HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YOUR MINISTRY
HOW SUCCESSFUL IS YOUR MINISTRY?
When it comes to ministry,
many people determine the growth of their ministry
in terms of numbers.
But “numbers” doesn’t necessarily mean growth.
What do I mean by that?
Many years ago when I first started pastoring,
I was kind of frustrated because after 3 months of pastoring,
there were still only about 7 people, and five of the members were
family, including my daughter and myself that made 7.
Now I’m thinking, “I am qualified and well able to pastor. I have been
equipped and trained to pastor, and had worked in the capacity
of pastoring before I had set out to pastor. So surely, the people
or the Lord should just flood the ministry with souls. My zeal,
excitement and obedience to do what the Lord had called me
to do was hot, to say the least.
So one day as I was lying on my floor before the Lord
musing over the situation of not having growth in terms
of numbers fast enough, the Lord spoke to me and said,
“Your success is based on your obedience.”
In other words, what the Lord was saying was,
“Don’t determine the success of your ministry in terms of numbers
but in terms of your obedience to Me. He went on to say, “Just do
what and as I tell you to do and leave the results up to me.”
That was easy right? Yes!
So my main and only concern when doing ministry is to wholly
obey and follow the Lord in what He has given and called me to do.
And with that, doing whatever he has given me to do with a spirit of
excellence and commitment. This goes for my offline ministry as
well as with my online ministries.
HOW ARE YOU COMMUNICATING & RELATING TO GOD’S PEOPLE?
I am very careful as to how I relate to and communicate with God’s
people. I greatly realize God’s love for is people whether they are
saved or not, learned or educated or not, rich or poor or not. When it
comes to God’s love for His people, for His beloved, He is defensive
concerning them, and will pay retribution to those that offend, abuse,
misuse or hurt His people. God’s people are His beloved. And it is
obvious of how many of God’s people or those who claim to know
Him and about Him, have no idea or realization of God’s heart toward
His people. I believe to be an effective minister to God’s people, you
MUST FIRST LOVE WHAT HE LOVES.
I used to work in a day care center
many years ago, and having those children left in my custody and
care, I wanted the parents to rest and be assured that while they were
at work, their child(ren) would be in safe, loving and caring hands with me.
And I was so careful to extend that parent’s love and nurturing to their
child(ren) as their caregiver, while they were away.
How much more shall we relate and tend to God’s people,
His sheep, His Beloved? It is so obvious as to those ministers
and people who do not have the heart of Father God as they go
about to teach, preach and do ministry on these networks or offline.
As ministers of the gospel and the word of God to feed His
Sheep or edify the body of Christ, we must do and be as
God’s heart is in doing so. We must be loving, patient,
kind and etc. We must exemplify the fruit of the Spirit –
Galatians 5:22 as we do ministry or kingdom work.
God’s love, understanding and mercy should also be
evident even in our correction and rebuke.
(Now this is not to say that God doesn’t use strong warning
or judgment in dealing with His people for their sins, etc. and
it does not mean that God will not use His people
to rebuke them because of their sins or ways.) But what I am
talking about here, is simply the way God’s people, ministers,
etc. are communicating to one another for the sake of a blog
or a discussion or something.) There is a way
to do every thing and we need to just get out of our self,
our attitude, our negative criticism and judgment when it
comes to dealing with and teaching or correcting God’s people.
Having worked with children and people for many years,
when it came time for correction to those who didn’t have an
understanding, lacked knowledge or had or used poor judgment about
something, I let my intent to correct be to inform those children or
persons with information and knowledge that would give them a better
understanding or clarity. And with that intent in mind, the children and persons
were always able to receive the correction and be thankful to me
for sharing the light and making the correction.
But when we go about with the intent to prove someone wrong
because they do not know the truth, or we go about to relate to them
in a negative or derogatory way that they are ignorant, stupid, dumb or something,
then our ugly and carnal self and character brings offense and disrespect
to others we thought we were trying to correct. And when we offend God’s pepole,
we are really offending Him as well.
