Seven Things You Must Know about the Lay Ministry
by Pastor Dag Heward-MIlls
1. The Lay ministry will greatly enhance the work of church planting.
One of the greatest keys to extensive church planting is the lay ministry. The lay ministry is the sacrifice of pastors and evangelists, who labour without being paid for their services.
The enormity of the work is such that, without the strategy of lay ministry, very few churches will be planted. Almost every ministry I know has ground to a halt because of mounting bills, and the high cost of maintaining staff. It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE for the church to employ the people that are needed for the work of God.
The lay ministry is not popular in some circles. In some cultures everybody must be paid for his services. The organist must be paid! The guitarist must be paid! The sound controller must be paid and the pastor constantly seeks a higher salary for his services.
Dear friend, most of the ripened harvest fields are in the poor regions of the world. How will the poor people of the earth be reached in their poverty? Most of these people cannot pay for the services of good pastors and evangelists. The ministry of unpaid pastors and evangelists is the key to continued church planting.
Where the sacrificial nature of Christianity is compromised, church planting comes to an end. The church was born on the sacrifice of Christ. The church grew through the sacrifice of the apostolic church. Once again, the church will only expand through sacrifice.
Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, where he met Aquila, a Jewish man from Pontus. Not long before this, Aquila had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Emperor Claudius had ordered the Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla and found out that they were tent makers. PAUL WAS A TENT MAKER TOO. So he stayed with them and they worked together.
2.EVERY SABBATH, PAUL WENT TO THE JEWISH MEETING PLACE. He spoke to Jews and Gentiles and TRIED TO WIN THEM OVER.
Acts 18:4 (Contemporary English Version) It is possible to combine secular work with the ministry.
Lay ministry requires the ability to combine secular work with real ministry. The best example of the lay ministry was the Apostle Paul’s ministry. It is a ministry in which you support yourself. You may ask, “Is this the way that God planned for ministry to be?” “Does the Bible not teach that they that preach the gospel must live of the gospel?”
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:14
I combined being a medical student with ministry. I know many people who are effectively ministering the Word of God and continuing in their professions. Paul was the great church planter of the New Testament. He was able to accomplish great things for the Lord whilst he supported himself with the tent making business. The lay ministry is even more vital for church planting today.
3. The best New Testament example of a lay pastor is the Apostle Paul. The best Old Testament example is the Prophet Daniel.
Daniel had three jobs:
i. He was a Member of Parliament for the Babylonian Province.
Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:48
ii. He was the Second Vice President to Belshazzar.
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:29
iii. He was the Prime Minister during the rule of Darius.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
Daniel 6:1-2
Sometimes it is the will of God for you to be a volunteer and sometimes it is the will of God for you to be in full- time ministry.
In one breath, the right thing to do is to be fully supported by the ministry, but in another breath the right thing to do is to support yourself. It is important that we follow the leading of the Spirit at all times. Isn’t it amazing that the right thing can become the wrong thing (“Anomia”), because God said so? Paul declared that he was instructed by the Lord to be both full and hungry.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I AM INSTRUCTED BOTH TO BE FULL AND TO BE HUNGRY, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:12
5. Lay pastors and volunteers will become prominent in the last days.
Paul’s ministry still lives on today. The best way some people can help in the ministry is to be like Paul – secular work during the week and then “reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews on the Sabbath day”.
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. AND HE REASONED IN THE SYNAGOGUE every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Acts 18:3-4
6. Paul practised the lay ministry so that others would follow his good example.
I now place you in God’s care. Remember the messages about his great kindness! This message can help you and give you what belongs to you as God’s people. I have never wanted anyone’s money or clothes. You know how I HAVE WORKED WITH MY OWN HANDS TO MAKE A LIVING FOR MYSELF and my friends.
By everything I did, I showed you how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, “More blessings come from giving than from receiving.” After Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
Acts 20:32-36 (Contemporary English Version)
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 18
I am talking about a fruitful and lasting ministry. Paul was a powerful church planter. It is time for many who are called to follow this good example.
7. Lay pastors and volunteers can be just as fruitful as full- time ministers.
I do not know of anyone who will say that the Apostle Paul was inferior to any of the other apostles. He laboured more abundantly and travelled more extensively. He planted more churches than any one else did. He was truly an effective, anointed and fruitful pastor.
