. God Implants a Heart for Ministry
B. God Influences the Heart towards Ministry
II. Stimulated by Passion-(16b)
A. Titus had Passion for the Saints of God
B. Titus had Passion for the Service of God
III. Satifies the Petition-(17a)
A. Shares the Load
B. Serves the Lord
IV. Self-Propelled-(17)
2 comments:
Well Bless God, not only do I get one of Dr. Lane's jewels but I get two. I am praying for your ministry at St. Matthew's.
Keep running,
Owens
Although, ministry takes on many forms, doing ministry beyond the walls I consider to be one of it's greatest challenges. It's like gathering material for our thesis in which to gain our complete christian acceptance, higher learning, and in the end, our earthly purposeful degree. This has always been a challenge for me. I found it to be even more challenging today because of unpredictable personalities and the fear of stepping outside of the comfort zone and into theirs. Although, I feel I have met the obvious reasons for my existance, I pray that before I close my eyes for the last time in "this life" unto life everlasting that my courage will be greatly improved towards ministry we are all charged to do. This is a great post. Thank you for showing us how to become empowered towards ministry of the whole man. Be blessed and take care.
Mother
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