Ministry At Home

I have served Jesus in vocational ministry for over three decades. Most of that time I have served as a local church pastor. I preached thousands of sermons and taught multitudes of Bible studies. I have ministered to people in the hospitals. I have sat with the bereaved. I have evangelized the lost and sat in more meetings than I count determining ministry direction.  That has never been my greatest ministry. My greatest ministry is at home.

Recently one of my boys spent a great deal of money on brand name closing apparel. I asked him about it. We talked about the value of a dollar and how much the brand was really worth. We talked about how rich people were getting in that company all for a simple logo. We talked about priorities. That was ministry to my son.

Brenda shared some disturbing news she received with me. We sat on our bed as she unburdened her heart. I put my arm around her. She looked at me with moist eyes and said, "What do we do next? Should we pray?" With her head buried in my chest and my arms wrapped around her we laid the situation before the Lord. That was ministry to my wife.

We often talk about what we received from God after a worship service as a family both when I am preaching and when others do the preaching. I like to the hear the insights God gives each one. That is ministry to my family.

Last May on the last day of school Turner came to the truck in tears. He told me he had just learned his favorite coaches was leaving. He did not talk for much of our drive but I could see him crying out of the corner of my eye. The night before Turner wrote this coach a letter telling him of the impact the coach had on Turner's young life. Over lunch I assured Turner God would take care of this coach who follows Jesus. We also talked about how God moved in Turner's heart to write the coach a letter. The coach wrote Turner a letter before class ended for the last time of the year. Turner still has that letter posted on his mirror. Through our conversation God comforted Turner and Turner saw how his letter had ministered to the coach. I had the chance to minister to my son.

I have had the chance to offer counsel when needed. To pray with wife and kids on many occasions. We have shared family devotions many times and had family gatherings where sin had to be confronted. We have prayed for healing for one another. Several times on vacation we held a worship service as a family with each person taking a part. As often as I could I have tried to include my boys in my other ministry. I took Taylor on a mission trip. I've taken them all one on one to camps I preached. I have even taken them into retirement homes and hospitals to visit people.

I hae preached thousands of times. I have preached to an audience of one as well as to an audience of a thousand. I have preached in several different states and in two foreign counties. The most important ministry I have ever done or will ever do has been right here at home. I've spoken hard truth when necessary, extended grace when needed, offered Biblical counsel when asked, comforted broken hearts on several occasions, encouraged the discouraged, and even ministered to my own family in the hospital when Tucker and Turner had knee surgeries. NO MINISTRY I HAVE DONE, AM DOING, OR WILL EVER DO IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MY MINISTRY AT HOME.