Category: The Ministry

15 Great Things About Ministry

15 Great Things About MinistryTo celebrate the incoming year of 2015 I want to recognize 15 great things about ministry!

One. You never walk alone.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:20

Two. With the many challenges of ministry God always provides answers from His Word. Thank the Lord for His Word that is a lamp unto our feet and light unto our path!

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

Three. Going to church to fellowship with God’s people will lift your spirit. The family of God is a special group of people who can help you (whether they realize it or not) to see God’s blessings and provide the way in which you can get your mind off negative things and take a mind break from the weariness of the day.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.  Hebrews 10:25

Four. God gives you discernment in matters pertaining to the heart so that you can address the needs of the people you minister to.

But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14

Five. Faith becomes a regular aspect of your life whether it centers around money that  needs to be paid to keep your church afloat and waiting on God’s timing concerning matters. In this walk of ministry life God regularly calls us to step out by faith.

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. I Corinthians 2:5

Six. The power of prayer is more evident the longer you are in ministry. The more you go before the Lord in petition for people or circumstances that need an answer the more you will learn that God hears and answers those prayers in His own wonderful timing. You learn to value the power of prayer when God frequently answers prayers on you and your church’s behalf.

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Acts 6:4

Seven. We become witnesses of the impossible situations that seem to have no good ending or answer. We can realize that God can do anything with anyone in any circumstance to do His will.

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Luke 18:27

Eight. You learn that as you serve the Lord you can never fill in the gaps and be everything to everyone. Thank the Lord for His promise that as we water with His Word, He gives the increase!

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. I Corinthians 3:7

Nine. God’s yoke is light. Every time you feel overwhelmed with the burden of ministry God will gently speak to your heart and remind you to give your burdens to Him.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29, 30

Ten. When we are weakest, God is strong. Whether you battle illness or spiritual discouragement, God steps in yet again to prove Himself mighty and faithful by being everything we cannot. He teaches us that our efforts can only go so far because, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.“ John 15:5

Eleven. That He is the Chief Shepherd. Ministry couples sometimes feel like they are responsible for making people choose to follow God because of the common title given to the pastor of “shepherd of the flock.” When shepherding takes its toll God will teach you He is the Chief Shepherd and the work is up to Him.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant;  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20,21

Twelve. Long-term faithfulness can yield special rewards. When you sow the seed sometimes you do not see immediate fruit, but in time you learn that if you keep your hand to the plow of God’s work that there will be special people that God has allowed you to influence. It is those people and their godly choices that will bless your heart!

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:23

Thirteen. Ministry challenges you to continue to be a student of God’s Word. When you teach or deal with people’s problems and questions then it should make you turn to the Word of God for the answers. When we study God’s Word it sharpens us and gives us wisdom to be able to help people.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Fourteen. When you serve the Lord with righteous motives you are serving an eternal purpose. Ministry life can be one of the greatest ways to spend your life purposefully making a difference because not only are you helping today you are helping eternity have its greatest rewards.

Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:24

Fifteen. Ministry is a humbling service. This seems like a negative, but it is a positive. Humility teaches us to lower ourselves just as Christ did when He lowered Himself to become a man. When you look at your debt to Christ it should motivate you to humbly serve Him without pride being a root sin in our lives. Humility teaches us equality among our brethren.

He must increase, but I must decrease.John 3:30

Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.I Peter 5:5b

Where Does the Music Director’s Wife Fit In?

Why is it when  you meet people in the ministry or others for that matter, and they ask you where you work (insert name of church here) and then want to know what your husband does (insert job title here), and you answer, “I’m the music director’s wife.” People will either A.) accept you or B.) typically look confused because they wonder what it is that you do because you don’t fit into their preconceived notions of what ministry is all about.

Music. Director’s. Wife.

Who knew that those three words could cause confusion among people who are waiting to hear the two most common women’s positions in ministry, “pastor’s wife,” and “youth pastor’s wife.” We like to shove people in our minds into these specific holes of ministry. We like for  people in our minds to fit into common positions like a plug easily goes into an outlet.

It is not necessarily an entirely negative thing not to know what one does when a title like “music director’s wife” is given. But my thinking is, maybe we emphasize titles a little too much. There are moments when I give my answer of “who” I am  in relation to my husband’s job and see the interest others have in me (as a person) dissipate when I did not match up to what they hoped I was.

It is so bad there have been times it makes me doubt this place in the ministry where God called our family. I have been the round peg being shoved into square holes. Why when others seem to point it out by asking the dreaded question does it make me feel like a failure in some area because God has not directed our family into the same ministry as others?

Music Director's Wife Fit

A few months ago, I believed God opened a door to allow me to become involved in a new prayer group of pastor’s wives. I joined the online group with permission and introduced myself as a “music director’s wife” and within a day was written and told that other pastor’s wives had question why I was allowed to be in the group if I really was not a pastor’s wife and eventually because of things I said was no longer able to be a part of the group. My heart was grieved to say the least because there was no room for my husband’s title to fit in their group.