You have as I have, have dealt with or communicated with people
on these networks,
whose spirit or main objective
is to attack those who are not in agreement with
their belief. Their comments and/or blogs, etc. harshly and offensively
criticize the persons posting the information, rather than them
just simply posting their light on the subject matter.
People of God, let me just say to you,
You are not your own,
And God’s people are not your own.
You’ve been bought with a price and so have God’s people.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH
AND COMMUNICTING WITH GOD’S PEOPLE, HIS PROPERTY,
HIS BELOVED ON THESE NETWORKS. I MAKE A PLEA WITH
YOU TO PLEASE HAVE THE HEART OF FATHER GOD TOWARD HIS
PEOPLE AND DEAL WITH THEM ACCORDINGLY.
WE CAN NOT DEAL WITH GOD’S PEOPLE
LIKE WE WERE DEALT WITH WHEN WE WERE REBUKED, WHIPPED, CHASTIZED OR SCORNED BY OUR NATURAL PARENTS, STEP PARENTS
OR GUARDIANS WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN OR GRWOING UP.
I Timothy 4:2 tells us “Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
And I believe there is a spirit of God that we should have in doing this or
In coming before God’s people to say any thing.
This is a good place and time for us to examine ourselves.
It is a good time and place for us to examine our heart.
It is a good time and place for us to examine our spirit and
our ways, to see how much we reflect and exemplify Christ
In our dealings, relationships and communication with His people.
And know Father God has been greatly grieved as He watched
and listened to how we have communicated and related to one
another on these networks.
Let’s stop grieving the Holy Spirit, and let’s stop grieving God and
offending Him by the way we communicate, respond and relate to one another.
PRAYER.
Father God please forgive us for offending, disrespecting and insulting
one another in communicating and relating to them on these networks..
Forgive us for taking your precious words of life and using
them to batter, debate or challenge one another with to prove them
wrong or ignorant, and to prove us right.
Father forgive us for being so stupid when we thought we were so smart
and so right.
Forgive us for being so blind about Your heart toward Your people,
as we moved about these networks with zeal to post our blogs, knowledge
or information of what we thought was only right.
Help us to realize that though You may have called many of us to reach and
teach on these networks, that we must realize that every one is not on the same
page or level that we are at, they may not be as learned about certain subject
matter because of where they have been in their church and their church
teachings. Show us how to teach in love, with Your heart and with Your Spirit,
that we may truly influence, affect, edify and build upYour people.
Forgive us for tearing them down and beating them down because they did not
walk in the of our understanding or in light of something as we did., or agree with us.
Forgive us O’ Lord, Forgive us.
Wash and cleanse us, purify us from all uncleanness, selfishness,
self righteousness and carnality, high mindedness, loftiness and pride.
Let the washing of the water of the word first show us ourselves,
our ways and where we lack in our lives,
that we may not have the nerve enough to present ourselves
as above any one, in any kind of way or fashion.
Help us to abandon our ways, our thoughts and our piety.
Give us the mind of Christ, give us the heart of You.
Help us to see Your people as You see the,.
Help us to relate to them as Yo relate to them.
Cause us to know Your heart and to seek after it and Your
ways, that we may know how to go out before Your people
and relate to them in a way that we may draw or bring them
closer to Your heart and deeper in intimacy and relationship
with You, instead of just giving them head knowledge.
For it is our heart and intimacy that You truly desire and long for.
And help us to realize that no matter how much we know about the bible
or no matter how much we know about You,
it will never substitute for what You really long for and desire,
and that is intimacy and fellowship with You.
Helps us not to be anxious about growing our ministry in terms of numbers.
Many on these networks go through great depths or lengths to get members
To join their site or ministry as You are well aware. Help them to realize
their heart, and help them to realize their self promoting motivation, mission
or drive in doing this. Help Your people, the ones that You have called to
have these online ministries, to be only concerned about what You told
them to do, and to leave the results up to You, and they need not chase people
or numbers to grow their ministry.
Give us Father God I pray, Your wisdom, Your understanding and Your knowledge about all things, that we may not go about teaching man’s wisdom or our own.
Help us to live according to Your standards of righteousness and holiness,
with faithfulness, not erring or deterring from Your truth or Your word.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!
