Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
My missionary friend in Cambodia wrote:
Friday I was a little discouraged. It seemed that all I do is teach then go straight to grading. When do I get time to be a missionary? Ha ha ha. Being a missionary in Cambodia is just like being a missionary back home. It’s in every seemingly futile thing that I do.
I stayed up last night thinking about the lack of servanthood in my life.
We just had a dating seminar at SWAU yesterday. It was interesting how much the speaker talked about soulwinning and servanthood.1
The speaker, Dr. Phil Mills, said ministry is something we need to do to keep our faith strong. He gave a great analogy for our need to witness. Many alcoholics need to minister to other alcoholics to stay sober. In the same way, we need to share our faith to stay strong spiritually.2
I know that since I’m a follower of Christ, I’m also a missionary and witness for Him. The big question is: What kind of missionary am I? A good or bad one?
I don’t think I’ve been a very good missionary. I’ve been focusing on my business and my social life, but I haven’t really thought of others in the last couple of weeks. I haven’t really thought about serving.
Sometimes I miss being spiritual VP for student government in my university, because my job was to do ministry. I realize I have to be more intentional in serving others and finding service opportunities.
So, time to put on the creative hat and think of ways to serve others. Anyone wanna join me? :)
1What does that have to do with dating? Finding the right person is important, but it’s also important to be the right person.
2I love the way John Ortberg defines witnessing. “We’re just beggars showing other beggars where the food is.” We’re all beggars. We’re all sinners in need of a Saviour.
5 responses so far ↓
Joyce Hong // Sep 17, 2006 at 8:04 pm
It startled me to see the title for your blog, today. I just posted the second blog in my whole life this morning. The subject? Faith-Full Witness. Witnessing is what it’s all about. The loudest witness is not what we say, but how we live it. Actually, I am very uncomfortable with all the glitz and emphasis on glossy witnessing tools. There’s good reason that God has only given the call to a few to bask (broil?) in the limelight. The most important witness is the life that reveals Christ living inside. Wow! Born in a stable. Died on a cross. Living in me. What lengths God goes to, to show us what love is really like.
PS
“. . . of making many books there is no end; and much
study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his
commandments (”A new commandment I given unto you - that ye love one another, as I have loved you): for this is the whole duty of man.”
Ecclesiastes 12:12,13
Corey Zimmerman // Sep 18, 2006 at 8:05 am
The message of servant hood, creative servant hood, and service ministry has echoed through the church that I currently work at. The busyness in lives creates a void in service of any kind by maintaining stuff, activity and work 24/7. I see the perspective of church and what keeps individuals from reaching out on a spirit filled day.
How does individual(s) get around it? A Baptis pastor said that we need to take hold of our calendars and time being spent. Allow less time for the stuff that are electronic (t.v., video games, videos, and other distracting equipment) to bring back the time for God, family, friends and service. Caught up in business is never good when you don’t accomplish what is important.
Jesus symplified His commandments because we were being bogged down by each one of them. When our lives are complicated we need to symplify them. We don’t need everything, we just want it all.
I was told that “Take care of what needs to be taken care of and let God take care of the rest.” I find myself taking care of everthing plus or minus what are my basic need and I see everyone else doing the same. Baptis pastor said “People look like chickens who’s heads were cut-off, running around everywhere spouting blood.” How is this image in your life?
paul torchia // Sep 20, 2006 at 8:10 am
In reference to importance of servanthood, i was hit with a particularly bad bout of senioritis one night about a week and a half into the school year. I was reading a book for pastoral ministry, and all the sudden very randomly and out of the blue….i didnt want to read anymore, in fact i didnt want to do anything, i had absolutely no motivation. while i was trying to track down the source of this, i realized it was becasue i was sick of doing that which seemingly had no purpose, reading, writing papers, working on projects, it all felt useless. Yes it was preparing me for the work God has for me, but i wanted to to be out there, doing some real tangible service, and it was here that i discovered that service is probably the best cure for senioritis. When your sick of homework, service and ministry is just the thing you need to get yourself focused again, becasue it reminds you of why you are in school in the first place, the be better equiped for service. In the midst of all this i felt God telling me that i should try to put to action a minstry idea for the campus that has been bouncing around in my head, and this would be the best cure for my senioritis.
Lindsay // Sep 21, 2006 at 12:54 am
I’m glad what I said made you think. It’s very strange how much of this we already know by being a Christian for so long. But we keep forgetting. If nothing else, this is proof to me that Satan does exist.To think that Satan is picking at your brain is somewhat disturbing, but the more disturbing to not know about it.
dee // Sep 24, 2006 at 3:30 am
Joyce,
That’s neat that we posted about the same subject. Great minds think alike. :)
You wrote:
You reminded me of my favorite Ellen White quote from The Ministry of Healing, page 143:
It seems like most of Jesus’ ministry was based on actions rather than words.
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