Available and Consistent

 

I recently had a young man going to his first church staff position ask me what the most important things are to be successful and effective in ministry.

 

The first is found in Jesus’ words in Matthew 8:18-22.

 

Matthew 8:18-22

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around Him, He gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Another of the disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury the dead.”

 

The first thing you need is availability.

 

The first man comes and tells Jesus that he would follow Jesus anywhere. Jesus tells him that if he does, he will have to be willing to follow Him and not have any place to really call home.

 

The second man is described as a disciple. He asks just to let him go home and bury his father and then he will come and follow Jesus. This seems like a reasonable request. But we are not told if the man’s father has died. He maybe asking Jesus to let him delay following him until the conditions in his life are better, if not perfect.

 

Many people look at ministry as being glamorous and exciting. It is never glamorous, and it is many times not exciting. It can be routine and hard. Jesus is saying to these two men and to us that we must be available regardless of the circumstances and regardless of what it costs.

 

Availability is hard because it is never convenient, and it is many times costly. If we wait for conditions to be perfect, we will never serve Jesus. If we want it to be easy, fun, and not cost anything, we will never serve Jesus.

 

Jesus always followed the Father’s agenda for His life. If we are going to be available for Jesus to use, we must allow Jesus to direct our agenda.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is being available to Jesus no matter the circumstances or the cost. 

 

The second is found in Acts 11. A spiritual awakening was occurring in Antioch. Word of the awakening came to the church in Jerusalem and Barnabas was sent to see if this was real Holy-Spirit-produced awakening.

 

Acts 11:23

When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.

 

We need to be consistent.

 

Ministry is not a few mountain-top experiences with a lot of valleys between them. Ministry is doing it day in and day out and doing it week after week, month after month, year after year.

 

We see Jesus day and day out teaching, discipling His followers, and healing. He took some time out to recharge and rest, but as Jesus says in Luke 4:42-44, “And when it was day He departed and went to a desolate place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them, but He said to them, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.’” And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

 

Jesus knew what the Father’s will was and He did it constantly.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is constantly serving God and not giving up even when we emotionally feel like it.

 

God does not call us to be brilliant or talented or perfect, but He does call us to be available and consistent. When we do those two things, we will be successful and effective in serving God.

 

Available and Consistent in Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                     Joe