THE MINISTRY OF HELPS

I Corinthians 12:28-31; Ephesians 4:11-12

If you have ever been involved in a supportive type of ministry, you have probably had the opportunity to fight off the temptation to quit or complain. If you will allow God’s Word to minister to your heart in this area, you will be liberated.

God has set gifts in the Church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. But in addition to these there is also helps. God has set certain gifts in the Church to fulfill one primary function: to serve in a supportive role. Helps was instituted by God to do just that. They are supportive ministries. These ministries are to help the Church grow. All the jobs have to be done if God’s goal for His Church is to be reached. If you are born again you are part of the Church.

Have you ever wondered what your ministry to God’s people is? Do you have a desire to be part of God’s mighty move in these last days? God has indeed called you to a very important ministry, the ministry of helps. God has made two statements concerning the helps ministry: 1) It is a supernatural gift. 2) It is a gift God has set in the Church like a concrete pillar to help hold things up.

If you are in the helps ministry, who then do you help? God has set in the Church a pastor to oversee it. Your job is to help your pastor run the church. The helps ministry acts like fingers on a hand in assisting the pastor. God gives the pastor a vision for his church, and He has given you to your pastor to “help” bring that vision to pass.  Without the helps ministry, things won’t get done. It would be like a hand without fingers.

Every person is vital to the proper functioning of a Church. All of the persons must be in agreement and speak the same thing (I Cor. 1:10). They must operate in love and always believe the best about one another. When each part functions properly, the whole church operates smoothly (I Cor. 12: 14-26).

There are many brothers who when they were first saved, immediately wanted to rush out into a ministry. They usually assume God wants them to preach. Very often, they move out ahead of God, before the Word has renewed their minds and saturated their spirits. Failure is the result. 

Brothers who are growing up in Christ will exhibit two qualities: 1) They will build up and add to the welfare of God’s family. 2) They will learn to minister (help or serve) to others.  You can always tell the mature brothers by watching those who help the pastor, not hinder him. 

In a movie, there is a star, a leading person; but there are also supporting characters. What is the job of these supporting actors? To make the star of the move look good and perform at maximum efficiency. The star would be unable to accomplish his or her task if it were not for all those involved in a supportive capacity. Everyone has a part to play. Without all these supporting characters, the move could not progress. One person can’t do it all! The same is true with the Gospel. God did not call one person to do all the work himself. God has set in the Church certain ministries and ministry gifts to perform specific jobs and to carry out specific tasks.

HOW HELPS MINISTRIES FUNCTION

In Matthew 10:1-8,40-41; Jesus sent out His disciples to cast out demons, heal all kinds of sickness and disease, preach, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead. This is an exciting part of ministry. This is the part of God’s work that everyone seems to want, but few seem to have read what took place before the disciples went out to do these things.

These twelve were called to be apostles, but they did not start out that way. Jesus called them and set them apart with one specific purpose in mind: They were to carry out the work of the Gospel after He left; but before He gave them this power, the majority of their time was taken up with what many today would consider menial work.  Then they went out in the power of God to minister; but when they returned, they continued doing menial work. Throughout the Gospels, the twelve disciples were with the Lord constantly. They made preparations before Jesus ministered, controlling the people and cleaned up after the meetings were over (Matthew 14:16-20).

The disciples operated in a supportive role, in a supportive ministry. They had gone out and ministered the Word and they were excited about it. But when they returned, they continued to do what God had called them to do. Their support, their aid, their assistance helped the Lord’s ministry flow smoothly. They supported the ministry God had placed them in. They got involved and were excited about doing God’s work. Though their work was menial, they were faithful to do it and everything ran like clockwork.

If you are involved in a ministry, you need to grasp the importance of your job. You are a vital part of the ministry you support, whether it be by actual physical work or with your prayers and finances. It takes all working together to get the job done. No one person is more important than another. All of us have a job to fulfill; it is our calling from God.

Jesus first chose 12 men to follow Him and work with Him in His ministry. Then in Luke 10:1, he appointed seventy others. After Judas betrayed Him, he had to be replaced (Acts 1:15-26). The apostles looked among the seventy to chose a replacement.

Matthias was one of the seventy that Jesus had called but he was not on the ministerial staff or on the teaching staff; he was just a member of the congregation. But, God knew his heart. Matthias was involved in anything there was to do and was excited about it because he was serving God. God knew his heart and exalted him from the position of disciple to that of apostle. Matthias was not looking to be exalted, but because he was involved in what God was doing, God chose him and exalted him.

Get involved and do what there is to do; God will exalt you! An example of a supportive ministry is the seven men who were chosen in Acts 6:1-6.  The Bible is full of examples of supportive ministries. Philip started as a helper and God exalted him to the ministry of an evangelist. In Acts 13, we read about Barnabas and Paul. They were teachers and prophets in the church at Antioch; then God promoted them to the ministry of apostles. In Acts 14, we see that Paul had become the chief speaker. It didn’t bother Barnabas, he had seen his potential and helped Paul develop his ministry. Throughout the Bible we find other supportive ministers: Silas, Titus, Aquila and Priscilla, Philemon, Timothy, Luke and others who helped support the work of God with their time and their substance.

FINDING YOUR PLACE IN THE BODY

In Proverbs 18:16, we read, “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” If you are called of God, your gift will make room for you. Your responsibility now is to help out in any capacity you can, and let God exalt you. People that were used of God and were exalted into prominent ministries did not start there. They began by doing what was at hand; then God exalted them.

The most important  element to your success in any ministry is to know beyond a shadow of doubt that you are called of God. No matter what you are called to do, whether it is to preach or to be a maintenance man, you must realize that you are called of God.

Many brothers think that to be called of God, they must be in full-time ministry or occupy an officer of ministry such as pastor or evangelist. That is not true. You are called of God to support the work of God with your prayers, your tithes and offerings, your time, and your talents. If you do not fulfill your responsibility, the work of God will suffer. There are some Brothers who think that unless they are in the front of everyone, they are useless to God. That is a lie from the devil! There is a place in the Body of Christ for each of us.

Here are some steps that will help you find your place in the Body of Christ:

1. REALIZE YOU ARE CALLED OF GOD.

Whether you are a prayer intercessor or one who financially supports the work of God, you are called!

2. MAKE A DECISION TO FULFILL THE POSITION GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO.

Let God promote you; don’t promote yourself.

3. WHATEVER YOUR HAND FINDS TO DO, DO IT (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Not half-heartedly, with all your might! (Col. 3:23-24).  Matthew 20:16 says, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” It is not enough to be called. Once you are called, you have to get involved and start doing.

Become involved; then you will be chosen. There are some brothers who are called, but they are not faithful long enough to be chosen.  When this happens, brothers always blame God when it was is their own fault.

4. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WALK IN ANOTHER PERSON’S CALLING

If you do this it will only lead to frustration and take you out of the will of God. You must allow God to use you as He wants, with your own personality traits. It is God that calls you; you do not call yourself. You will have success if you just be yourself. Don’t try to copy someone else.