The ministry of the New Testament is single, one, and the same. In the church, there is no such thing as multiple or divided. When we serve, we are tied back to our Creator and our master, our source. The ministry is simply the Word became flesh Who is tabernacling among us. The ministry we are serving is that Life and Person incarnated in us, churching and living in a tent with us. The ministering has to do with continuing, nurturing, and building a household life that we are serving together.
In Matthew, we see that ministry involves the faithful, timely, watchful condition of a slave who is awaiting the master’s return while keeping God’s house, particularly in regard to the dispensing of food (24:45). In the house, we need a corporate, one life, watchful unto the return of our Master. When we eat, we are eating the same thing, at the proper time. There are not multiple meal schedules or lifestyles in the household. When a member of the household faces some issue, the whole household faces that issue and comes together to deal with that issue. When a member of that household is isolated, however, he becomes the “idiot” (from the Greek word “idios”), which is to insist on his own, separate, alone, private, and apart life (2 Peter 1:20). Today, when in the corporate Body life, we have this same incarnated life, the same ministry, the same living in the tent, and this life issues in the same speaking and a specific, timely dispensing of food to one another. If we are not part of this One life, then we must see that we are not part of the ministry — for it must be One life — and if so, we are “idios,” isolated and foolish, unable to be adjusted, and unable to build God’s house.
Over the course of time, the church in God’s eyes matures, not divides. The church grows out from and into the Head (Col. 2:19). There may be “strong” figures in the church life, but no matter what their names are — Peter, Paul, or anyone — their speaking grows into just one line of the One ministry. We should submit ourselves to the Life that is tenting among us, and to minister to that standard and nature only. 2 Peter 1:20 tells us that no self-willed, self-interpreted, “idios” ministry can provide true prophetic power and light; only those upheld by the Spirit can: “…but men spoke from God while being borne by the Holy Spirit.” So do we also, finally, refuse our years of being stunted, and let ourselves be finally carried by Spirit, by His Person, His Life, His household.
(Above are notes of fellowship taken from a gathering on 5/26/24, not reviewed by the speaker.)