Added to the Church

Doing It For The Paycheck

In a steel mill in Huntington, WV, the screeching and crashing sound of the Electric Arc Furnaces can be heard blasting in the background. The environment is so loud that it raddles the clothing on your body, but the earplugs kind of shut you out of the world, so your thoughts out sound the furnace. When I would often lift myself up to put on my wet silver coat, which protected us from the 3,000-degree liquid we were about to capture, I would think to myself as my hard hat soaked up the drops of sweat from my brow. “Why am I doing this? What is the purpose?” The older men there, covered in black dust, would smile brightly and say, “You do it for the paycheck, boy!” Thoughts of my wife and kids always fueled me to work the long, hot hours. This was a job, and I worked the job because it provided for my family. As soon as I was able to find a better job, I took it. We work jobs to get something in return. 

A Christians Work

As Christians, do we view our service to Jesus as a job where we expect our bi-weekly paycheck, or will we move on to something we think is better? The truth is that our service as Christians is not a job but a ministry. The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to fulfill his ministry, not his job. “But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim 4:5 NKJV). Indeed, we understand that being a Christian is rewarding, and some in their ministry even earn a paycheck for their labor. But is that why we do it? If we are working for Jesus for a selfish purpose alone, then it is a job to us, and we lose out on it being a ministry. A ministry is a service, which is what the word ministry is standing in for in the above Scripture. The purpose of us being Christians is clothed in the coat of service. Service to His church, service to others, and most importantly, service to Him. 

How Great Ministry Work Is

I recently thought after hearing of one person’s life struggle, which eventually ended in the grace of the Lord. “How great it is to do the work of an evangelist!” As a servant of Jesus, you can provide a great service of faith, hope, and love, sowing peace into the hearts of the world around you. Your ministry can affect generations exceedingly and abundantly above what we think. Really, what better thing is there? Jesus has sent His humble servants into all the world to preach His gospel not just for our benefit but for the purpose of serving God and each other. 

Our ministry is a beautiful privilege because its purpose is a service to others. It is truly better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).