Priority in Doing the Ministry

A priority is something that is important to us, something that we care about. If something is important to us,
then we will show that by our deeds. For instance, the Bible tells us that if our faith is truly important to us, we
will demonstrate that in our works.

Ministry is from the Greek word “diakoneo” meaning to serve or “duoleuo”.

In the New Testament it is seen and considered as a service to God and to other people in His Name. Our Lord
Jesus Christ provided a pattern for Christian Ministry:

 “… whosoever will be great among you let him be your minister.” Matthew 20:26
 “… and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” Matthew 20:27
 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many.” Matthew 20:28

Explanation:

Jesus our Lord is explaining to His disciples that in the system of this world, those that hold positions to rule and
exercise authority have the heart and mind to exercise dominion, be lifted up and expect to be given importance
in status and service from their subjects or downlines.

But He said, not so for them – His followers and even to us Christians and believers today. Leaders and those that
are in higher status of life, should set an example to have a humble heart to serve, to extend help and be with a
willing and a loving heart to give service not only physically, mentally, and emotionally but most importantly
spiritually, and even to the extent of giving one’s life for the protection and preservation of his downlines.

In doing ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ then – to give honor and glory to His Name, one should prioritize such
things:

a. Self
b. Spouse
c. Children
d. Parents / In-laws
e. Church
f. Government / World

Self
In offering our service to the Lord, a good motivated service pleasing in His sight, one should present first
him/herself by the service of God as a living sacrifice unto the Lord, holy and acceptable unto God which is our
reasonable service. Romans 12:1-2

When we give and render our service to the Lord, He looks at our inner beings – our heart. He wants to see
genuine obedience to Him first of all. For if there is pure obedience imbedded in the heart of a person –
dependence upon Him and submission to His will, will smoothly follow in that life.
His/her life is then set apart, focused to true motivated service for Him and His ministry, putting all our energy
and resources in every aspect at His disposal and trusting Him alone to guide and lead him/her all throughout
his/her life, for he/she believes that the “just shall live by faith”, as promised by the Lord.

A full pledge leader then, should first and foremost be genuinely be in Christ. Strive to himself to be rooted in
God’s biblical principles and doctrine and instructions thus applying them constantly in his life as a leader with
the help of the Holy Spirit who reside in him.

Love, humility, servanthood, obedience and submission to God manifest in his life, and the banner of his
leadership. In so doing such a leader can truly lead his home and family to Christ. For how can one lead
successfully a Christ-centered home and family without having been rooted first spiritually himself? For a leader
of a Christian-home should himself be or serve as:

1. The priest in his own family = meaning he leads the spiritual aspects of his own family.
2. He is the protector = he protects the well-being and welfare of his family even to the extent of dying for
them for their preservation.
3. He is the provider = that he must have a dignified source of living in accordance to the will of God, to
provide and sustain good and comfortable life for the needs of his family.

Spouse
The husband’s relationship with his wife is the primary human relationship God has given to him. There must be
a focused intentionality on this relationship. It is a loving duty of the husband to pray for his wife, disciple her
and study the scripture together.

(Husband/Wife) Marriage is God’s plan stated in Genesis 2:20–25;

Duties and responsibilities of spouse stated in the following verses:

Ephesians 5:25-33 and Colossians 3:19 point to one's husband;

A married man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). “Husbands, love your wives, even
as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;” Christ’s first priority—after obeying and glorifying the
Father—was the church.

Ephesians 5:22-24 and Colossians 3:18 refer to one's wife; And wives are to submit to their husbands “as to the
Lord” (Ephesians 5:22). “Wives submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord” (Colossians 3:18)

In Acts 18:26-27 is one example of a spouse working together for the Lord… "He began to speak boldly in the
synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God
more accurately."

(1 Corinthians 11:3, 8,9) v3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head. v8 For
the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. v9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but
the woman for the man.

