Every Christian Is a Minister
By Rick Warren
“God . . . has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.” Ephesians 2:10 (TLB)
God did not put you on earth just to live for yourself. He wants you to make the world a better place!
Ephesians 2:10 says, “God. . . has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others” (TLB).
There’s a word for this kind of living: ministry. Every Christian is a minister. Not every Christian is a pastor, but every Christian is a minister. When you minister, you use your talents and gifts to make a contribution in life—you’re a giver, not a taker.
The Bible teaches us to love one another. Care for one another. Pray for one another. Encourage one another. Help one another. Counsel one another. Support one another. And on and on. It is the mutual ministry of every believer in the family of God to every other believer in the family of God. That’s the way God meant for it to be.
The truth is, serving God by serving others is not always easy. Sometimes you’ll get discouraged. So what do you do when you start to get discouraged? Remember two things.
First, remember the reward you’ll receive that will go on for eternity. The Bible says that God “will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers” (Hebrews 6:10 NLT). He will reward you in eternity.
The second thing to remember is that God uses every little thing that happens in your life. Nothing is insignificant when you serve God. None of it is in vain. “Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58 GNT).
No matter who you are or where you live, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re a minister. As you walk through your day today, look for ways you can serve God by serving someone else.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Be Encouraged Each Day to Live Out God’s Purposes
As thanks for your gift below to help share the gospel with more people around the world through Daily Hope, we’ll send you Pastor Rick’s new book, Daily Hope Devotional: 365 Days of Purpose, Peace, and Promise.
Each devotional starts out with a Bible verse, followed by teaching that explains God’s Word and shows you how to apply it daily so you can face any challenge and live the life you were created to live.
As a special bonus when you give, we’ll also send you What's Driving Your Life?: A 10-Day Turnaround for a Fresh Start. Featuring 10 hand-picked devotions from Pastor Rick’s new book, they’ll guide anyone feeling stressed, worried, or discouraged toward seeking God for a fresh start.
Request your copy below when you give—and take the first step towards a year of real purpose, lasting peace, and unfailing promises.
Thank you for your partnership!
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
