The Greatest Ministry #2

by Loy Clements
(Springhill, LA. U.S.A.)

Text: I Corinthians 12:28

Introduction: In these two lessons I am helping you to build a solid foundation of helps, so that you may be a doer of the word and not just a hearer. People in the world are searching for honest folks that will do what they say.

I have heard a lot of talking but seen very little actions in the church world we live in today.

In this lesson I want to cover helps in the local church. When we get this right our helps ministry will grow until it is affecting the whole world. Today we're going to learn three things about helps in our local church.

First, we'll learn what our atittude is to be. Secondly, we'll learn what the ministry is, and thirdly, we'll learn what causes the failure of this ministry.


I. Atitude of helps.

Psalms 100 "Making a joyful noise unto the Lord."

A joyful noise is the sound of victory in the middle of defeat. As a child I watch a lot of cowboy movies on T.V. In my favorite the wagon train would always be under the attack of Indians losing the battle. When all of a sudden over the hill comes the Calvary, the man with the bugle blowing the sound of charge.

The Indians would all run away, and the folks on the wagon train would be safe. This is what making a joyful noise does. "A joyful heart doeth good like a medicine." A joyful heart brings healing to wounded hearts. This is a must-have atitude in the local church!

"Serve the Lord with gladness."

A church that is full of sour people, is a church no one wants to join. Why become a group of folks that all they are going to do is make you as sour as they are. I know of no one that will choose a lemon over a sweet tasting apple; yet they are both fruits. Jesus said the world will know His diciples by their fruit.

"Come into His presence singing."

People that come into the Lord's presence are happy folks that knows the victory of Thanksgiving. These are people whom the Lord enjoys their presence at His Throne. They create an atmophere of God everywhere they go. Jesus calls these people peace makers, for they allow the peace of God to rule in their hearts.

II. How to recognize the ministry of helps in someone.

First sign of a minister of helps is intercession.

Ephesians 6:10-20
They are always clothed in God's Armour. You can hear them praying while grocery shopping, getting a hair cut, doing their job. They are praying God's Word in season and out of season. Praying when it is convenient, and when it is not convenient!

The Minister's right hand man. You can tell the ministry of helps by their relationship with the Ministers God has placed in their lives. I have a friend that washes his Pastor's car every week come rain or shine. Every Saturday you can find my friend at his Pastor's house wshing his car. This has gone on for over twenty years.

What can we learn from this? Give honor for the ministry gifts of God in our lives.

Joshua 1:1
The helps minister is the Christian's best friend.

James 5:16
They pray for one another and the church daily.

Leviticus 26:8
"And five of you shall chase a hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemy shall fall before you by the sword."

Ministers of helps change the world by sending the gospel. Matthew 18:18-20; Mark 16:15-20

III. Ministry of helps failures!

Pew sitters: never put actions to what they say they believe.

Tightwads: never give support to anything the church is doing. Folks that have pad-locked their billfolds and checkbooks. They are blinded to the world's need for salvation. It's the lack of knowledge of God's Word. You cannot share knowledge you don't have, with others.

Laziness: never involved in church projects.

Religious minded: Those who preach a church membership instead of the good news of Jesus Christ.

Fear of people: these are low self-esteemed folks who don't know who they are in Christ.

Busybody: God needs warriors in His army; not gossipers.

Conclusion: There are many reasons ministers of helps fail, or faulter in their ministry; but this is enough for us to locate ourselves. Before we can fix a problem we must admit we have a problem in the church. A refusal to face a problem in the church means we are mocking God.

He sent the Holy Spirit not only to save us from our sin; but also to teach, lead, guide, and to show the church all things to come! Begin your study of helps in the church by Jesus' teaching from John chapter 15-17.

We must first establish the foundation of helps before we can build a ministry of helps that will effect the world for God. The house built on sand will fall, and great will be it's fall!