by Brian Walters, Director of Adult Ministries @ MBC Loudoun 

“To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).

Does anyone remember the show “Ripley’s Believe It or Not”?  This TV show highlighted bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that watchers might question the claims of the event or item, but things they showed you were always real and true. In the same way, while it may seem strange or impossible right now, if you are a believer in Christ, God has a special and unique work he wants you to do for him. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Therefore, every Christian has a God given ministry. In Christ, even the shyest believers become bold evangelists and others with limited education or experience become teachers and preachers of the Word of God. The Christian who seems socially awkward or who is a weight lifter with a tough exterior each have a God given ministry. Even a Christian in prison has a God given ministry. Every mom, dad, sister, brother, grandma, granddad, friend that is a Christian has a ministry God is calling them to serve in no matter their role or status in society.

Let’s take a few examples from the Bible to prove this point.  Take the apostle Peter for example. Peter was a fisherman (Matthew 4:18) with no education (Acts 4:13) and God used him to teach, evangelize and shepherd the Jewish people. Or how about Saul who persecuted Christians (Acts 8; Galatians 1:13) until he became a believer in Jesus Christ.  He got a new name (Paul), a new assignment from God to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15) and ultimately ended up writing most of the New Testament (e.g. – Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon.) Paul was a Pharisee (Acts 23:6) and one of the worst persecutors of Christians, but God changed his heart and ended up using him in a mighty way to bring glory to God and make the gospel known to many.

So now you are thinking, ok great Brian, God has given every Christian a God Given Ministry, but how do I know what that ministry is for me? Well, I am glad you asked. I recommend that you take McLean University Christianity 401 which begins on September 25 at MBC Loudoun (Note: Registration for this class will open in the near future.) This class will help you learn about spiritual gifts and how you can put those gifts to work for the Lord here at MBC Loudoun. You see, God gives each member of the Body of Christ unique and special abilities to accomplish the work God is calling us to do as his church (Romans 12:5-8; I Cor. 12:4-31; I Peter 4:10-11). This class helps us understand what those gifts are so we can then leverage them for the edification of the Body and the accomplishment of the work of Christ in the world (Romans 12:3-8; I Peter 4:10-11).

Even if you have been walking with the Lord for a long time, I still recommend you take this class, even if you have taken a spiritual gifts test or class like this in the past because the Holy Spirit apportions gifts as He deems important (1 Cor. 12:11), so they may change over time.

Believe it or not, if you are a believer in Christ, God has a special ministry for you.  So what’s your ministry?