Why do we call it Ministry

It has been about 8 years since I started ministry on an official level, but I was thinking the other day. Why do I define it by years, why do I define it by months, why do I define it at all? Shouldn’t my every day life be a ministry, shouldn’t I be ministry in steed of weighing out the success and or failure of ministry by tangible measurements of time? But first I must define ministry. Webster says- “the office, duties, or functions of a minister”. Ok great, well what is a minister? Once again the glorious ever quoted; under appreciated, allusive Webster says that you can use the word agent to describe a minister I really like this because an agent is. – “one that acts or exerts power”.

For those who are in relationship with Jesus; and I’m not talking simple “smiles and giggles I love Jesus and wear a bracelet that says so kind of relationship”. I am talking about a relationship with Jesus where you fully trust him, but more importantly you offer your service to him. These people are the ones I am talk to. You have power,
2 Timothy 1:7- For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

So all of this to say that as an “agent” (minister) of Jesus I need to stop measuring success of ministry, success of being an agent to mere time. If I am to live for Christ in such a way that I can count my self as a true follower of Christ, I will be a minister, I will be an agent, because I have been given the spirit of power and I must exert that power to go boldly forward. (I could write for ever about what forward means, but for the sake of time I will merely say use your brain, you know what I mean by forward; up, greater, larger, more… anything that represents doing more.)

So to myself and others who count themselves as followers of Christ. STOP. Stop measuring success in ministry by time, numbers, followers, etc. and start measuring success by how you are acting or exerting power, and how you are doing it in such away that others want to join in on that wonderful gift of being a minister or agent of power, namely the power of God. (don’t worry I will go further with this one later)