Understanding Ministry and Leadership
Ministry is the only possible way to work as a leader in the church because it is the only way to reach the laity and spread God’s word. In my mindset, the ministry was long formed as a way of governing, and for a while, I thought that the ministry was only about God. We are all servants of God, and our great purpose is to praise and love Him. However, gradually my worldview changed, and I came to the idea that service is the practice that makes us better in every endeavor.
Often, leaders believe their absolute power should compel others to follow them without question. I have seen how irrational this thought is, which has nothing to do with serving God. I wondered if one’s faith and service could be sincere if one’s ideas were perceived as the only true ones. I have concluded that such people cannot be leaders, and I must change myself to teach others to love God.
Developing Biblical Principles in Ministry
Rethinking my experience in the practice of ministry and being a leader, I am coming to develop a set of biblical principles that will dominate my work. I will take all of the Ten Commandments through my heart and spread not only their very thoughts to the hearts of others but also provide interpretation. According to Spurgeon, the development of understanding can serve as the key to moving toward God.
I recognized that working with the laity must consist of helping them bring the Spirit and Christ to their hearts. From the Scriptures, praising God is the only true and proper task. I have redefined leadership and seen that my job is to make people aware that God is at their side and to keep their faith. Keeping the faith requires effort, which Scripture sees as an obligation and a necessity. I think this understanding changed my view of future work.
As I evaluated my ministry to the people, I realized that it required me to act to maintain and develop other people’s relationships with God. This seems complicated and impossible early because I lack the skills to manage and develop persuasiveness. By researching and becoming more immersed in the intricacies of ministry practice, it is possible to become enlightened in understanding the values preached by leaders.
In striving to understand Spurgeon’s reality, I have learned to view the practice of ministry and work differently. Working in the church and preaching to the laity is the only way to serve God, which commits us to love him and achieve Salvation. My values continue to be like before: love, kindness, service, faith, and prayer. I have reached a new level in imagining how, as a leader, I can help others and realize the Mission given by God to people.
Core Scriptural Principles Guiding Ministry
Faith
Scriptural principles condition the practice of ministry: without faith, humility, love, virtue, diligence, and wisdom, we will never do the work of Christ well. No one can help another person come to God if they cannot follow the principles of Scripture. Moreover, the inability to follow the principles of Scripture leaves one’s heart closed to the Holy Spirit, who could direct one to Salvation and help one attain universal holiness. Accordingly, faith, humility, love, and industriousness should come first in the practice of ministry. While other Scriptural principles are also essential and guiding in Christ’s ministry, these are the ones I would like to discuss.
In evaluating faith and its value through the lens of the work of Christ, I am inclined to believe that it conditions our ability to fellowship as a whole. True faith cannot be with someone who does not devote every hour of his existence to prayer, confession, or dialogue with God. This principle taught me that faith comes from the heart and sincerity, the conditions for relationships with others. I want my work to show how faith changes people and leads them to a new vision. Strong church leaders will grow from those I can teach to be sincere in their faith and their way to God.
Love
Regarding love, it is hard not to be reminded of what love is and where the line of a Christian’s love should lie. Loving God and loving him in return are the first, sincere, and only things that matter. Those who can become leaders in the cause of Christ must carry love in their hearts and preach it, so my task is to identify the reasons that weaken this feeling. It must come from deep within, so my job is to question and remove doubt from a Christian. In the practice of the ministry and work of Christ, love is the cornerstone and the main reason we find Salvation in the end.
Humility
Regarding humility, this is the most critical question unbelievers ask of Christians. They do not understand the reasons for the necessity of humility and its preaching among the laity. Hence, the challenge is to demonstrate what humility is and the origins of humility that mediate faith. Patience and openness are significant components that can help draw people to leadership for Christ. Those who are already converted are hungry for recognition. In this case, Spurgeon’s idea that God will send grace to the humble is correct. Instead of wasting energy worrying about heaven or hell, I should help future leaders come to terms with sin and learn to control their actions.
Diligence
Hard work goes hand in hand with all the principles of Scripture because it explains the essence of man by evaluating his worldly life. For leaders, diligence is quantitative (the number of sermons, confessions, and prayers) and qualitative (the ability to convert people by word of mouth). Leaders must understand that without hard work and love for the cause of Christ, their work will be meaningless because it carries no value to God. Every leader is, first and foremost, a servant, so it is necessary to maintain a commitment to get the job done. I must preach this principle to convey the value of work as part of humility, repentance, and love.
References
Earls, Rod. Spurgeon’s Theology for Multiplying Disciples and Churches: The Story of How Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle Followed Christ. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2022.
Hull, Bill, and Ben Sobles. The Discipleship Gospel: What Jesus Preached—We Must Follow. Tennessee: HIM Publications, 2018.
Spurgeon, Charles. An All-Around Ministry. Prisbrary Publishing, 2012.
Spurgeon, Charles. Spurgeon’s Sermons – Vol. I. Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library, 1855.
Spurgeon, Charles. Spurgeon’s Sermons – Vol. IX: The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit. Newington: The Metropolitan Tabernacle, 1863.
The Holy Bible: NIV. Bible. 2011. Web.