ministry - what is it?

In the church world, we hear much about ministry. We argue about whether women can be in ministry. We debate how soon after personal infidelities and indiscretions can a person be in ministry. Some people are "in full time ministry". I heard a clergyman discuss how an allegation of child abuse or sexual misconduct can ruin a person's ministry.

Each of these comments/discussions reveal a deeper flaw in our thinking. Most of us believe that ministry is a position or a responsibility. It becomes something I do or a position I hold. Perhaps this thought process is best illustrated by a scripture in Luke 3:23 about Jesus - Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli. (NKJV)

Notice the italicized portions. Those are words that are added to the original to make it more readable. In other words the original manuscript reads - Now Jesus Himself began at about thirty years of age... Luke, when he was writing this account, never used the words "His ministry". Yet to us it makes no sense that Jesus "began" at the age of thirty. I believe that is because of our flawed perspective of ministry.

Ministry is not something we do...it is something we are (Jesus began). You cannot take ministry away from me...it simply spills out of who I am. If I never speak in another church meeting...if I never again have the opportunity to teach a class...I WILL STILL MINISTER! I do not have a ministry because I led a church. I do not have a ministry because I wrote classes and books. I minister because of my place of oneness with God the Father, with Jesus, and because I am filled with the Holy Spirit. I minister because the I AM has invited me into His counsel room. I minister because I am a son of the Creator of the Universe.

Everywhere Beverly (my wife) goes, people call her mom. My children's friends call her Mom Peachey, I have heard people in our geographic community refer to her as mom. Why? Because that is who she is. Just recently a young man sat in our house and poured out his heart to her, sharing things that he never told anyone. Why? Because she is mom. She doesn't need business cards neither does she need the recognition of a religious system. She is mom because she is.

To reduce ministry to anything less than interaction with God and responding to His invitation to participate with Him in His work in the world today is to miss the point.