I believe there are many
qualities of a good minister of the gospel, too many in fact to list and
make this a short answer rather than a book. But I also think there are
5 key qualities that not only make a good minister of the gospel but
also impact the gospel that is being ministered. They are as follows.
Humility- The gospel
is not about us and not designed for out glory. The gospel is about God
and His plan which was carried out through Jesus, His son, with the
serviced of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So a minister of the gospel
must not have pride and must have a humble realization that they are
serving a sovereign and holy God. Jesus is the greatest example of a
minister of the gospel and the gospel is because of Him and Jesus was
the most humble and gracious person on earth. The minister of the gospel
must be humble enough to direct others to Jesus and show them His power
that changes lives. They must also be humble enough to realize it is
about Jesus and not about them and be full of all ever time God uses
them to save or care for someone else with the gospel. The minister of
the gospel cannot do anything until they are humble enough to let God
use them to spread His message of Jesus and the cross. Humility must be
the foundation and cornerstone of the minister caring out the gospel in
action and deed for God.
Courage- 1 Peter
reminds us that Jesus was rejected by the world. This means fro those
who stand with Jesus and tell others about this amazing man and story
(the gospel) the world will reject us also. That means it takes courage
to go into the world and make disciples and tell others what Jesus and
God have and do for us. A minister of the gospel will be rejected and
persecuted continually in the world, so courage is needed. A minister of
the gospel inside the church will have to stand against sin and Satan
as they equip and live around other fallen but saved humans. This stand
for truth and living in a world of sin, even with brothers and sister in
Christ, must take courage.
Hope- The gospel
changes us as people into a people of hope. The gospel itself gives us
hope in the future in that there is a place of perfection and eternal
bliss that when this life is over we have hope in God. But hope is also
give in the moment in that now God is for us and showers grace and mercy
on us each day in every moment and circumstance. When we have hope
because of the gospel it affects our heart and is an outward sign of the
gospel in action. To be a minister of the gospel than one must have
hope that the gospel will change and impact others the same it impacted
us.
Joy-
Jesus in the midst of suffering was still filled with joy. Paul
commands us to rejoice in the Lord through all circumstances in life. So
joy must be a part of gospel ministry. If the person ministering the
gospel does not have joy, no one he is ministering to will first want
any part the that gospel and secondly those around his ministry will not
want to be around a person not full of joy. Joy is another outward sign
of a heart for the gospel.
Love-
The gospel is a love story between God and mankind through His Son
Jesus. So how can the person ministering and living out the gospel not
have love also? Not only must a gospel minister have love in his life he
must minister through and with love. Love must flow from his lips not
only to those inside the church but also outside of the church. Love
must flow from his actions with what he is doing in ministry for the
church but also to the world. Love is a quality that when the world see,
they see Jesus and the gospel in action. Love must be a foundation of
not only the gospel but also the works of the gospel.
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