The church constantly faces the temptation of allowing the culture to dictate its message, its mission, and its operation. If we are not constantly on guard, standing firm, and rooted in the faith once for all delivered to the saints, we will find ourselves drifting away from what God says about the church and taking our cues from the culture. One area where this temptation is particularly problematic is how ministry is defined in the local church and what it looks like.

Ministry Defined by the Culture

For churches that have been influenced by the consumerism of our culture, the work of ministry is expected to be carried out largely, or even exclusively, by the paid “professionals.” When there is work to be done in the church (such as discipleship or counseling) or in the community (evangelism or outreach) it is best left to the ministers on staff at a church, certified biblical counselors, or full-time parachurch ministries. If there is a problem in the congregation, or if a member has a neighbor that needs the gospel preached to them, it must be dealt with by the pastor. After all, that’s what they’re paid to do. And if the pastor or staff doesn’t meet the expectations of the consumer, then they will take their “business” elsewhere.

For others, who have been shaped by our culture’s obsession with performance, and the desire to build a following and a platform, ministry has become synonymous with being on a stage, in the spotlight, and on a jumbotron. When a church’s focus is on creating a relevant and entertaining “worship experience” for in-person and online consumers, “ministry” is often used in a more narrow sense to exclusively describe those on a worship team, a drama team, or anyone on stage in front of a camera. This has resulted in a growing trend of Christians basing their “commitment” to a local church on whether or not there is a place for them on a worship team. Even in churches that have other ways to serve, our culture’s obsession with popularity and performance makes us believe that being “on stage” the only ministry that matters.

In short, ministry has become either something spectacular, performed by those on stage with artistic or supernatural gifts, or it is simply seen as a job exclusively for the pastors paid by the church. In both instances, the work of ministry is assumed to be only for a select, gifted few, and those who don’t fit that category are relegated to the audience.

The Biblical Model of Ministry

This culturally defined view of church ministry as something for only those on stage is far from the biblical model. Under the New Covenant established by Christ Jesus the entire church belongs to and serves as a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:4-5, 9-10; Rev. 1:6). This means it is not only the full-time ministers and worship teams that serve the Lord but all who are called by his name and belong to his church. There is work to be done and no one is excused or excluded from service!

While the leaders of the church are tasked with equipping the saints and building up the body (Eph. 4:12-14), it is the task of every member of the New Covenant to exercise the gifts of grace they have been given to love and serve the body (Eph. 4:15-16; cf. 1 Cor. 12:5; Gal. 5:13; Eph. 6:6; 1 Pet. 2:16; 4:10). Both of these groups in the church, shepherds and sheep, are, in some sense, ordained to an office. As Kevin Vanhoozer puts it, “The church is a kingdom of priests, not an audience of pew-potatoes (Vanhoozer, 41).” When a church of “pew-potatoes” puts all the burden of ministry on the shoulders of the pastors or a single lead pastor, it is inevitable that people won’t feel cared for or might “fall through the cracks,” because pastors are not designed to carry such a heavy burden!

This idea of “every member ministry,” however, is not meant to erase the shepherd/flock distinction. There is certainly a special ministry reserved for the shepherds and teachers who feed, equip, and guard the flock (cf. 1 Tim 3:1-8; 1 Pet. 5:1-4; Jas. 3:1). But what we must understand is that ministry, in the broadest sense, is not just for trained professionals, shepherds and teachers, or those serving on a platform. Paul Tripp writes, “God’s plan is that through the faithful ministry of every part, the whole body will grow to full maturity in Christ. The leaders of his church have been gifted, positioned, and appointed to train and mobilize the people of God for this ‘every person, everyday’ ministry lifestyle” (Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, xi).

But what does ministry look like for the Christian who isn’t a pastor or an aspiring rock star? In other words, what does ordinary, God-glorifying, loving, biblical ministry look like for Christians? While there is much that could be said, here are a few ways:

Evangelism

One of the primary ministries that belongs to all Christians is evangelism, sharing the good news of what God has done in Christ throughout all the world. This command for the church to be witnesses of the resurrection was given by our Lord himself before his ascension (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). As persecution ravaged the early church, we see the gospel being spread by the church, not just the apostles (Acts 8:1-4). Furthermore, Peter tells the church to always be prepared to give a defense of the hope they have with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15), not to simply deflect any and all questions to your pastor.

While community service and acts of mercy are integral to the ministry of the church, Paul tells us that all those who are new creations in Christ are now his ambassadors who carry out the ministry of reconciliation, calling weary sinners to be reconciled to God (cf. 2 Cor 5:17-21). This may not be the most glamorous ministry, and it certainly isn’t the easiest, but it is an essential component of being a Christian. Rather than striving to join a church solely for stage time, consider how you can serve the church of the risen King by sharing his gospel with your friends and loved ones.

Membership and Discipleship

Arguably the most basic ministry in the Christian life is belonging to and serving a local church. And yet, in our individualized, consumeristic culture, this is the ministry that gets neglected or outsourced the most. For many today, “belonging to a church” simply means you attend a church on Sunday. It no longer carries the idea taking responsibility for, and submitting to, a local church as a committed, covenant member of that church. But according to Scripture, the ministry of every Christian is to belong , serve, and submit to a local church.

