APOSTLE DR. Isaac Badu-Danso, a senior lecturer at the Christian Service University College (CSUC) in Kumasi, recently spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the Synagogé Council of Churches and Pastors Association (SYCCPA) Inc. at the Logos Chapel Cathedral in Kumasi.
The topic for his message was exactly what has been used for the heading of the article: “Called To Minister in Times Such as These”. He said, “The men of Issachar knew the times that Israel was in and what they were to do” (1 Chronicles.12:32).
The saints of today and especially those of us in Ghana must understand the times that we are in and what the saints and the people are to do to live and also to fulfill God’s agenda. It is such a time as this – the period of the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our current experience of coronavirus, that Christians must understand the signs of the times.
Apostle Dr. Badu-Danso who teaches New Testament Greek, Philosophy of Religion and Christian Education said, “Christians must also understand the kind of ministry they are to offer to the Lord and the ministry of their Christian vocation.”
What Is The Ministry?
He said in the New Testament, the differences in the ministry between the Old Testament priest and congregation had been removed to yield a universal priesthood constituted by Jesus Christ (Ex 19: 5 -6, 1 Pet 2: 5-9).
“The New Testament (NT) has a variety of terms in connection with the different types and functions of ministry. Each term has its own special shade of meaning. One of the terms is ‘diakonein” which means to “serve” or to “minister”. Originally referring to waiting at a table.
In NT (Greek), the root idea is offering beneficial services in the church. Examples can be found in 1 Corinthians 3: 5 and 1Timothy 1:12. Closely related to diakonein, is hupretein, which relates to the minister as an attendant or an assistant of the high priest.
And Jesus refers to his followers as assistants (Jn.18:36, Acts 26:16). The next term is “douleuen/doulos” which is often translated as servant/bondservant/slave, where Jesus is the Lord. Paul applies it to himself (1Cor.9:19) and it is applied to Jesus too (Phil 2:7).
Christians are called apostles and ministers of Christ. Jesus describes Himself as “one who serves (Luke 22: 27), so you are called to minister alongside Christ” with the perfect example of humble, and self-denying service which has become a norm and pattern for all Christ followers, whom Christ calls to share his own destiny (Mk 10: 42- 45).
Called Into Service
In times like this, you are called to service with Christ and His church just as the “Father sends the Son” (John 20:22) He also sends His followers into the world for ministry. You are to serve as a shepherd after God’s own heart so that the Lord will feed you with spiritual knowledge and spiritual understanding (Jeremiah 3: 15) and revelation. Saul and Samson did not receive any revelation from the Lord (1 Sam 28:5-7, Jg. 15-19) because of disobedience.
In times like this, just as Paul spoke to the elders of the church of Mellitus in (Act 20: 17- 35), you are to serve the Lord in all humility and with tears, enduring the trials that came to you from believers and unbelievers.
Not shrinking back from declaring to all the people the whole purpose of God. But watch over yourselves and over the flock of God, which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Take time to shepherd (care, nurture, protect, guide) and guard the church of God from all the attacks of the enemy and from those who distort the truth and the word of God.
Paul commended them to God and the Word of God which is able to build them up. This is the abiding Word of God when all prophecies have ceased. The Word which is imperishable and life-giving, it is this Word which will guide and guard you in your ministry. It is in the keeping of this Word of God which demonstrates your love for Christ and the Father and the source of Christ’s revelation of Himself to you and His Church.
Those who keep this Word will become the abode of the Father and the Son (John 14:15, 23). Feed on the Word, meditate on it, pray it, so that you will receive guidance from the Lord (Jos 1:1-8, Ps 1:3; Ps 32:8), be an embodiment of the Word of God (be Sheik for Christ). For the Word is Spirit; He will make you glow – be ablaze.
In times like this, you must not lust after the things of this world. The world has defined lust as love. Lust is fake love. The love for the Father and the Son is not the lust for the things of this world. The love of the Father is not in those who lust after the things of this world, for what the people call love is not love but lust.
So the desires of the fleshly nature, the desire of the eye and pride in riches come from the world, not God (1 John2:15-17). The world and its desires are passing away but those who do the will of God will live forever (have everlasting life).
By James Quansah
jamesquansah@yahoo.com