Ministry Training
Ministering Effectively

It is important for those who are called by God into Ministry, to be effective.

To be effective in ministry, there are six important things we need to consider and experience, namely:

A Godly vision.
To walk circumspectly.
A Godly program.
To always stay on course.
To always remain spiritually refreshed.
To have a high Christian Ministry ethical standard.

We need a Godly vision.

It is very important for a person in the Ministry to have a vision.

A person without a vision:

Has no direction and doesn't know where to go and what to do.
May go in the wrong direction.

Those who have no vision ultimately perish.

Proverbs 29:18
“Where there is no vision, the people perish:”

There are seven important aspects of a vision found in:

Habakkuk 2:2-4
"And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry ... but the just shall live by his faith.”

These seven aspects are:

God will give us a vision.
Gods vision is important enough for us to carefully and completely write it down.
We should make it plain in order to clearly understand it.
We should with perseverance continue to pursue our vision.
The vision will come to pass in Gods timing.
Gods vision will ultimately be successful.
We who believe the vision should wait for it in faith to be fulfilled.

Ecclesiastes 5:3
“For a dream cometh through the multitude of business;”

We need to walk circumspectly.

Those in Ministry need to maintain a high standard of excellence. What they do, needs to be done right, with precision and success. God set us an example of doing things in excellence.

Genesis 1:31
"And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good."

The Apostle Paul walked in excellence and taught us to follow his example.

Ephesians 5:15
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise."

He challenges us to walk circumspectly.
The Greek word for circumspectly is "alribos" and means "accurately."

Each day is made up of 24 hours in which many decisions are made.

Our decisions and activities may be wise and fruitful or foolish and unprofitable.

For excellence and success in Ministry, we need to do the following, namely:

We need to acquire all the knowledge needed and direct our decisions accordingly.
This knowledge needs to be Godly knowledge.
Whatever knowledge we apply needs to be done with wisdom.
Our activities need to be well planned and organized.
We should not waste time or resources to accomplish our tasks.

Psalm 90:12
"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

The Hebrew word number is "Manah" and means "to assess and organize."

Psalm 112:5-6
"A good man ... will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he shall not be moved for ever:"

Our Lord Jesus Christ walked with measured steps and had a well-planned program.

Every day He would complete His program and make statements like - "It is not yet time." or "The time is come."

He never allowed anyone to divert Him from His program, including King Herod.

Luke 13:32
“And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.”

He had a well organized Ministry Team - Jesus had 12 Apostles and 70 Witnesses who were sent before him to minister in cities and prepare them for His coming.

Luke 10:1
"After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come."

A group of woman traveled with the Ministry Team of Jesus. Jesus wanted all things to be done in excellence.

Luke 8:2-3
"And certain women ... and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance."

The Apostle Paul advises us to do everything we do, well.

1 Corinthians 14:40
"Let all things be done decently and in order."

We need a Godly program.

An effective program is made up of three parts namely:

Things that need to be done immediately are described as priorities or emergencies.
There are some things that need to be done whenever possible.
There are other things that need to be done sometime in the future.

Those in Ministry need to develop the skill of organizing their program successfully.

The activities of our program need to well-pleasing to God.

Our enemy satan tries everything to cause us to waste time or be ineffective.

Sometimes we do unimportant and ineffective things.

He sends people our way who waste our valuable time or misguide us.

We get involved in programs and activities that have nothing to do with Gods purpose for our life.

Many times we have a false illusion of being very busy, doing much for God.

The hours of our daily program should be filled with activities that are fruitful.

These activities should include:

A time of Prayer.
A time of reading the Bible.
Our Ministry activities.
A time with our Spouse and Family.
Exercise.
A time of relaxation.
A time of reading, learning, ongoing educations and improving our skills.

When a person has only a few activities, they can organize and do things themselves.

Once a person has reached the point where they need additional help, they should not hesitate to do so.

A secretary could be helpful, doing a lot of the work, making the program more effective and alleviating problems. However a secretary should never be allowed to be manipulative or controlling.

It is important for a person in ministry to have a daily planner to help in at least two ways:

To organize hourly activities.
To be a reminder of appointments made.

