When the kids were little, they would come to me and say, “I’m bored”. Despite all the toys and activities they could have done, and despite that they had built in playmates being siblings, they still felt like they had nothing to do. My response was simple, “Okay, I’ll give you something to do” and then chores around the house followed. After a while, they quit saying that because they didn’t want to do what I gave them to do, so they found things to not “be bored”, things they liked to do. When I think back on those times, I think about those of us that are adults in the church and we feel like there is nothing to do in the work of the Lord, we don’t have a ministry. And when the elders or preacher suggests a work…well, that’s not what I want to do. So how do I find my ministry?

The first question you need to ask is, what are you really, really good at? Are you a person that finds it easy talking to everyone or a person that is timid about starting a conversation? Are you good at crafts or certain hobbies? Can you draw? Can you cook or bake the most delicious food? What are you really, really good at…and be honest with yourself. Sometimes we think we are really good at something and become discouraged when we can’t do that certain activity well.

The next question is what are you really, really passionate about? There are topics and activities that we find more passion in than others, that’s reasonable…we are all different. What is the thing that you could talk about for hours? Are you passionate about seeing the youth in the congregation grow to serve the Lord? Are you passionate about the needs of the poor and downtrodden? And again, be honest in answering this question, some passions are good, and some are bad, we must endeavor to only pursue the good.

Now, to find your ministry, combine the two things…what you are really, really good at and what you are really, really passionate about. Tell the eldership what you want to do, how you want to contribute to the ministries the church already has, and if there is a not a ministry for you, talk to them about starting one. There is not a reason for anyone in this congregation to not be involved!

Paul wrote to the church at Colossae saying to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it” (4:17). I would encourage us all to do the same!

By: Justin Odom