Ministry is to be carried out by the entire church, by both the lay people and those who are ordained. In fact, in one sense we can say that the lay people are to be the primary agents of ministry. There are only a few who are specially gifted and ordained by God with the ability to equip other believers. These other believers, these lay people, are the ones who help to carry God’s Word to the world at large whether through missions, ministries of mercy, Christian education, or any of the other means that God may use to build His kingdom.
Our Lord has given us the grand task of making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). But we cannot do it alone. No one servant of the Lord can do all that is necessary to lead, equip, and send out His people. That is one reason God has given us the church. He ordained a community to work together to build His Kingdom.
In Numbers 11:14, overwhelmed by the burdens of ministry, Moses cries out to the Lord: “I can’t take care of all these people alone. It is too much for me.” God responds by telling Moses to appoint Spirit-anointed elders to help him deal with the people (Numbers 11: 16–30). This foreshadows our own day, the day in which the Spirit has been poured out on all of God’s people for the purpose of ministry and service to God.
One of the many burdens that church leaders face is the difficulty of recruiting volunteers in the church. Sometimes it can be like pulling teeth to get people to sign up to do the work of ministry. Take some time to look at your church, and see where the needs for ministry are. Then, go volunteer where you can use your gifts in ministry. (LIGONIER MINISTRIES)