“If you don’t go to work for the Lord because you’re afraid of mak­ing mistakes, you will probably make the greatest mistake of your life­- that of doing nothing. As Christians, if we all do what we can, then a good deal will be accomplished.

D. L. Moody’s statement admonishes us to get busy in the work of the Lord. Sinners are lost and condemned, and we need to give our­selves to the Lord and let Him work through us.

As we mature through the years, our purpose in life changes. As I have grown in my relationship to Christ, I have increased in my desire to minister in the Lord’s vineyard. Does that raise eyebrows? Minis­tering means trying to be more Christ-like every day by having a ser­vant mentality. It means being thoughtful of others by focusing on their needs. Ministering means going into a room and saying, “There you are!” instead of “Here I am!”

When I say I want to be involved as a minister, I am referring not to preaching, but to serving others. Contrary to what the world be­lieves, women may minister in the Lord’s work in many ways other than behind a pulpit.

We must be careful that we do not let the church be swallowed up by the present culture. Trying to convince us that men and women are alike, society today allows women to serve as elders and preachers. Because the teaching of the Bible does not portray that, we must hold fast to the Word and withstand the pressures to change.

The Bible instructs women to submit, but this does not mean we are inferior to men. The women in scripture were spiritually devoted, taught the truth, and sacrificed to support those who worked for the Lord. The prayers, loyalty, and gifts of women members have always been important in the work of the church. In fact over 160 women are named in the Bible and references are made to even more. The work of the church can be a vital part of a woman’s life. Through our work, we can glorify God and teach children about God’s wonderful world. Hospitality and charity, concern for the welfare of the sick, and relief for the afflicted can give us lives of service. Our work can be varied, but to be scriptural it will always follow the plain teaching of God’s Word. Humble before God, we can be worthy, serving in capacities within the realm He has prescribed. We are not forbidden to teach, but we are limited to teaching children and other women (1 Tim. 5: 14; Tit. 2:4).

 

Salt of the What?

 

Our ministry of service to others must begin with meeting a need. Our salvation was not so we could protect the church, but to make a difference. We are not the salt of the church, but the world! As we plan to serve, we must look beyond the four walls of our church and look to save the lost in our community. Instead of planning things just to benefit ourselves, we must pray for the lost and ask God to give us a vision.

 

Before we can minister in the Lord’s vineyard, I propose that there are three things we must do. The first is to HAVE A PERSONAL RE­LATIONSHIP WITH GOD. If we do not have time to spend with God every day, getting strength from the Holy Spirit, we will not have the stamina to minister to anyone. No Christian is greater than her unseen Christian life. In Saudi Arabia, I enjoyed the annual regattas with the colorful sailboats. The keel below the water kept the boats from tip­ping over. In the same way, our personal life, unseen by others, keeps us upright, on an even keel. If it is non-existent, we can expect to keel over!

 

Se we should pray: for strength to be used by God to pursue His goals, not our selfish ones: Mercy to enlarge our vision for His King­dom, Obedience to His will. (I believe that 90% of what the church does today is not fueled by the Holy Spirit!), Guidance to do the good works God has prepared us for and in which we will be successful.