Do you Laugh out Loud in Ministry??

  

 Thinking back to why we started this blog, I thought of the title, “Laughing Out Loud in the Ministry”. Many people think that ministry is stuffy and boring. To be honest, if you’re not careful, it can be that way. You get set in the routine of things and your Christian life becomes habit. Habits aren’t in and of themselves bad, but with the definition of habit being “an acquired mode of behavior that has become nearly or completely involuntary”, that can be a problem for your ministries to be nearly or completely involuntary.

   Why can’t we have fun in ministry? My theory is that we look at ministry as a job.  While it is our job as Christians to be serving the Lord, ministry should be our way of life, not a 9 to 5, clock in and clock out situation.

  I love to hear stories about the people who’ve led someone to the Lord or got to be a witness just by living their life. My brothers all go to the gym. They love to work out. I have heard all of them at one point or another say something like “I got to talking to this guy at the gym and got a chance to witness to him”. At the gym my family goes to, not only do the workers know all of my brothers and parents by name, they also know they are all Christians and that my dad is a pastor. How do they know that? Because my dad has spent time chatting with them in the mornings when he goes in, and getting to know them, and investing in their lives all while he is simply living his life. He is doing what he would normally do, going to the gym, and in doing that, he is being a witness. He’s the same way when he goes out to eat. I guarantee that every waiter and waitress at Bob Evans, Cracker Barrel, and Denny’s (His favorite places) know him and have either heard the gospel from him or have been given a tract by him. I was with him when he witnessed to a guy at a Chinese restaurant. He noticed the guy was carrying and so he went over and asked him what kind of gun he had, which led to what kind of work he did, which led to did he go to church anywhere, etc.

   My husband and his friend like to play Frisbee golf and one day while playing Frisbee golf, they ran into some Jehovah’s Witnesses. They got a chance to talk to them for a few minutes about the Lord. We also live near the park they play Frisbee golf, and those same two Jehovah’s Witness guys showed up in our neighborhood a week or so later, and my husband got a chance to talk to them again. My husband and his friend simply had a testimony and took the time to invest in someone else’s life while they were living their lives.

   Ministry isn’t a boring stuffy job. It’s living your life and investing in those that you run into along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for going out on visitation and participating in ministries at your local church, but don’t let it stop there. If you are living it 24/7 and it is who you are, then maybe you won’t feel so much like you’ve got to clock in and do your ministry time. If you’re going to go on walks in your neighborhood, take some tracts with you and stop at a few doors. You were going to walk anyway. If you have to be at work, does everyone you work with know that you’re a Christian and that you love it? Or do they view you as that grumpy, boring religious person? If you’re going to the park, talk to the other moms there and get to know them; ask them if they go to church, invite them to yours, share with them the kids' programs your church has. You were going to be at the park anyway, don’t be the grumpy mum who looks like she didn’t get the nap she wanted.  →→→

Is that you? Are you a go-getter or a grumpy mom?

Ok, thanks for reading today, but I know what you’re all really waiting for, and that’s the giveaway winner. We totaled up all your entries, put them in a bucket, and drew two names. That's right, two! Our winners are  
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To collect your reward, private message my mom, Jill Boyd, on Facebook and tell her which gift card you would like. Your choices are an Amazon gift card or the coffee shop of your choice! We appreciate all the likes, comments, and shares! I know the contest is over, but don't let it stop you from keeping up the chatter. We love hearing from all of you!