What Is the Christian Ministry?

What did the ministry of Timothy include?  He had special duties as a traveling  companion of Paul. And when he became an elder, Timothy worked hard at teaching and strengthening fellow Christians. But the central part of his ministry,as was the case with Jesus and Paul, was preaching the good news and making disciples. (Matthew 4:23; 1 Corinthians 3:5)  Paul told Timothy:  "You, though, keep your senses in all things, suffer evil, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry. -2 Timothy 4: 5. 

It is similar with Christian ministers today.  They engage in a public ministry, an evangelizing work, pointing others to salvation on the basis of Jesus' sacrifice and teaching meek ones to call on Jehovah's name.  (Acts 2:21;4:10-12; Romans 10:13) They prove from the Bible that the Kingdom is the only hope for suffering mankind and show that even now things are better if we live by godly principles.  (Psalm 15:1-5; Mark 13:10) But a Christian minister does not preach a social gospel. Rather, he teaches that 'godly devotion holds promise of the life now and that which is to come. ' - 1 Timothy 4:8.

True, most ministers have additional ways to serve, which may differ from one Christian to another. Many have family obligations. (Ephesians 5:21-6:4)  Elders and ministerial servants have duties in the congregation.  (1 Timothy 3:1, 12, 13;Titus 1:5; Hebrews 13:7) Many Christians help to construct Kingdom halls. Some have the wonderful privilege of working as volunteers in one of the Watchtower Society's Bethel homes. However, all Christian ministers share in the preaching of the good news. There are no exceptions. It is sharing in this work that identifies one publicly as a genuine Christian minister.

Next time: The Attitude of a Christian Minister

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000