“…fulfill your ministry.” II Timothy 4:5
To fulfill a ministry, a person also needs to grow their ministry. Starting a ministry is not the same as growing a ministry or bringing a ministry to a place of fulfillment.
Aim Your Ministry – To grow your ministry, you need to have a vision for what God wants to accomplish in that ministry. One you know where you are going, look at where you are at; then take the ministry from where it is to where it needs to be. Aim your ministry like an arrow – know where you are going and everything that you do should be done with the intention of arriving at your target.
Nurture Your Ministry – Like a parent raises a child, a parent will nurture, lovingly watch over and care for, their child. In the same way, we must nurture the ministry we are called to. The ministry needs our attentive care. We need to be watchful to meet the needs of a growing ministry so that it will be healthy and strong to fulfill it’s purpose. If your ministry ever takes a hit, you need to care for it until you see that it is healed. If your ministry is in danger, you need to take necessary means to protect it. If your ministry needs to be refreshed, do what you need to do to get recharged. Growth is a result of something that is loved and cared for.
Training in Your Ministry – Like a parent raises a child, a parent will see that their child gets the proper education and training that is required for the child to reach their potential. In a ministry, we should always be learning and growing, and so should the people who are included in our ministry. Not only do we impart the instruction and the skills, but we also want to impart our values. We want people to have the heart that we have for the ministry. There are also times if something in the ministry is getting off track that we bring it back in line. If we fail to confront or correct error, we may not fulfill our ministry. There are times if something or someone refuses correction that you may need to remove it for the sake of the ministry.
Develop Your Ministry – As a ministry grows, it will need to develop to accommodate the changes of growth. You may to add leaders, change procedures, update equipment, add a building, change your style of music, or whatever necessary to grow your ministry.
Application: Pray and ask God for growth. He is there to give increase as we continue to learn and follow His leading.