I’ve been in ministry for nearly 40 years. During that time, I’ve had a wide range of experiences. Some have been exciting and stretching. I’ve been invited to speak at events held in arenas and stadiums. I’ve traveled internationally and preached in large churches. I’ve met world leaders and visited the White House. I’ve written books and been on television. When I reflect on the highlights of my ministry, these memories readily come to mind.
Yet anyone with much experience knows that most ministry work takes place in the midst of seemingly “ordinary” moments. While it’s exhilarating to preach to large crowds, the majority of my time is spent in solitude or in one-on-one conversations. Ministry consists of the mundane, such as turning off lights, answering messages, visiting people in the hospital, and preparing sermons. These activities aren’t glamorous, and they win few accolades. Nevertheless, they consume much of a minister’s day.
Ministry consists of the mundane.
In time, ministers can inadvertently lose sight of the magnitude of their calling as a minister of the Gospel and begin to see their work as mundane or boring. Through the decades, God has taught me several important lessons about how to view “ordinary” ministry.
Quality, Not Quantity
First, never measure the importance of your ministry by the size of the crowd you’re addressing. What determines your assignment’s significance is not the audience but the One who assigned it! It doesn’t matter whether you are speaking before a large crowd or at a small gathering. If God told you to do something, it’s important. People often asked my dad to sign copies of his books. He always wrote, “His servant, Henry T. Blackaby.” He never lost the wonder of the fact that he served the King of kings.
On one occasion, my dad was preparing to speak to a large audience. The man tasked with introducing him was distraught. He had printed off six pages of biographical information about my father, but he was concerned that he might have inadvertently left something out! Sensing his consternation, my dad told him, “When it’s time to introduce me, I want you to say this: ‘Here is Henry Blackaby, a servant of God.’ Then you can go sit down.” The man seemed bewildered. He asked, “Is that all you want me to say?” My father replied, “What more could you say?”
Prepare to Give an Account
Second, God holds us accountable for what He entrusts to us. Whether God tasks us with teaching a Bible study to former addicts, serving as the pastor for a children’s camp, or visiting a senior adult in hospice care, we will ultimately give an account for how we conducted ourselves (2 Cor. 5:10). In fact, I have found that a good test of my character is not how I act before the masses but how I behave in obscurity.
God Never Does Just One Thing
Third, God never does just one thing. Imagine that God asks you to lead a Bible study for teenagers. You prepare a lesson, study the text, and deliver your talk to the best of your ability. When you finish, several people tell you they enjoyed your message. You consider it a job well done. Yet you may be unaware that there was a young woman in that meeting who was battling suicidal ideations. During your presentation, the Holy Spirit set her free from her dark thoughts. A young man in the audience sensed God calling him into ministry. Two youth had been estranged, but the Holy Spirit used your talk to bring down the walls that had been separating them. You may have assumed your task was to present a 25-minute devotional, but God always has far more in mind! When I minister, I often realize afterward that God was working far more in me than he was working through me. God never does just one thing. Understanding this reality has helped me see the significance of even “ordinary” ministry tasks.
Glorify God, Everywhere
Fourth, ministry should be about glorifying God. You can certainly honor God while addressing large crowds. But you can also glorify Him by praying with a dying man, speaking words of encouragement to a weary single mom, or interceding with God for your congregation in the solitude of your study. The praise God receives depends not on the size of the assignment but on the condition of your heart. Knowing that I can glorify my Savior by taking out the garbage or showing love to a social outcast inspires me never to waste an opportunity to honor my Lord.
God’s Work, Not Mine
Fifth, ministry is not about doing my work but about doing God’s. When I was younger, I thought it was my responsibility to “make things happen.” The truth is that what I made happen wasn’t worth much! If your ministry consists only of what you can do, then you may well grow bored after a while. But if you keep your spiritual eyes open to what God is doing all around you, it’ll keep you on your toes.
The praise God receives depends not on the size of the assignment but on the condition of your heart.
This truth revolutionized my ministry. When I began watching for what God was doing in and around me, I began seeing him everywhere. I would be in my office praying for my congregants when God suddenly put someone on my mind and heart. I’d stop what I was doing and send a word of encouragement to him. Moments later, he would respond in disbelief that I messaged him at such a crucial moment in his life. Or while reading in the Psalms, the Holy Spirit might open my understanding to a powerful truth that applied to my life and ministry. Suddenly, I would cry tears of joy at the goodness of God. On other occasions I have been driving home from visiting someone in the hospital and been overwhelmed by a sense of God’s loving, powerful presence with me in the car. When you walk in the Spirit, you never know when you will encounter Him next!
Two verses have deeply helped me with this aspect of my ministry. In Jeremiah 33:3, God states, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.” In Ephesians 3:20, we are told, “Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us.” These two verses are rich with meaning. They assure me that God is doing far more than I can see or anticipate.
At times, I have prayed Jeremiah 33:3, pleading, “Lord, right now I’m not seeing much happening in my ministry. Please open my spiritual eyes so I see what you can see!” My ministry must be built on God’s perspective, not mine. Ephesians 3:20 has taught me to pray, “Lord, You are capable of accomplishing far beyond what I can imagine, so please help me to stay alert to what you are doing in my ministry.” How could you base your ministry on these truths and ever get bored?!
Too often, when ministers grow weary of their current assignment, they ask God for a different posting. Instead, perhaps they ought to ask God to open their spiritual eyes to the amazing things He is already doing around them. They may need a change of perspective rather than a change of scenery! These are exciting days to be serving the Lord. Don’t overlook what God is already doing around you.