The music director’s wife became the outsider…

I wish I could have explained that I see the background of our church’s hurts too and pray about those hurts as God places them on my heart. The people, building, and projects are our purpose for following God’s call to where we serve. We spend a lot of time as a family doing things around the church, like pastor’s wives and youth pastor’s wives do across the world. We love raising our kids in ministry and have the same concerns for our children’s spiritual welfare as women who have those titles do. We battle the same enemy, we serve the same Saviour, and we are all equal at the foot of the cross. My value is greater than a measly title.

What does the music director’s wife do?

  1. She is the music director’s wife and caretaker of his heart.
  2. She is the mother of the music director’s children.
  3. She is the keeper of the music director’s home.
  4. She is the music director’s helpmeet both at home and in ministry.
  5. She plugs in perfectly to the ministry outlets God has created for her to do within the church.
  6. She bears the burdens of the music director’s heart and shares time in discussion and prayer about those matters.
  7. She ministers to the people who come into their lives. The choir, his Sunday School class, and more.
  8. She serves where God opens doors for her to do so.
  9. She is ultimately the daughter of the Heavenly Father.

1 Corinthians 12 teaches how the members of each church all have a specific purpose and work to do within that church. The illustration is used of a body and all of its parts being different, but necessary to be able to serve their purpose. My favorite verse in that passage pertaining to fitting people into our own ideas for what they should be and do is this one, “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” 1 Corinthians 12:18.

So, where does the music director’s wife fit according to this verse?

In the place where God chose to set me in the body of Christ, as it pleased Him.

Give me one reference to a ministry wife’s title and job in the Bible. There are not any, apart from the regular instructions that were given to married women. This gives me a relief to know that I am able to fulfill the work and purpose God gave me to do personally.

The abilities and talents God gave me were not for youth work and He has not seen fit to place me as a pastor’s wife either. And believe me I’m okay with that! My place has been to fill in gaps and serve in various flexible capacities in our church. Every year and as we have had more children, there have been some adjustments that have needed to be made to go hand-in-hand with the needs of our family and my service to the Lord. The hole I fit into changes all the time.

My Conclusion

Maybe, for the benefit of others, we need to stop giving other Christians, primarily ministry ladies, value based on what their husband does, who they know in the ministry, and the size of their church. Instead, focus on who they are in Christ. Let’s learn from who God created them to be and allow them to not feel intimidated by what they do in their family and church when you ask them “What does your husband do in ministry?”

I’m me. Love me for who I am and for the place God was pleased to set me within the body of Christ.
Smiles,

The Music Director’s Wife

Christmas Ladies Meeting Ideas

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Christmas Ladies Meeting Ideas

I have compiled a list of Christmas Ladies Meeting Ideas for you to be able to quickly and easily have a resource. You can make your Christmas Ladies Meeting fun and full of meaning surrounding Christ’s birth.

Christmas Ladies Meeting Ideas

  • Host the meeting in someone’s home to give your meeting a warmer feeling.
  • Have a Progressive Dinner and rotate between 3 houses.
  • Bake cookies together to give out in the community or to special people in the church.
  • Have an apron sewing party to send to missionary wives or other ministry wives as a Christmas gift.
  • Consider doing a Baby Shower for Jesus and have ladies bring gifts to help restock your nursery or toddler class with new toys, books, blankets, etc. OR sponsor a new church planter and give toward their nursery needs. See my Baby Shower for Jesus Pinterest board.
  • Do crafts, like make wreaths or other gifts to give away to others.
  • Go Christmas caroling to families or elderly people in your church.

Gift Exchange Ideas

  • Coffee Mugs
  • Socks – Christmas socks, warm & fuzzy socks, silly socks
  • Christmas Ornaments – nice ornaments or even consider doing an ugly Christmas ornament exchange
  • Homemade Cookies or Bread
  • White Elephant
  • Christ-Centered Christmas Cards
  • Do a Christmas Secret Sister exchange – like Secret Santa. Draw names prior to the meeting and buy a gift for that person and bring it to the ladies meeting.

Gift Exchange Games/Poems

Fun Game Ideas

Food Ideas

  • Hot Chocolate Bar (view my Pinterest board here)
  • Finger foods & Mini Desserts
  • Soup and Sandwiches include crackers, cheese, and cornbread
  • Red & Green Foods (salads, jell-o, fruits, desserts, etc.)
  • Peppermint Goodies (Think peppermint brownies, hot chocolate, patties, and almond bark)
  • Chili Bar

 Devotion Ideas from the Christmas Story

  • The angels giving glory to God – Our main purpose in this life is to give glory to God also.
  • Mary’s humility when approached by the angel and throughout Christ’s lifetime she is always watching and waiting.
  • Joseph’s viewpoint – Faith in the impossible.
  • Shepherds view a miraculous sight – are you seeing the miracles of God in your life?
  • The shepherds left the stable that night and spread the news about the Saviour’s birth. – Are you sharing as excitedly as the shepherds did that night?
  • The Son of God was born in a stable, and was born to die. – We should also lower ourselves to serve and sacrifice for the one who gave Himself for us.
  • The star shining its light to bring the wise men to Christ. – The light of God should shine through us to bring people to Christ just the same.

I also have two other Christmas Pinterest boards if you are interested in viewing them.

Christmas Ooo La La   and   Birthday Party for Jesus

 I pray that you will come up with some quick ideas here and be able to use them. If you have something that will benefit this list, then please share them with me. Send me an e-mail through the contact page!