Apostle Dr. Melody Barclay
When it comes to ministry,
many people determine the growth of their ministry
in terms of numbers.
But “numbers” doesn’t necessarily mean growth.
What do I mean by that?
Many years ago when I first started pastoring,
I was kind of frustrated because after 3 months of pastoring,
there were still only about 7 people, and five of the members were
family, including my daughter and myself that made 7.
Now I’m thinking, “I am qualified and well able to pastor. I have been
equipped and trained to pastor, and had worked in the capacity
of pastoring before I had set out to pastor. So surely, the people
or the Lord should just flood the ministry with souls. My zeal,
excitement and obedience to do what the Lord had called me
to do was hot, to say the least.
So one day as I was lying on my floor before the Lord
musing over the situation of not having growth in terms
of numbers fast enough, the Lord spoke to me and said,
“Your success is based on your obedience.”
In other words, what the Lord was saying was,
“Don’t determine the success of your ministry in terms of numbers
but in terms of your obedience to Me. He went on to say, “Just do
what and as I tell you to do and leave the results up to me.”
That was easy right? Yes!
So my main and only concern when doing ministry is to wholly
obey and follow the Lord in what He has given and called me to do.
And with that, doing whatever he has given me to do with a spirit of
excellence and commitment. This goes for my offline ministry as
well as with my online ministries.
HOW ARE YOU COMMUNICATING & RELATING TO GOD’S PEOPLE?
I am very careful as to how I relate to and communicate with God’s
people. I greatly realize God’s love for is people whether they are
saved or not, learned or educated or not, rich or poor or not. When it
comes to God’s love for His people, for His beloved, He is defensive
concerning them, and will pay retribution to those that offend, abuse,
misuse or hurt His people. God’s people are His beloved. And it is
obvious of how many of God’s people or those who claim to know
Him and about Him, have no idea or realization of God’s heart toward
His people. I believe to be an effective minister to God’s people, you
MUST FIRST LOVE WHAT HE LOVES.
I used to work in a day care center
many years ago, and having those children left in my custody and
care, I wanted the parents to rest and be assured that while they were
at work, their child(ren) would be in safe, loving and caring hands with me.
And I was so careful to extend that parent’s love and nurturing to their
child(ren) as their caregiver, while they were away.
How much more shall we relate and tend to God’s people,
His sheep, His Beloved? It is so obvious as to those ministers
and people who do not have the heart of Father God as they go
about to teach, preach and do ministry on these networks or offline.
As ministers of the gospel and the word of God to feed His
Sheep or edify the body of Christ, we must do and be as
God’s heart is in doing so. We must be loving, patient,
kind and etc. We must exemplify the fruit of the Spirit –
Galatians 5:22 as we do ministry or kingdom work.
God’s love, understanding and mercy should also be
evident even in our correction and rebuke.
(Now this is not to say that God doesn’t use strong warning
or judgment in dealing with His people for their sins, etc. and
it does not mean that God will not use His people
to rebuke them because of their sins or ways.) But what I am
talking about here, is simply the way God’s people, ministers,
etc. are communicating to one another for the sake of a blog
or a discussion or something.) There is a way
to do every thing and we need to just get out of our self,
our attitude, our negative criticism and judgment when it
comes to dealing with and teaching or correcting God’s people.
Having worked with children and people for many years,
when it came time for correction to those who didn’t have an
understanding, lacked knowledge or had or used poor judgment about
something, I let my intent to correct be to inform those children or
persons with information and knowledge that would give them a better
understanding or clarity. And with that intent in mind, the children and persons
were always able to receive the correction and be thankful to me
for sharing the light and making the correction.
But when we go about with the intent to prove someone wrong
because they do not know the truth, or we go about to relate to them
in a negative or derogatory way that they are ignorant, stupid, dumb or something,
then our ugly and carnal self and character brings offense and disrespect
to others we thought we were trying to correct. And when we offend God’s pepole,
we are really offending Him as well.
You have as I have, have dealt with or communicated with people
on these networks,
whose spirit or main objective
is to attack those who are not in agreement with
their belief. Their comments and/or blogs, etc. harshly and offensively
criticize the persons posting the information, rather than them
just simply posting their light on the subject matter.
People of God, let me just say to you,
You are not your own,
And God’s people are not your own.
You’ve been bought with a price and so have God’s people.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH
AND COMMUNICTING WITH GOD’S PEOPLE, HIS PROPERTY,
HIS BELOVED ON THESE NETWORKS. I MAKE A PLEA WITH
YOU TO PLEASE HAVE THE HEART OF FATHER GOD TOWARD HIS
PEOPLE AND DEAL WITH THEM ACCORDINGLY.
WE CAN NOT DEAL WITH GOD’S PEOPLE
LIKE WE WERE DEALT WITH WHEN WE WERE REBUKED, WHIPPED, CHASTIZED OR SCORNED BY OUR NATURAL PARENTS, STEP PARENTS
OR GUARDIANS WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN OR GRWOING UP.
I Timothy 4:2 tells us “Preach the word; be instant in season,
out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
And I believe there is a spirit of God that we should have in doing this or
In coming before God’s people to say any thing.
This is a good place and time for us to examine ourselves.
It is a good time and place for us to examine our heart.
It is a good time and place for us to examine our spirit and
our ways, to see how much we reflect and exemplify Christ
In our dealings, relationships and communication with His people.
And know Father God has been greatly grieved as He watched
and listened to how we have communicated and related to one
another on these networks.
Let’s stop grieving the Holy Spirit, and let’s stop grieving God and
offending Him by the way we communicate, respond and relate to one another.
PRAYER.
Father God please forgive us for offending, disrespecting and insulting
one another in communicating and relating to them on these networks..
Forgive us for taking your precious words of life and using
them to batter, debate or challenge one another with to prove them
wrong or ignorant, and to prove us right.
Father forgive us for being so stupid when we thought we were so smart
and so right.
Forgive us for being so blind about Your heart toward Your people,
as we moved about these networks with zeal to post our blogs, knowledge
or information of what we thought was only right.
Help us to realize that though You may have called many of us to reach and
teach on these networks, that we must realize that every one is not on the same
page or level that we are at, they may not be as learned about certain subject
matter because of where they have been in their church and their church
teachings. Show us how to teach in love, with Your heart and with Your Spirit,
that we may truly influence, affect, edify and build upYour people.
Forgive us for tearing them down and beating them down because they did not
walk in the of our understanding or in light of something as we did., or agree with us.
Forgive us O’ Lord, Forgive us.
Wash and cleanse us, purify us from all uncleanness, selfishness,
self righteousness and carnality, high mindedness, loftiness and pride.
Let the washing of the water of the word first show us ourselves,
our ways and where we lack in our lives,
that we may not have the nerve enough to present ourselves
as above any one, in any kind of way or fashion.
Help us to abandon our ways, our thoughts and our piety.
Give us the mind of Christ, give us the heart of You.
Help us to see Your people as You see the,.
Help us to relate to them as Yo relate to them.
Cause us to know Your heart and to seek after it and Your
ways, that we may know how to go out before Your people
and relate to them in a way that we may draw or bring them
closer to Your heart and deeper in intimacy and relationship
with You, instead of just giving them head knowledge.
For it is our heart and intimacy that You truly desire and long for.
And help us to realize that no matter how much we know about the bible
or no matter how much we know about You,
it will never substitute for what You really long for and desire,
and that is intimacy and fellowship with You.
Helps us not to be anxious about growing our ministry in terms of numbers.
Many on these networks go through great depths or lengths to get members
To join their site or ministry as You are well aware. Help them to realize
their heart, and help them to realize their self promoting motivation, mission
or drive in doing this. Help Your people, the ones that You have called to
have these online ministries, to be only concerned about what You told
them to do, and to leave the results up to You, and they need not chase people
or numbers to grow their ministry.
Give us Father God I pray, Your wisdom, Your understanding and Your knowledge about all things, that we may not go about teaching man’s wisdom or our own.
Help us to live according to Your standards of righteousness and holiness,
with faithfulness, not erring or deterring from Your truth or Your word.
In Jesus’ name I pray, amen!
Apostle Dr. Melody Barclay
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