Elements of Effective Ministry

Acts 14:19-28

Theme: Ministry/Service

Thesis: The elements of Paul and Barnabas’ ministry provide a good model for our Christian service today. Serve Christ with dedication, initiative, industry, thoroughness, and accountability.

Introduction:

It is good to look around at other Christians, ministries, and churches to learn how we can serve God most effectively. Yet, to see Christians and churches doing the same ministry in different ways is healthy and refreshing. The methods will change with time, peoples, and technology, but the objectives should remain the same. Each servant of God must follow Him step by step as He leads!

The best way to prepare and evaluate one’s service for Christ is to compare it with the Word of God. God’s principles are the key. God gives us several ministry models throughout the NT, and this passage in Acts 14 is one of them. It portrays for us some elements of effective ministry.

Message:

I.                Dedication: Suffering Persecution for the Cause of Christ (14:19-20).

A.    Dedication refers to being committed to God’s purpose and the associated tasks regardless of the required effort or the fierceness of the opposition. Half-hearted commitment will never suffice in the Lord’s work.

B.    Paul accepted opposition as normal

1.Paul was willing to be misunderstood

2.Paul accepted suffering as normal

3.Paul continued his work undistracted

C.    Take a handful of promises and press on in the work of God

1.Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you (Matt. 5:11-12).

2.If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified (1 Pet. 4:14). 

II.             Initiative: Preaching and Teaching the Gospel from city to city (14:21).

A.    Initiative is the capability of assessing what is required and independently pursuing it. Such servants do not act without God; they act with courage on what they know God requires. They are responsive, resourceful, and enterprising; they aren’t waiting around for God to say “go” again. Slothfulness and sluggishness are out of step with service to Christ.

B.    They Knew What Christ Required of Them and Threw Themselves Into the Work

1.Street preaching

2.Individual witnessing—God has already given the mandate; we must go!

3.Gospel conversations—Look for ways to get into a witnessing situation.

C.    They went to the people, cities, and regional centers first to Evangelize

1.Effective evangelism is usually a combination of many factors. Do not rely on a single method; employ multiple strategies. Be creative.

2.Develop a regular visitation night. This is always a part of an effective outreach plan.

3.Staffing for evangelism.  Some churches have individuals devoted to evangelism ministries. It is still important to emphasize, however, that evangelism is every one’s responsibility.

III.           Labor: Servicing the Disciples and New Churches (14:21-23).

A.    Industrious is the motivation and drive to work and labor in the gospel ministry. Ministry is not the place for the lazy or lover of conveniences. God uses servants who are not afraid of hard work and the demanding efforts associated with discipleship, education, training, and leadership development.

B.    Confirming—to establish, strengthen, and render more firm

1.Affording companionship

2.Answering questions

3.Beginner discipleship—Assurance, Bible, Church, Devotions, Evangelism, Fellowship, and Giving

C.    Exhorting—to entreat, instruct, and admonish

1.Regarding inward disciplines—prayer, fasting, and meditation

2.Regarding outward disciplines—simplicity, solitude, and submission

3.Regarding corporate disciplines—confession, worship, and generosity

4.The exhorter knows that mastery of remedial disciplines promotes growth and spiritual advancement

D.    Ordaining—to appoint to leadership by vote

1.Leaders were prepared and placed

2.Formal recognition of these individuals divine calling to ministry

E.     Commending—to entrust them to the Lord’s care and guidance

1.Christ takes immediate and full leadership of the church

2.The leadership and the church are responsible for discerning and executing Christ’s plan and will

IV.            Thoroughness: Revisiting Cities To Conduct Evangelistic Campaigns (14:24-25).

A.    Thoroughness is caring enough to give attention to details and ensuring the task is completed; giving the appearance an effort is being made to evangelize will not reach out to “every creature.” Token effort may soothe our conscious, but it does not please our Lord.

B.    Evangelism: Gospel preaching/witnessing

1.Our objective is to tell anyone and everyone about Jesus Christ

2.The fruitfulness and results are the Spirit of God’s work

C.    Response: Hardened city—Perga

1.Some people and places are unresponsive to the gospel

2.Seek to move the individual hard cases along the continuum to faith—antagonistic atheist, soft atheist, agnostic, unsure skeptic, unconcerned, observer, explorer, receptive, and responsive.

D.    Recourse: Not all people and places are equally receptive, hardened, or fruitful

1.Move on to other opportunities; don’t be discouraged, frustrated, nor become too fixated on a hard case

2.Maintain a prayer list of hard cases and serve them when you can

V.              Accountability: Returning to Sending Church to Give a Report (14:26-28).

A.    Accountability is simply recognizing a responsibility to God, our church, and others; irresponsibility is problematic and incompatible with ministry.

B.    An Expression of Accountability

1.Christians should make deep commitments to Christ and be held accountable for following through

2.Christians should be trained and unleashed into reproductive ministry

3.Accountability helps to stimulate actions

4.Follow up on decisions, commitments, and assignments is a vital part of personal and ministry growth and development

C.    A Recognition of Authority—these extraordinary servants were still submissive to their sending church

1.Even Spiritual Believers need accountability

2.Even Accomplished Believers require further accountability

D.    A Report on the Work that Has Been Accomplished

1.This can be in the form of a written statement

2.The back side of a visitation card could be used to report results

3.Keeping a record of attendance for Sunday School

E.     A Chance to Rejoice in the Lord’s Accomplishments

F.     A Time of Reunion and Reinforcement of Values, Vision, and Strategies

Conclusion: To be more effective in ministry, serve Christ with dedication, initiative, industry, thoroughness, and accountability. While there is nothing wrong with finding good men of God who will share their years of wisdom and experience, God should always be consulted first and foremost. It is good to ask ministry friends for advice about this ministry or that program, but we must personally trust the Spirit of God to use Bible principles to guide each of us in our service for Christ.

Merely adopting an idea or mimicking another servant’s ministry, program or style is never recommended. Each of us are unique servants of the Lord with our own blend of gifts, skills, knowledge, and motivations; it is correct to embrace this reality and trust the Spirit of God to work through us. We all have different co-laborers with different skill combinations in various locations with multiplied non-identical opportunities; this too must be accepted as God’s calling and allocation to each of us as individual ministers of grace.

What can characterize each ministry is dedication, initiative, industry, thoroughness, and accountability. We each will enjoy differing productivity and fruitfulness, but we all can cultivate the same character qualities for ourselves personally and for the work of the Lord. May our service for Christ never ever be marked by half-heartedness, slothfulness, laziness, token effort, and irresponsibility!