1. The Lay ministry will greatly enhance the work of church planting.
One of the greatest keys to extensive church planting is the lay ministry. The lay ministry is the sacrifice of pastors and evangelists, who labour without being paid for their services.
The enormity of the work is such that, without the strategy of lay ministry, very few churches will be planted. Almost every ministry I know has ground to a halt because of mounting bills, and the high cost of maintaining staff. It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE for the church to employ the people that are needed for the work of God.
The lay ministry is not popular in some circles. In some cultures everybody must be paid for his services. The organist must be paid! The guitarist must be paid! The sound controller must be paid and the pastor constantly seeks a higher salary for his services.
Dear friend, most of the ripened harvest fields are in the poor regions of the world. How will the poor people of the earth be reached in their poverty? Most of these people cannot pay for the services of good pastors and evangelists. The ministry of unpaid pastors and evangelists is the key to continued church planting.
Where the sacrificial nature of Christianity is compromised, church planting comes to an end. The church was born on the sacrifice of Christ. The church grew through the sacrifice of the apostolic church. Once again, the church will only expand through sacrifice.
Paul left Athens and went to Corinth, where he met Aquila, a Jewish man from Pontus. Not long before this, Aquila had come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Emperor Claudius had ordered the Jewish people to leave Rome. Paul went to see Aquila and Priscilla and found out that they were tent makers. PAUL WAS A TENT MAKER TOO. So he stayed with them and they worked together.
2.EVERY SABBATH, PAUL WENT TO THE JEWISH MEETING PLACE. He spoke to Jews and Gentiles and TRIED TO WIN THEM OVER.
Acts 18:4 (Contemporary English Version) It is possible to combine secular work with the ministry.
Lay ministry requires the ability to combine secular work with real ministry. The best example of the lay ministry was the Apostle Paul’s ministry. It is a ministry in which you support yourself. You may ask, “Is this the way that God planned for ministry to be?” “Does the Bible not teach that they that preach the gospel must live of the gospel?”
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:14
I combined being a medical student with ministry. I know many people who are effectively ministering the Word of God and continuing in their professions. Paul was the great church planter of the New Testament. He was able to accomplish great things for the Lord whilst he supported himself with the tent making business. The lay ministry is even more vital for church planting today.
3. The best New Testament example of a lay pastor is the Apostle Paul. The best Old Testament example is the Prophet Daniel.
Daniel had three jobs:
i. He was a Member of Parliament for the Babylonian Province.
Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:48
ii. He was the Second Vice President to Belshazzar.
Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Daniel 5:29
iii. He was the Prime Minister during the rule of Darius.
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.
Daniel 6:1-2
Sometimes it is the will of God for you to be a volunteer and sometimes it is the will of God for you to be in full- time ministry.
In one breath, the right thing to do is to be fully supported by the ministry, but in another breath the right thing to do is to support yourself. It is important that we follow the leading of the Spirit at all times. Isn’t it amazing that the right thing can become the wrong thing (“Anomia”), because God said so? Paul declared that he was instructed by the Lord to be both full and hungry.
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I AM INSTRUCTED BOTH TO BE FULL AND TO BE HUNGRY, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:12
5. Lay pastors and volunteers will become prominent in the last days.
Paul’s ministry still lives on today. The best way some people can help in the ministry is to be like Paul – secular work during the week and then “reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews on the Sabbath day”.
And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers. AND HE REASONED IN THE SYNAGOGUE every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. Acts 18:3-4
6. Paul practised the lay ministry so that others would follow his good example.
I now place you in God’s care. Remember the messages about his great kindness! This message can help you and give you what belongs to you as God’s people. I have never wanted anyone’s money or clothes. You know how I HAVE WORKED WITH MY OWN HANDS TO MAKE A LIVING FOR MYSELF and my friends.
By everything I did, I showed you how you should work to help everyone who is weak. Remember that our Lord Jesus said, “More blessings come from giving than from receiving.” After Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
Acts 20:32-36 (Contemporary English Version)
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 18
I am talking about a fruitful and lasting ministry. Paul was a powerful church planter. It is time for many who are called to follow this good example.
7. Lay pastors and volunteers can be just as fruitful as full- time ministers.
I do not know of anyone who will say that the Apostle Paul was inferior to any of the other apostles. He laboured more abundantly and travelled more extensively. He planted more churches than any one else did. He was truly an effective, anointed and fruitful pastor.
