Ministry in the Body of Christ

The Meaning of Ministry

The New Testament word often translated ministry is the Greek word diakonia. Its basic meaning is service rendered for the benefit of another. From the same root we have words such as diakonos, meaning servant or minister, and diakoneō, meaning to serve.

In ordinary usage, the word could describe very practical service, even something as simple as serving tables. But when we come into the New Testament, we see this word used in a much broader spiritual sense. It describes service rendered to God and to His people through the lives of believers.

This is why the same Greek word is translated in different ways in our English Bibles: ministry, service, administration, or ministration. These words are pointing us to different expressions of the same basic reality.

Ministry, therefore, is first about service, not title or position.

Paul writes:

“And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.” — 1 Corinthians 12:5

The word translated administrations here is diakonia.

So ministries are the different expressions of service within the body of Christ under the administration of the Lord Himself.

Ministry Is the Service of Christ Through His People

Ministry does not originate with us. We are not the source. Christ is the Head of His body, and we are vessels through whom His life and service are expressed.

Peter puts it this way:

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” — 1 Peter 4:10

And he continues:

“Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” — 1 Peter 4:11

Notice what Peter is saying. We receive something from God, and what we receive becomes something we minister to others. Grace received becomes grace expressed.

That is ministry.

Ministry can therefore be expressed both in words and in deeds.

We see this clearly in Acts 6. The apostles said:

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” — Acts 6:4

Yet the same passage also speaks about the practical service of caring for the daily needs of the widows. The language of service runs through the whole passage.

So whether it is teaching the Word, prayer, caring for people, helping, giving, strengthening others, or meeting practical needs, ministry is service within the body of Christ.

The Triune Structure of Ministry

There is something exceptionally beautiful in 1 Corinthians 12. Paul shows us that the functioning of the body of Christ is not merely human activity. Behind true spiritual ministry is the working of the Triune God.

Paul writes:

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” — 1 Corinthians 12:4–6

Look carefully at the order:

Gifts — the Spirit.

Ministries — the Lord.

Operations — God.

Gifts from the Spirit

The Holy Spirit distributes gifts—charismata, grace-gifts.

Paul continues:

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” — 1 Corinthians 12:7

The gift is not primarily for the person who carries it. It is given for the benefit of the body.

The Spirit gives the enablement.

Ministries from the Lord

Then Paul says:

“There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.”

The Lord here is Jesus Christ.

The Spirit gives gifts, but those gifts find expression in different forms of service under the Lordship of Christ.

This is important. Having a gift does not mean we decide independently how it must be used. Christ is the Head of the body. He determines the place and expression of our service.

Operations from God

Then Paul speaks of:

“Diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”

The word operations points to workings or effects—the actual working that produces results.

Two believers may even have similar gifts and serve in similar ways, yet the results may not be identical. Ultimately, the power that produces the effect belongs to God.

So we see something wonderful:

The Spirit distributes the gifts.

The Lord administers the ministries.

God produces the operations.

The whole Godhead is involved in the functioning of the body of Christ.

The Order of Ministry in the Present Age

There is something worth noticing in the order Paul uses:

Spirit → Lord → God

This is the order in which Paul presents the functioning of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:4–6.

In our present experience as believers, the Holy Spirit distributes and manifests His gifts among the saints. Those gifts find expression in ministries under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. And through those ministries, God works and produces the results according to His own purpose.

So from the believer’s experience we see:

The Spirit equips.

Christ directs the service.

God produces the results.

This also keeps us humble.

The gift is not ours by origin.

The ministry is not ours to control independently.

And the results are not ours to produce.

Everything begins and ends with God.

Every Believer Has a Ministry

One of the things we must recover in the body of Christ is the understanding that ministry does not belong only to a special class of Christians.

Peter says:

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another.” — 1 Peter 4:10

Every believer has received something from God that can be used in serving others.

This means ministry is not limited to the pulpit.

The person preaching may be ministering. The person tutoring children may be ministering. The person encouraging another believer may be ministering. The person quietly meeting a practical need may also be ministering.

This is why the leaders Christ gives to the Church are not supposed to replace the ministry of the saints. They are to equip the saints for it.

Paul writes:

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” — Ephesians 4:12

The goal is a functioning body in which every member supplies what God has given.

The Diversity of Ministries

Because the Spirit gives gifts and the Lord administers ministries, the same kind of gift may find expression in different forms of service.

Someone with grace to teach, for example, may tutor children. Another may disciple believers one-on-one. Another may write. Another may teach publicly before a congregation.

There may be similarity in gifting, but diversity in ministry.

This is why we should be careful about copying another person's ministry simply because we recognize a similar gift in ourselves.

The question is not only, “What gift have I received?”

We must also ask, “Lord, how do You want this gift to serve Your body?”

The gift comes from the Spirit. The administration belongs to the Lord.

The Purpose of Ministry

What then is the purpose of all of this?

Paul gives us the answer:

“For the edifying of the body of Christ.” — Ephesians 4:12

Ministry is for the building up of the body.

Through the ministry of the saints, believers are strengthened, nourished, corrected, encouraged, equipped, and brought toward maturity in Christ.

Ministry is therefore not ultimately about building our names, our platforms, or our personal followings. It is about Christ building His body.

When ministry functions according to God's order, attention ultimately returns to Christ. His people are strengthened, His life is expressed, and God receives the glory.

Key Takeaway

Ministry—diakonia—is service.

It is the service of believers to God and to one another according to the grace God has given. It may be expressed through words or deeds, publicly or privately, visibly, or quietly.

And behind true ministry we see the working of the Triune God:

The Spirit distributes the gifts.

The Lord administers the ministries.

God produces the operations.

We receive from Him, we serve one another with what we have received, and through that service the body of Christ is built up.

The gift is from God.

The ministry is under Christ.

The working is God's.

And the glory belongs to Him.

Your brother in Christ,

Tunde Caleb Agboola