In I Corinthians 7, it teaches the principles of marriage and singleness acceptable unto God while doing His
ministry.
Children
Children are God's gifts, a heritage, and a reward; and are to be accounted as blessings, and not burdens. They
are a great support and defense to a family. Children who are young, may be directed right to the mark, God's
glory, and the service of their generation; but when they are gone into the world, they are arrows out of the
hand, it is too late to direct them then. But these arrows in the hand too often prove arrows in the heart, a grief
to godly parents.

Yet, if we train and raise the children according to God's word, they generally prove the best defense in declining
years who will be the next generation of those who love the Lord with all their hearts and also remembering
their obligations to their parents, and taking care of them in old age. All earthly comforts are uncertain, but the
Lord will assuredly comfort and bless those who serve him; and those who seek the conversion of sinners, will
find that their spiritual children are their joy and crown in the day of Jesus Christ. (Psalm 127:1–5; Proverbs 22:6;
Ephesians 6:1-4 and Colossians 3:20-21).

Parents/In-Laws
“Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Christ set an example for every believer when He provided
for His mother’s care at the time of His crucifixion (John 19:25–27). Paul admonishes, “Children, obey your
parents in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1). To “obey in the Lord” is to give the kind of obedience that springs from
being “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:1). On the other hand, parental prayer requests should be in harmony with the will
of God (Acts 5:29).

The Bible teaches a person’s responsibility toward not just his parents but all other relatives who are close kin
and need help, especially widows. “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house,
he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:8)

Deuteronomy 5:16 tells us to honor our parents so that we may live long and so things will go well with us (also
Ephesians 6:1–4). No age limit is specified, which leads us to believe that as long as our parents are alive, we
should honor them. Of course, once a child reaches adulthood, he is no longer obligated to obey them
(“Children, obey your parents...”), but there is no age limit to honoring them. After parents comes the rest of
one’s family (1 Timothy 5:8).

Church
In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul instructs on how the church members should live together in harmony and
love one another. They are to “serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13); “be kind and compassionate to one
another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32); “encourage one another and
build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11); and assist “one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews
10:24). 1 John 2:9–11 and 3:10, 14 states that we should Love into action meaning we should express acts of
kindness and mercy and not a stumbling block to fellow brethren.
Government/World
Jesus Christ instructed that we should love and reach out with the good news of God’s salvation to all the people
in the world. The Lord Jesus Christ said in the book of Mathew 28:19-20, v19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: v20 Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.”

Jesus declared Himself to be that light not of the Jewish nation only but of the whole world (Matthew 12:16–21;
John 8:12; John 3:16; Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11)

As we obey God in doing His ministries, we should also obey the authorities, the government, as it says in
Romans 13:2-7.

Conclusion
The bible teaches that God has instituted three entities: the family, the church, and the government. Among
these three, the family and church are nearest to God’s heart. Nothing is more important to a Christian than
these two places, for they are sacred. Contrary to the philosophical and rational thinking of many, the home and
the church are complimentary. For the greatest foundation of a home is built upon Christ and one built around
the church – and the greatest church is one made up of families who attend faithfully and serve God together in
unity and through the different ministries of the church. For the church is likened to a body which has many
parts with different important functions to which the Lord Jesus Christ is the head, and His under shepherd is the
pastor of that local church. While in the family or the home the man or the father leads. Satan’s diabolic
activities aims to ruin and let these institutions fall apart. So leaders and members who comprise these
institution must be grounded on the Rock and in the Word of God. And to parry these diabolic activities of our
arc enemy, obedience to God’s Word and principles is a must to each and every one, as being obedient is the key
to receiving all of God’s blessings.

Our age today is characterized by rebellion and we must be aware being children of God that it is Satan’s way to
discord the unity we have in the home, the church and even in the government. Rebellion and disobedience
come directly from man’s sinful nature. (II Timothy 3:2; Romans 5:19)

We see rebellion in the home, in society, even in churches – all stemming from a basic rebellious attitude toward
God and His Word. We as children of God then need to seriously concern ourselves with true obedience, which
require the submission of our will to authorities given by God to take charge over us, for true obedience
ultimately sterns from humble submission to God.

Prepared by: Group 2 Doctrine Class

Johnbren Mariz Ernest