A church functions well because of the support of various ministries. City News explores the meaning, purpose and benefits of serving in a ministry.
With Ministry being one of the five pillars of City Harvest Church (the other four are Word, Prayer, Fellowship and Praise and Worship), the congregation is strongly encouraged to serve in any of the 36 ministries currently available in the church.
What is a ministry and why is it important for a believer to serve in a local church?
Ministry comes from the Greek word diakonos, which means “to serve.” Hence, joining a church ministry is all about serving God and serving God’s people. Serving in a ministry allows one to grow from merely receiving and being a “taker” in their early Christian years, to becoming a “giver” and a contributor to their own local church.
A passage in the Bible from 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 reveals that the Apostle Paul highlighted a believer as an essential “body part” in the body of Christ. Serving and relying on one another; every Christian is given different and diverse spiritual gifts and talents by God for the purpose of serving God, His people (the Church) as well as non-believers. Just as every individual plays a particular role in a normal, natural family, every believer likewise plays a vital role in the church family.
Apart from the cell group members a believer interacts with weekly, being in a ministry introduces the believer to other members in church, thus enlarging one’s social circle. Says Klessis Lee, a zone secretary who helps to facilitate members’ involvement in ministry, “Being involved in a ministry helps the believer develop a greater sense of belonging to the church, which is an important aspect in any believer’s life. It also serves as a platform for members to get to know others in the same church, and form strong social networks that can provide them with emotional and spiritual support when needed.”
More often than not, joining a ministry would mean that one has to put aside some time and effort in order to serve the needs and purposes of the ministry, often having his character and attitude shaped in the process. The end result would be a Christian who is spiritual and has a great character and attitude.
Oliver Ng, 38, shares, “The Usher ministry has helped me to become a more confident person in relating and communicating with people. I have also made many new friends through the ministry.”
Ephraim Liew, 22, a university student recounts, “I joined the Strikeforce ministry back in October 2004 when my cell group member who saw my interest in music recommended it to me. It was in Strikeforce where I grew spiritually as I learned what were my strengths and weaknesses through interacting with my fellow ministry members.” Liew adds, “I learned that in every ministry, we need to serve the Lord with a great attitude and a sensitive heart.
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Says Jimmy Sng, an assistant pastor of CHC who oversees the Security ministry, “As the ministry members serve together regularly as a team, they forge a strong bond. This can be seen by the number of non-ministry related activities organized by the members themselves, such as soccer matches, going to the movies and even overseas holiday trips.”
According to Cassandra Yeo, head of the drama ministry in CHC, the ministry is also a place to nurture the talent of the members. “We provide training for the drama ministry members to be skilled and proficient in their craft, so that they can serve God in church, as well as in the marketplace of the arts,” says Yeo.
If you are looking to serve, here is a list of the 36 diverse and exciting ministries of CHC:
Ministries that support the effective and efficient weekly running of church services: Altar Call Workers, Back-up Vocals, Choir, Chorus Board, Costume & Make-up, Greeters, Hearing Impaired Ministry, Hospitality, IT Support, Lighting, Music, Nursery, Photography, Security, Sound, Television and Usher Ministry.
Ministries that support the other areas of the Church: Cell Group, Children’s Church, Chinese Church, Dialect Church, Filipino Ministry, Indonesian Church and JAMs (Jesus for All Minds).
Ministries involving the Arts: Dance, Drama, Millennial Orchestra and Strikeforce.
Other ministries: Bookstore, Boys’ Brigade, Community Services, Girls’ Brigade, Guitar, Marketplace Ministry, News Media and Tuition Ministry.
Log on to www.chc.org.sg to sign up for a ministry or approach your cell group leader for more information. Stay tuned to the next ministry feature in City News Weekly.
