Sep

Ministry Outside the Stained Glass Fish Bowl

I decided to go to Bible college when I was 40 years old. I didn’t want to be a preacher, I just wanted to learn more about the Bible and become more skilled in teaching classes at my church. One of the required courses was Evangelism, which I did not want to take because I am such an introvert and in my mind, evangelism required us to go out and talk to strangers. As with most things I’ve avoided in my life, it was the one class that affected me the most.

We were required to read a book that I don’t remember the name of. What I do remember is that it talks about getting out of our “stained glass fish bowl.” Basically it speaks about doing our ministry and evangelism outside the four walls of the church. It admonishes us to stop fishing in our own tank. It’s great to minister to each other but it’s even greater to go outside of our own church community and minister to people at large. Some of them will be Christians, some will not.

Not the Greatest Timing

Right now I’m sitting in my timeshare in the Bahamas. This is my week and I need a vacation to get some relief from the responsibilities of being a caregiver for my 82 year old god-sister. The only thing that bothers me about leaving for my vacation is that I want to do something for the people in the Atlanta area who are devastated by the floods. Not the greatest time to take a vacation, but before I left I sent a donation through PayPal to HopeATL. However, I still want to serve in a more personal manner. I want to minister outside of my stained glass fishbowl.

My Epiphany

That’s when I had an epiphany! God gave each of us at least one spiritual gift. Some people, like Shaun King, have several gifts. From what I have seen, he appears to have the gifts of evangelism, teaching and administration. Even though I don’t have the gift of evangelism, I have gifts. I don’t have to go to the highways and byways and find people to minister to them that’s why God gave us different gifts. God knew that I would be an introvert and He knew that I would not go out looking for people to evangelize. So He gave me other gifts to compensate.

Ministry is about serving people. Ministry is about helping people. If I demonstrate my love for God by helping others, they can see Him through me and that’s a form of evangelism. It is definitely ministry. I know how to plan and organize and I know how to be hospitable.

My Commitment/Your Challenge

Before writing this post, I contacted HopeATL and gave them my information so they can find a place for me to volunteer. I also gave them times that I am available to help. I know there are lots of you out there who can do something: hand out water, pull up carpet, be a runner for supplies. I challenge you to contact HopeATL and offer your gifts and talents to help people who have been devastated by the floods. They don’t have to be people from your church (although that’s a good place to start) just go out and help the flood victims – remember “faith without works is dead.”