Most important of all, never let a program be cold and calculated and impersonal. Let it be warm, loving, caring, friendly, and person centered.

We need to always stay on course.

Paul the Apostle penned these dramatic words:

2 Timothy 4:7
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:"

Paul knew what it was stay on course and finish the work that God had given him to do. It is important for us to know Gods will in our lives and what He wants us to do.

Our enemy satan should not be allowed to take us one degree off course. If a plane veers only one degree off course, it will never reach its destination.

We should be very careful and prayerful, staying on course to complete the details of our tasks every day.

There are three things that satan does to get us off course, namely:

Distracting our attention.
Sending someone to confuse our vision with bad advice or a so-called word from God.
To attack, appose, derail what we are doing and cause a temporary impasse or setback.

When this takes place we need to spend time in prayer before God, seeking His clear direction and help.

From time to time we need to be refreshed and renewed.

There are three parts of us that need to always be refreshed and renewed:

Our Spirit.

There are four ways in which our spirit may be refreshed:
1. A Holy Spirit refreshing, when our spirit prays in Tongues, in a Heavenly language.
  
  Isaiah 28:11-12
  "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing:"
2. We can also be refreshed in spirit by the fellowship of Saints.
  
  2 Corinthians 7:13
  "Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all."
3. Our spirit can be refreshed by special Divine intervention.
  
  It may be by a dream, a vision, an Angelic visitation or a supernatural visitation from God.
4. Our spirit can also be refreshed through another anointed Ministry.
  
  One of Gods delegated ministries can pray for us, lay hands upon us or speak a word from God to us, refreshing us.
Our Soul.

There are two areas of the Soul that need a refreshing:
1. Those in Ministry need to be mentally refreshed.
  
  Continuous mental activity and strain upon our minds can cause weariness, stress and burnout. Spending time in God’s presence and the Word brings about a refreshing and washing of the mind.
  
  Psalm 16:11
  "In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
  
  Ephesians 5:26
  "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word."
2. Those in Ministry need to be emotionally refreshed.
  
  When much demand is made upon us, our emotions may become exhausted, insensitive and need a refreshing. According to Paul, our emotions are always active in ministry.
  
  Romans 12:15
  "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."
Our Body.

There are three ways in which our body may be refreshed:
1. By taking special care of our body.
  
  Those in ministry need to take care for their physical body.
  
  This can be done, by maintaining a good healthy diet, exercise and enough sleep. Every human body has limitations, including those in ministry and they should never be over-extended.
2. By taking a break.
  
  When someone in ministry feels that they need to take a break from work, they need to do so. Often it becomes obvious by the way we minister or work, when we slow down or become weary. We need to be alert and sensitive to this. After we take time off for a refreshing, we will be so much more effective when we return back to work.
3. By taking a vacation.
  
  At least once a year, those in ministry need to take a vacation to be physically refreshed. Jesus knew this and told His disciples to rest a while.
  
  Mark 6:31
  "And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

We need to have Christian Ministry ethics.

Every profession has a code of ethics.

Throughout history, there have been three schools of thought, on ethical behavior:

Epicurus taught that pleasure directs how men should eat, drink and be merry.
Hedonism taught that men should have physical and sensual enjoyment.
The Bible teaches the highest code of ethics introduced by Jesus Christ himself.

The Bible is based on righteousness and causes the highest degree of morality and character, in the lives of Christians. They experience this by acquiring virtues, shunning vices and pursuing the high and holy calling of God.

This ethical pattern of life is:

In essence a life that is pure and holy.
A life that overcomes evil with good.
Thinking good thoughts that are pure, realistic, honest, lovely, fair and sound.
Feeling feelings that are loving, joyful and peaceful.
Making good decisions.
Being productive and accountable.

The Kingdom of God has a much higher culture and code of ethics than any other earthly Kingdom.

Those in Ministry need to allow Gods Kingdom to be manifested through their lives and should pray that it comes to pass on earth as in Heaven.

Those who have been called by God in Ministry, have a greater responsibility to demonstrate the character and high code of ethics of Gods Kingdom.

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