Serving The Lord Is Ministry --- Even In Secular Work!

As Christians, most of us are not engaged in pulpit ministry. Our time between Sundays is spent doing secular work that might not seem to have value for the spread of the gospel. Therefore, we may view ourselves as second-class disciples.

That may have been the way some members of the church in Colosse regarded themselves. Paul addressed an erroneous viewpoint of secular work when he wrote, “Obey in all things your masters according to the flesh …. in sincerity of heart, fearing God” (Colossians 3:22).

If God’s purposes in this world are to be fulfilled, we need a structured society with all of its indispensable activities. Whether our secular employers know it or not, they are carrying out God’s good purposes (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1). As long as the assigned task is not sinful or unethical, when we serve those who rule over us, we are serving the Lord (Ephesians 6:5-7).

So let’s view our daily work — whatever it is — as an extension of God’s work in the world. As we do so, we’ll find there is no better place to spread the good news of salvation than right where God has placed us (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 8:4).

For the Christian, serving the Lord is ministry — even in secular work!

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets