Ministries

MON., MAY 17, 1993, 5:32 PM
OFFICE, PULLIAM HALL

Son John Patrick has suggested the theme for Our next Ruminations to be as this Teaching is titled. This has good potential, for the lives of all true Christians… and some of those on other spiritual paths… are truly ministries. Any time and in any way that any human is doing My will this can be called a ministry. Usually this implies or includes some service to other humans, but there are some non-human-related ministries also. A Christian veterinarian, for example, may be performing a ministry for the owners and lovers of animals, but he or she may also be ministering to the animals by relieving pain, helping the healing process, and extending useful life. Another ministry may be ending the life of a suffering pet in some gentle, loving manner.

The most obvious ministries are those in which persons feel called to preach, to teach, and to study to become an ordained minister for Me. Many of such do enjoy what they do, and represent Me well, most of the time. Some of these are predestined calls, others hear a call which develops out of their life situations, and still others just decide to have such a vocation, having faith that I will bless these elected ministries. (And I usually, do… but not always.)

There are a variety of healing ministries, some within the scientific medical community. Actually more of these are nurses and other helping personnel rather than physicians, even as a few of the most dedicated are M.D.’s. Then there are caring ministries… those who care for small children and those who tend those handicapped in various ways.

For some, teaching is a ministry. It has not always been so for you, but it is in these last years of your career… since you and I have had this active relationship. For many teachers what they do is just a job, often an unpleasant one. You look forward to classes, and seek to organize and conduct these learning groups in ways that develop and exercise spirit. You care about most of those in your classes, and you are aware and feel sorry when you don’t. I’ll tell you again that I do send certain people to you, as learners, and these, that you recognize, should be given special attention. You can feel sorry that you don’t treat each one the same as “the chosen ones,” but you need not try for strict equality. Remember that, as Jesus, I had 12 disciples who were special, with 3 or 4 of these being even more special. You can have a general ministry, but also particular ministries with particular folks.

I am disappointed that in the “interview” you did for the youth video project you weren’t more specific about your ministry, in the church, to spread joy… to be a merry Christian… one with a sense of humor and fun. You alluded to it, but didn’t give it the emphasis I would have liked. But now you are more aware of this, and will proclaim in more, in the future.

Not all ministries are enjoyable and immediately fulfilling. You remember Moomaw’s reference to preaching on the docks in England… and that he didn’t like it. If I called on you to put your efforts into saving the UCM it would be a ministry fraught with frustrations and much that you don’t like to do and are not “good at.” Fortunately I don’t call on you to do this, but it is a good illustration of an unpleasant ministry. Conversely, My old departed servant, John Park Lee, enjoyed raising money for the church, and did this kind of ministry much more willingly, and well, than you would.