Keys to Effective Ministry (3)

3. The third mark of a ministry that God really blesses is it's done for Gods glory.

It’s not built to promote a personality. Paul wanted people to be more impressed with God than he wanted people to be

impressed with himself. “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me.” He says God did it through me. He serves in the ministry for the glory of God.

This is one of the things that really concerns me about super stars out there in ministry. It’s very important we realize that God does things through people. Many times what happens when you start serving in ministry is that your gifts start to develop in one area. They get bigger and bigger and bigger. Spiritual gifts are like muscles; the more you use them, the bigger they get. You’re gifted in a certain area and God’s using that but you know of other areas that aren’t up to snuff yet. You say, “How in the world can I be teaching a Sunday School class? I’m still struggling in….” You need to realize that your gift is always bigger than you are. You need to realize that God often gives His greatest gifts to the weakest people. Why? So that we lay humble before the Lord. And that we trust Him and we don’t think that it all depends on us.

The person who is totally competent in every area of their life, I’m not interested in them serving in our church. The one thing that God judges faster than anything else is pride. And the moment you become filled with pride, God takes His hand of

blessing off your ministry. I’d much rather have somebody who recognizes his great strengths but also sees his weaknesses.

Humility is being honest about your weaknesses and recognizing that your strengths are gifts from God. You don’t have to be ashamed of your strength or say you’re not strong in that area. You are. Just recognize who gave it to you. God gave it to you. Some of you are good with numbers. Some of you are good with words. Some of you are good with people. Some of you are good at organizing. Some of you are good at crafts. Some of you have musical talent. Others of us… tough luck! We’re prison singers – always behind a few bars and never have the right key. We have a voice that needs to be cultivated

– plowed under! But the Bible does say, “Make a joyful noise.” Even pigs can do that! They’re happy when they’re eating.

But the fact is you are a bundle of strengths and weaknesses. You recognize your strengths are from God and you work on your weaknesses at the same time. You do it all for the glory of God.

Some people think Paul had an ego problem. I used to think he did. Six or seven times in the New Testament, Paul says, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Would you ever say that to somebody?

 I don’t think I’d ever say that. I used to think, “What kind of ego trip is this guy on?” Then I realized he was just being honest. He was making an attempt to live for Christ. He wasn’t saying he was perfect. He was saying, At least I’m trying. I’d rather have people follow somebody who’s at least making the effort than following somebody who’s making no effort at all -- some rock star or something. You should be able to say with confidence, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” It does not mean you’ve got it all together. You’re never going to have it all together until you get to heaven. But you need to be able to say, “Follow me as I follow Christ because my heart is in this direction. That’s where my heart is. That’s where I want to go. That’s where I want to be. I’m not perfect but that’s where I want to be.” So we help people in that kind of ministry.

Pastor Rick Warren 

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