I believe that all children of God who are truly born again have been given a special and unique calling by God into some kind of ministry. God calls us who are his people to work and equips us in accordance with our tasks and responsibilities. The ministries we are called to participate in can be preaching, teaching, music, giving, prayer, encouragement, administration and many others. Whatever is needful for the body of Christ to grow God will provide and he most often desires to do this through the working of his saints, side by side.

But what happens when we fail to listen? What happens to the body of Christ, the Church, when believer after believer chooses not to show up, not to get involved and not to heed the call on their life to work and to serve?

You don’t have to look very far or very hard to see the effects. They are all around us. When preachers fail to preach the Word is not spread and there can be no salvation or deliverance apart from the Word. When teachers fail to teach ignorance is commonplace and misinformation is taken as the truth. When musicians fail to play and use their gifts God is not being praised as he ought and we are all the poorer for it. And the list goes on and on with the point being that we as a body of believers can only be healthy when all of our parts are in-tune and functioning as they should.

In 2nd Timothy chapter 4 Paul gives a charge to his student and mentee Timothy.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 NASB

But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5

Notice the very last part of verse 5. Fulfill your ministry, Paul says. And even though this was written specifically to Timothy who had been called as an evangelist the same charge is applicable to all of us today. Fulfill your ministry, God says! His Word and his instruction are clear. We must be active in our faith and in our work for the Lord. There is no option to do otherwise and when we fail to fulfill our roles those around us suffer as a result and God is not pleased.

Just as Paul charged Timothy so I charge us all to be active and engaged in our faith and in the ministry to which we are called. Only then can we be the healthy and effective body of Christ that we are called to be.