Recognizing Ministry Slippage

Where do you serve God using your gifts and talents? As believers in Christ, we are all in ministry. We all should be serving our Lord in a church body or through a ministry organization. Even Jesus Himself "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45 NIV).

In my early years of full-time ministry, I was listening to a message by one of my favorite Bible teachers, Chuck Swindoll. In his message, he outlined five telltale signs of what he called, "ministry slippage." His message resonated with me for several days.

Most of us begin ministry with our hearts set on serving God and glorifying Him through our work. But life's demands, and the pressures of regular service can slowly etch away at the purity of our devotion to God in our work. We can become self-focused and self-sufficient. If we aren't deliberate about regularly checking our motives and protecting our relationship with our Creator, our resolve to glorify and serve Him (and not ourselves) can begin to slip along our journey.

After hearing Chuck Swindoll's message, I created a note card with those "Five Telltale Signs of Ministry Slippage". I laminated it (Everything seems more official when it is laminated, doesn't it?) and I have kept that card just below my computer monitor for more than ten years. It serves as a constant reminder to me to keep my heart set wholeheartedly on serving Christ. The points help me be keenly aware of any sign that my focus in ministry is getting off track. I even distributed a card to each of the Fruitful Word Ministries' board members, asking them to watch for any signs of ministry slippage at Fruitful Word.

With permission, I'd like to share the "Five TellTale Signs of Ministry Slippage" outlined by Chuck Swindoll. Will you join me in printing the list and keeping it in a place where you will see it often? If you lead a group in ministry, would you consider distributing them to your leaders?

Five Telltale Signs of Ministry Slippage
By Chuck Swindoll

1. When greater battles are fought within than without, the ministry has begun to slip.
2. When more attention is directed to the leader than to the Lord, a monument is being built.
3. When God's help is nice, but not absolutely essential for survival, ministry is slipping.
4. When worthwhile reproofs are resisted rather than received, ministry is slipping.
5. When the consequences of sin are ignored rather than feared, you're in deep trouble.

From Chuck Swindoll's Series: Can One Person Make a Difference? Aired April 2003.
Message: "Movement or Monument".

Let's ask God to make us aware of any signs that our focus in ministry is slipping. Let's pray for the courage to make any changes necessary to guard our hearts as we serve Him in our churches and ministries.

How do you do to protect your heart and check your motives as you serve Christ?

Women's Ministry Criteria

Are you a Women's Ministry leader? Have you established criteria for members of your ministry team?

In my opinion, a Women's Ministry is most effective when it is made up of women who have strong individual relationships with God, are unified as a group in their overall purpose, and have a clear understanding of the responsibilities and commitment involved in being a part of the team.

As you begin to put together your team (or add to it), I suggest meeting one-on-one with each woman you identify as a potential member. When you meet, ask questions that will give you insight into her interests, gifting, and ministry passions. Share your mission statement (If you have one) as well as the direction you sense God is taking your ministry. It is also important to explain how your ministry fits into the overall mission and focus of your church. Spend more time listening than talking. Make an effort to understand her perspectives, needs, and interests. Pray together and remember to include some questions about her life circumstances and her family.

Your time spent with each potential member of your team will not only give you a sense of whether she is the right person to meet the current needs of your ministry team, but you'll also begin to develop a relationship that will serve as a foundation for your possible service together.

I suggest you develop a list of criteria for your Women's Ministry Team members. Below is the criteria I recommend. Feel free to use it, adapt it, or use it as a spring board to develop your own.

• Posses a God led desire to serve God in ministry using her gifts and talents for God's glory.
• Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. -1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV 
• Have a spiritual commitment to make her relationship with God her first priority while growing in grace and knowledge of Jesus.
• Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. -Matthew 22:37 NIV
• But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever! Amen. -2 Peter 3:18 NIV
• Display a personal commitment both to the Church and to the Women's Ministry Team through conversation and actions.
• Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. -Hebrews 13:17ESV
• Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. -Hebrews 13:7 ESV
• Posses a commitment to demonstrate the love of Christ through service in Women's Ministry by relating to others in a biblical manner and striving to be a servant-always.
• Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievences you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. -Colossians 3:12-13 NIV
• Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. -Galatians 6:1 NIV
• This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. - 1 John 3:16 NIV
  
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The Importance of Focus in Ministry

Do you feel like you have to fill every open spot or get involved in every activity at your church? Last week as I was preparing to teach my women’s Sunday school class, God reminded me to stay focused in ministry.

As the number of disciples in the early church increased, there were widows being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The twelve apostles gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables” (Acts 6:2 NIV). Instead of taking their focus off the work Jesus had commissioned them to do, the apostles delegated the work of distributing food to seven wise, spirit-filled men who could handle the responsibility. The apostles then said, “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4 NIV).

God used these passages to remind me to delegate in my role as Women’s Ministry Director and to be purposeful in my writing and speaking ministry. There have been a number of projects that I’ve considered working on in recent months, but God reminded me that I need to stay focused. Although a few of the projects I considered were worthwhile and exciting, He has commissioned me to encourage and equip women through the study of His Word.

Every believer in Christ is called to serve God in some form of ministry. Is there work you are neglecting because you are trying to fill too many different roles at your church or in your ministry? Prayerfully seek God about your service. Give your attention to the tasks God has gifted you to complete. Delegate other responsibilities to spirit-filled folks who are willing and able to serve.

The apostles stayed focused and delegated effectively. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7 NIV). Likewise, when we are faithful to seek God and serve as He directs, our Lord accomplishes His purposes in our lives and ministries.

-Mindy Ferguson
Copyright © 2010 Fruitful Word Ministries, Inc.