The Bullard Journal for June 18, 2019

Tuesday, June 18, 2019: “A Call to Action” Ministry is Personal! Ministry action is always personal and direct. Ministry support can be non-personal or indirect. What is the difference and why is it important?

Ministry action involves compassionate connections in real time that is focused on people by name and in their context, involves literally or figuratively “touching” them, and knowing their gifts, strengths, needs and desires. Ministry support involves compassionate service that is focused on providing support and resources to people who are the object of ministry action, or support and resources to people providing ministry action.

Here is the challenge. The longer people have been Christians and participated in church life, the more they are primarily around other Christians, the more they no longer understand the spiritual life situation of preChristians and unchurched people, and the more they tend to engage in ministry support rather than ministry action. This is not true of everyone but is true of many people.

An example of the difference between ministry action and ministry support can currently be seen in the Baptist Collegiate Ministry efforts in the Midlands. Ministry support happens when individuals and church groups prepare meals for gatherings of students on Carolina BCM yet may not even go to the building for the event. Ministry action is when people go provide a program or go to a mixer and engage with the students.

One key ministry action opportunity Carolina BCM is offering for the next academic year is to connect with an international student by befriending them and doing something personal with them every month such as them coming to your home for dinner or taking them on a picnic. Become their friend. Touch them. Share a gospel conversation with them as and when appropriate. Would you willingly do this? For more information about this call to action go to https://www.carolinabcm.org/host-an-international-student.

About the author 

Kyndra Bremer