Very often we can focus too much on the negatives and difficulties of ministry work. And yes, ministry work is challenging. But it's also a huge blessing. It's really important to focus on the positives of serving God's people and the people of the world.
In the ministry world, I'm a Salvation Army corps officer. But what is a Salvation Army officer? A Salvation Army officer is much like a pastor, administrator, social services coordinator, and charity leader rolled into one. It's a very unique position in society. So without further meandering, here are the top ten reasons why I love being a corps officer in The Salvation Army!
10. Walking closely with God - One of the great blessings of being in ministry is learning to walk very closely with God. I mean really close. Super close. And it's my job to cultivate that relationship and draw near to God, as He draws near to me. It's beautiful. The joy of it is overpowering.
9. Be a voice for Christ in the public sphere - One of the main reasons I wanted to be an SA officer was because I wanted to be able to influence the community, not just the few people who showed up on Sundays.
8. Being in position to help people I would never otherwise meet - In the SA world, we have incredible access to community leaders, hurting people, impoverished populations and other people I would never ever meet if I was a pastor at a church.
7. Meeting people at their lowest moments - when someone is struggling, suffering, miserable, hurting and confused, this is an often a vital moment, when someone is willing to listen to the word of God unlike they would otherwise.
6. Using Social Media to Spread the Gospel - The Salvation Army is very active on social media which is great and I'm so pleased to help get the gospel out there on the internet where so many billions of people interact everyday. It's a powerful tool to get the word out there!
5. Providing Food by the hundreds and hundreds of Pounds - This is really amazing to me, especially with food prices going up, we give out food daily at the corps where I serve, and we move about 3500 lbs per month, sometimes more. It's great to help those who are in need, and it's a great way to have conversations about Jesus and share literature, tracts, books, and dvds with Christian themes.
4. Drug and Alcohol Recovery - TSA gives me the opportunity to help provide drug and alcohol recovery. We host a weekly recovery group and TSA harbor lights and ARCs can help provide long term in patient care to those struggling with alcohol and drug addction.
3. Fasting and Prayer - hosting prayer groups has been my single favorite ministry activity at the church. Praying together with other Christians for an hour or more, has been an experience that blew me away. It's so powerful when God's people pray together. When it's combined with full or Daniel fasting, it's even more powerful. God is good.
2. Leading Small Groups - There are many administrative duties in the ministry but what's great is weekly getting to lead groups like bible study, recovery, men's ministry, and other groups. Sitting down with other Christians and digging into the word is so wonderful, I always love it, and it helps me grow as much as anyone else there!
1. Empowering others to share the Gospel - I thought that when I became a pastor my main job would be sharing the gospel, but more and more I've realized, my job is to empower the people I serve to share the gospel. It's been extremely powerful to watch others learn and develop a missional approach to sharing the word.
