My first real job was as an assistant box boy at the mom and pop grocery store in the little town where I grew up. During the first month of my career I was competently supervised by Jim the “senior” box boy. (he literally was a senior in high school.) Things went well untill Jim left the store to pursue bigger and better financial pursuits. In those days a boxer wore many hats from butcher, to checker, to order clerk. Very quickly I began to get bogged down in the thousand and one details of my job. Things got so bad at one point that I heard through the grapevine I was in danger of being fired.

One Wednesday evening  Jim came back for a visit. I was so excited I couldn’t stand still. A feeling of peace and security filled me in a way unlike anything I had experienced since he left. When we got a minute alone I poured out my troubles to him. I told him how I had been unable to keep up with the complicated and overwhelming load of responsibility that had been placed on my shoulders. I even went so far as to ask  if he would come back and take his old job supervising me.

He then said nine words that changed my work there forever. He told me that the job was really very simple, “…just keep the shelves full and the cusomers happy.”

Those words were a lifesaver. For the first time I was able to see the many things I did through a simple compelling prism. I went on to become the assistant manager of that store and worked in retail for the next twelve years.

The same thing is true in ministry. We go to work or school and see so many problems that we literally don’t know where to start. We wish that someone more knowledgable and experienced might take us by the hand and lead us to fruitfulness.

In John 5:19 Jesus gave us a simple definition of success in ministry. He lived by it and taught his initial twelve to live by it. Through the centuries the most fruitful people in the church both great and small have followed his nine word explanation on how to minister successfully in any situation. He articulated these words confronted by the Jewish leaders:

 So Jesus explained ” I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing.” (emphasis added)

These nine words will revolutionize your work in ministry. Try it. For the next thirty days, every time you enter your principle place of employment (or study), ask the Father what he is doing and how you can cooperate with him. You will be amazed at the results.

Is Joe average? Well… not quite.

Join with us this Easter Sunday, April 12, 10:30am at the CORDOVA Theater in downtown Pullman (135 N. Grand Ave) for a special presentation of JOE AVERAGE: A fresh look at God’s creation.

Here are a few of the sites I have come to enjoy and even depend on in ministry through the last few years:

1. www.e-sword.net  Do you want to build a world class Christian library in just a few minutes for FREE? This is the site for you.

2. www.harvestime.org This site provides comprehensive Bible College cirriculum in seven languages on pdf files for FREE.

3. www.livingwaters.com Probably the best evangelism training site available today. Many FREE resources as well as low cost outreach training and materials.

4. www.sermonindex.net  Over 16,000 sermon audios from the last one hundred years. Hours and hours of instruction and inspiration.

5. www.newchurchreport.com Compilation site of the latest articles from across Christian cyberspace. Currently under new management.

6. www.biblicalspirituality.org Lots of articles and resources both FREE and low cost about spiritual disciplines.

7. www.biblegateway.com Premier site for dozens of versions of the Bible online.

8. www.oneyearbibleonline.com read the Bible in one year from the version of your choice for FREE. New feature lets you start on any day of the year.

9. www.ccel.org Christian Classic Ethereal Library. Hundreds of Christian books available FREE online.

10. www.cpforum.net and www.mentoringleaders.com  two of the most dynamic Church leaders today.

11. www.davidwa.org  David Watson is arguably the most successful church planter alive today. His site is full of provocative articles and video about soul-winning, disciplemaking, church planting, and missions.

12. www.raycomfortfood.blogspot.com Thius blog entitled “Atheist Central” is a no holds barred discussion of faith with agnostics and atheists.

BONUS SITE: www.pandora.com Register at this site and build your own praise and worship radio station.

Seven steps closer to reaching the world

In doing the work of global outreach, my church matters. Your church matters. The church down the road matters. Every local church can—and must—play a role if we intend to carry out the Great Commission. Consider these simple ways to increase your church’s commitment to global outreach:

1. Ask God to give you a heart for the world. I have seen entire churches burdened about the Great Commission after God moved first in the life of only one church member. Passionate, mission-minded church members are difficult to ignore!
2. Teach about missions. Train children, youth, and adults about the significance of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Use every opportunity to show why every follower of Christ should be concerned about missions.
3. Promote, promote, and promote again any missions offering that your church supports. Challenge your members to give sacrificially. For example, encourage them to give to missions at least a tithe of what they spend on Christmas gifts this year.
4. Invite stateside missionaries to speak to the church. Nothing speaks to churches quite like a “real live” missionary does, and the time set aside for a missionary speaker is time well spent. Contact any missions agency to find the names of missionaries now on stateside assignment.
5. Challenge church members to pray daily for missionaries. Provide a list of names and needs, being careful to protect missionaries who serve in sensitive areas.
6. Sponsor a short-term mission trip for your church members. Teaching about missions is a starting point, but actually experiencing missions can be life-changing. Set a goal to send at least 10 percent of your church’s active attendees on a mission trip this year. Be sure to commission your members as missionaries as you send them out.
7. Pray corporately that God will call some of your church’s members to be career missionaries. Perhaps he will use some of your members to take the gospel where it has never been.