We think of “discipleship” as either something that the “pastor of discipleship” does or as merely a one-on-one meeting at a coffee shop. But discipleship is not a program; it’s the every-day, radically ordinary, lifestyle of a Christian. Discipleship is how every Christian carries out the “one another” commands of Scripture in obedience to the Lord Jesus:

• Love one another (Jn. 13:34)
• Honor one another above yourselves (Rom. 12:10)
• Seek to show hospitality (Rom. 12:12; 1 Pet. 4:9).
• Live in harmony with one another (Rom. 12:16)
• Build up one another (Rom. 14:19; 1 Thess. 5:11)
• Accept one another (Rom. 15:7)
• Admonish one another (Rom. 15:14; Col. 3:16)
• Care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25)
• Serve one another (Gal. 5:13)
• Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)
• Forgive one another (Eph. 4:2, 32; Col. 3:13)
• Be patient with one another (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13; 1 Thess 5:14)
• Speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15, 25)
• Be kind and compassionate to one another (Eph. 4:32)
• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19)
• Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21, 1 Pet. 5:5)
• Consider others better than yourselves (Php. 2:3)
• Look to the interests of one another (Php. 2:4)
• Bear with one another (Col. 3:13)
• Teach one another (Col. 3:16)
• Comfort one another (1 Thess. 4:18)
• Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11)
• Exhort one another every day (Heb. 3:13)
• Stir up one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24)
• Use your gifts for the benefit of one another (1 Pet. 4:10)
• Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Pet. 5:5)
• Pray for one another (Jas. 5:16)
• Confess your faults to one another (Jas. 5:16)

If you dive into the world of biblical Greek, you will quickly notice that these commands are plural. In other words, these commands are not just for pastors or the spiritually mature; they are given to the entire church. If you want to thrive in a local church, if you want to see your local church flourish, then we all must do this work of ministry.

People often attend churches looking for ways to “get involved,” wanting to serve on a worship team, hoping for time in the spotlight while neglecting the clear commands we have in Scripture. Yet it is obeying these “one another” commands— serving a particular, identifiable group of Christians in a specific, local church under the oversight of elders—that paints a biblical picture of “ministry.” Pastors equipping saints to build up the body is Jesus’ discipleship program.

Church Attendance

Another ministry inextricably tied together with membership and discipleship, yet often overlooked and underappreciated, is gathering together with the local church.

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Heb 10:24-25)

This passage isn’t just talking about gathering together in Starbucks or in a home for dinner. Hebrews was written to people who were already in the habit of meeting together on the first day of the week, what the apostle John calls the “Lord’s Day” (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2; Rev 1:10). This is primarily an exhortation for the church to continue to gather together for corporate worship: to sing praise to God, to confess their sins, to receive assurance of pardon, to hear the word preached, and to partake of the sacraments. Yes, church attendance can become a “check box” activity, where you think that simply showing up to a church building is enough to make “the man upstairs” like you. But that does not make church attendance not important!

Matt Smethurst helpfully points out that church attendance, far from being a burden or simply a discipline, is actually a ministry. Look closely at Hebrews 10:24-25. Notice that the opposite of “not meeting” is encouraging one another! This means that by gathering regularly with the local church we are engaging in the ministry of serving and encouraging one another. Smethurst writes: “Without the ministry of attendance, we cannot be known; if we are not known, we cannot be encouraged; if we are not encouraged, we will not endure. We gather, then, in order to mutually encourage, and we encourage in order to mutually endure.”

More often than not it is those who remain on the fringes of a church—who arrive late and leave early, who skip worship on the Lord’s Day to go to sporting events (which is actually just worshiping at another “church”), who are not involved in the life and ministry of the church throughout the week—that feel the most “disconnected” and “out of place.” This because they are missing a vital (and easy!) opportunity to serve and be serve, to know and be known, to minister and to be ministered to.

Conclusion

According to Scripture, the entire Christian life is ministry, and to be a Christian is to be in ministry. No stage or spotlight or social media account is required in order to serve a local congregation meaningfully and faithfully. Yes, pastors and deacons are called to a special and vital kind mode of ministry, but they do not and must not have the monopoly on serving the body of Christ. Without the ministry of each and every member, the church will not be healthy and it will not flourish.

Do you want to “get involved” in a church? Do you desire to serve a local congregation in obedience to the Lord Jesus? Praise the Lord! Then commit to local church by becoming a member. Fulfill the “one another” commands of Scripture in that local church by gathering often, and share the gospel with unbelievers in your community. If you get the opportunity to serve the church with your gifts of music on top of that, great! But don’t reduce ministry to music or think that pastors are the only ones who can do hospital visits.

Do you see a need in the church that is being overlooked? Then fill it! Don’t lob complaints or hold grudges against your pastors and other church members for something you think they are failing to do; instead, get to work! Are you on the fringes of the church, feeling left out and overlooked? Take inventory of your commitment to the life of your local church. Get involved in Sunday classes, go to prayer meetings, join a community group, host families at your house for dinner, hop on a meal train, visit the sick and shut-ins, offer to help a member with chores around the house and spend time with them in prayer. Get creative with service in your local church.

Above all, let’s remember what radically ordinary and biblical church ministry looks like. Let us get our definition of ministry and membership from God’s word and not let the world define them for us.

Recommended Resources.

Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love, Ed Welch. A practical, biblical counseling handbook for everyone. Short and easy to read, this book was written to equip church members in helping one another. In an age that idealizes self-sufficiency this is the kind of tool the church critically needs practice effective community building. See also Caring for One Another: 8 Ways to Cultivate Meaningful Relationships.

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change, Paul Tripp. Are you content with a consumer mentality in church, ready to sit back and let the professionals take care of the hard stuff? We all need the ministry of the body of Christ, and each of us is called to assist in that ministry. Based on the principle that God uses people who need to change to help facilitate change in others, this book begs to change the very culture of the American church.

Every Member Matters, Josh Wredberg & Matthew Z. Capps. Of all the memberships you might have—at a box store, book club, fitness center, or online shopping retailer—the most important one you can have is your local church! This book explores how the Bible not only expects church membership but also calls you to be actively involved as a worshiper, servant, disciple-maker, giver, ambassador, and more.