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ministry.

      Or, you find that whenever a Christian activity requires someone to step up and take charge, people look to you, and you enjoy giving direction to groups or events. Your gift might well be leadership, and this is a key function for most Christian endeavors. You recognize that leadership is important, but you remember that leading as the Lord did means humility, servant-hood, and being an example . . . not a boss.

      • People group: Obviously, the group of people to whom you will minister depends primarily on the type of ministry to which you feel called.

      • If discipleship, the logical group would be college-age, or young couples.

      • If counseling, with the ones struggling with life issues, regardless of age.

      • If evangelism, to the lost in the USA or overseas.

      • Team: Very few of us operate well alone. Being on a team brings us encouragement, learning and sharing opportunities, and a real sense of working together toward a biblical goal. Here are some likely connections with teams that fit well with your calling:

      • For myself, with a focus on discipleship = the Navigators ministry was a perfect fit.

      • Someone strong in languages, = Wycliffe Bible Translators, or Wycliffe Associates would make a wonderful partnership.

      • Serving ministry = local church lay ministry team, Young Life club host.

      • Teacher = Sunday school board, church small group council, seminary faculty.

      • Counseling = almost any church staff, an independent practice, volunteering at a mental-health center or a Veterans hospital, or community addictions counseling center, or perhaps even a prison-based ministry team.

      • If administration, your church office staff, or the administrative staff of any of the non-profit Christian organizations.

      • Or . . . you may be the initiator of your own team, building a nucleus of co-laborers around your passion and vision.

      The team may change from time to time, but the type of ministry will

      probably not change.

      • Location – where to do it: Whereas the type of ministry you are called to by God will probably not change, the location often does. A person, for example, who loves evangelism can do that ministry pretty much anywhere. She or he may begin in a local high school ministry and find himself in a foreign country a few years later. The Apostle Paul was certainly a man who had evangelism, disciple-making, and church-planting on his heart, and he did it all over the Mediterranean world. The locations he went to were basically determined by God’s leading. (Acts 16:9,10) And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, saying ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ And when he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.’

      The old saying in ministry is, “Keep your hearts open and your bags packed.”

      God can well use your service of ministry in many places. Or He may have you stay and minister in the same location your whole life. He will call you as He desires. One final thought on this topic: that is, the question of whether or not God wishes you to be a full-time Christian worker. This might be as a pastor, church staff person, missionary, or para-church minister.

      While there is probably no one simple answer to this, I feel that the adage of “grow into ministry, rather than go into ministry” can be helpful. In other words, being committed to and significantly involved in personal ministry as a lay person gives one a solid idea of whether he or she should do it as a full-time vocation.

      Conclusion: Once you’ve determined what kind of ministry God is calling you to—based upon your gifts & abilities, what you love to do, and the vision God has put on your heart—then the group of people you’ll minister to, and the team you’ll minister with, becomes quite evident. Where you’ll minister depends on need and opportunity.

      And remember, regardless of the type of ministry you pursue, the commands of Christ to share the Gospel, help others grow (spiritual parenting), and show love to all . . . apply to all Christians.

      Question 3

      How do I lead a small-group Bible study?

      There’s going to be a bonus on this one. That is, we’ll look at how to write a good small-group Bible study, as well as how to lead one.

      In our Christian experience, there’re few things more satisfying and profitable than a good small-group Bible study . . . and perhaps few things more boring and frustrating than a bad one. We’ve probably all been in some of the latter category, and hopefully, some of the first.

      So here are a few tips and concepts for writing and leading a good Bible study group.

      First, a good Bible study must actually study the Bible, not just some book from the local book store about Christian issues, or whatever the latest fad is. There are also some good Bible study booklets with relevant questions that point us to Bible verses and passages.

      Second, writing a good Bible study means selecting a passage or topic which has interest and application for the intended group. For example, a study on the biblical principles of child-rearing would be great for couples with young children, but less relevant for singles.

      Third, the key to writing a good Bible study is for you—the writer—to consider the passage / topic carefully and come up with good questions. A small-group Bible study should never be a lecture or sermon by the leader. It should be an interactive discussion that results in self-discovery—by the group members— of Biblical truths that can be applied to real life.

      Let’s quickly go through preparing the small group Bible study based on your own study of the passage or topic. In one sense, all Bible study is topical, even when we’re looking at a particular passage. By that I mean that as we go through a passage of Scripture—say James, chapter 1—we invariably note issues or mini-topics in the text. That’s why the Bible writer wrote it. So as we work through the passage, we are really seeing issues the author brings up, and we are then asking questions about those issues.

      Okay, let’s say we’re going to lead a Bible study on James 1:1–8. I’m going to use the NASB version.

      “James, a bond servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad, greetings. (2) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, (3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (4) And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (5) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (6) But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (7) For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, (8) being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

      Please keep in mind that we’re not trying to do a definitive theological exegesis of the passage. We’re working to write a clear, accurate, applicable study to help people in our small group gain joy and victory in their daily lives.

      As you get going on your Bible study preparation, it’s enjoyable and helpful if you have another person from your small group join you during this preparation time. Discussing the Bible passage together has some huge benefits: it generates excitement as you and your friend think of other relevant verses and questions and it’s great training for the other person in preparing the study and, later on, leading a small group of his/her own.

      The key to leading a good Bible study is to prepare well and write good questions. Guide, but don’t monopolize, the discussion. So before we come up with a good Bible study on this passage, let me suggest 3 “do’s” and 4 “don’t’s” to keep in mind about leading a small group Bible study:

      Do’s

      Do a good Bible study on this passage yourself.

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