Ministry Demands Proximity

The very definition of the word, "minister", requires that there be proximity between people. Dictionary.com describes the word "minister" as a descriptive noun and a verb. The minister can be a person that is a pastor or a member of the clergy and the verb form takes on the issue of proximity. One can only minister to someone if they are in their presence...in one way or another.

Mark 3:14, Acts 4:13 and I Thess. 1:5 all speak of the importance of proximity to those that you are ministering to. The reason that the disciples were able to learn so much from Jesus was because they SPENT TIME with Him. They were able to watch every aspect of Jesus' life and were then able to put those things into practice as Jesus taught. The church of Thessalonica had seen what God had done in and through Paul and the Apostles because they had spent time with the church. True ministry cannot be accomplished without personal involvement.

Churches would change if real ministry involving proximity was truly the goal. Churches would explode because the needs of the people around them would be met by the Savior of the Universe...THROUGH MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH! The problem is that we are too busy with our own lives. We don't have time for anyone else in our schedules. We don't understand what Jesus was teaching us. He met the needs of people by getting INVOLVED in their lives. He may have been involved for only a brief moment, but that moment changed that person's life forever...and constituted continued involvement! When we are willing to follow our Rabbi and become more like Him...learning what His love is all about...then we are able to truly minister. In order to make an impact in the world around us...we must GET IN THE GAME!!!