Ministry is giving when you feel like keeping.
Praying for others when you need to be prayed for.
Feeding others when your own soul is hungry.
Living truth before people even when you can't see the results.
Hurting with other people even when your own hurt can't be spoken.
Keeping your word even when it is not convenient,
It is being faithful when your flesh wants to run away.

John 1:40-42 One of the two which heard John speak, and FOLLOWED him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. [41] He first FINDETH his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. [42] And he BROUGHT him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The Bible doesn't tell us a lot about Andrew. He was a disciple of Jesus, but you can count on your fingers the number of times he's mentioned in the Bible. However, what it does share, reveals that he had the right "heart" for effective ministry. Andrew's ministry was characterized by three significant insights the others didn't seem to grasp.

1) The value of people.

Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus right away (Jn 1:41). He served the sick, children (Jn. 6:8),and Greeks(Jn. 12:20-22). A servant values people.

Five principle for helpers:

a) Character is more important than gifts.

b) Being godly is more important than being right.

c)Love is more important than good works..

d)You cannot lose by being a good learner.

e)There is always room for one more servant.


2) The value of invisible service.

Andrew could have had more visibility. He was a leader and among the first to be chosen by Jesus. But he was content to stay in the background.


3) God's thoughts on servanthood. (Matt.20:25-28)

a) When the disciples sought out greatness, Jesus didn't rebuke them, just gave them an unexpected method. The one who will be greatest in the kingdom of God is the greatest servant.

b) In the kingdom of God, the greater serves the lesser.

c) The motivation for serving is not personal greed, but personal gratitude.

d)The acid test of whether you're a servant comes when someone treats you like one!!


4) The value of insignificant gifts.

Andrew knew that no gift is insignificant in the hands of Jesus.


Ten truths about ministry---

1)The foundation of minsisry is character.

2) The nature of ministry is service.

3) The motive of ministry is love.

4) The measure of ministry is sacrifice.

5) The authority of ministry is submission.

6) The purpose of ministry is the glory of God.

7) The tools of ministry are the Word of God and prayer..

8) The priviledge of ministry is growth.

9) The power of ministry is the Holy Spirit.

10) The model of ministry is Jesus Christ.

We have been made able ministers of the gospel (which is the power of God unto salvation). As we minister, it empowers us--we are co-laborers with God. This is a symbiant relationship--as we give; we are given to. Serving Him is being with Him--what we do for others we are doing for the Lord!

Sunday night, Pastor Pamela Barnett continued the thoughts from the morning service when she brought the message on "Finishing the Course".

Pamela related the story of the first time she was ever in a track meet. Her father decided to enter her, for the first time in her life, in a track meet. Pamela had had no training in running, except when she would compete with her brothers in their yard. She was not in shape and had not been working out. Nevertheless, her father not only entered her in the meet, but entered her in every event in jr. high level and senior high. She started out well, but by the end of the day she was falling farther and farther behind everyone. On the last event, the 500m, she was ready to give up. But her dad told her she could win first place if she would do what he said. He told her to run her fastest at the beginning and she would leave everyone else in the "dust" and they would never catch her. By the time she rounded the last corner, she was "dying", but seeing her father "weeping with anticipation at her victory" she gave all she had --and some she didn't know she had --and WON!

Pamela said it is through determination and keeping our eyes on the Father that we will win the race too!

The church is like a team. We are not always "in" the game. But we need to keep our heads "in the game" even if we are not actively participating at the time. That way when it is time for us to be "in" we will have the idea of what is going on and we can flow with what the Lord is doing.

Pamela also related a dream that Pastor Doyle's aunt Pansy had. In the dream, she was getting ready to go to the marriage supper of Jesus and the church. She had seen everyone in heaven getting ready, but she was still on the earth. She still had to go to the grocery store before she would be ready to go. On the way to the store, she saw someone stopped on the side of the road, and she stopped to see if they needed help. They said they were lost, and didn't know the way to the supper. Pansy told them to follow her--that she knew the way. In the grocery store she asked everyone if they were going to the marriage supper, and invited them to go with her. After leaving the store, she went by a restaurant and saw some church members' cars parked outside. Thinking that they needed to know that the supper was about to begin, she went in to remind them. When she got inside, the people were all sitting around eating, and the waiters were all demon spirits. She told the people that it was time for the wedding and they needed to come on. They told her that they couldn't--the waiter wouldn't let them go. Pansy just took their plates and dumped the food out and told them to come. She set the "captives" free! When she entered heaven for the marriage supper, she had a whole train of people behind her!!