What do you think?
Rate this book
Ministry Is . . .: How to Serve Jesus with Passion and Confidence
What is ministry? Ministry is casting crowns at the feet of the Worthy One. It is the overflow of your relationship with Jesus. It is washing feet, loving people, making disciples, and more.
In dozens of brief yet powerful chapters, Ministry Is . . . presents an actionable Bible-based guide to serving God in the local church. The insights here from authors Dave Earley and Ben Gutierrez are perfect for those considering church ministry as a vocation and applicable to anyone desiring to serve intentionally through the church.
With every entry, they stay laser focused on making the reader "a spiritual change agent, a difference maker, and impact player for Jesus Christ."
In dozens of brief yet powerful chapters, Ministry Is . . . presents an actionable Bible-based guide to serving God in the local church. The insights here from authors Dave Earley and Ben Gutierrez are perfect for those considering church ministry as a vocation and applicable to anyone desiring to serve intentionally through the church.
With every entry, they stay laser focused on making the reader "a spiritual change agent, a difference maker, and impact player for Jesus Christ."
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2010
37 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Dave Earley
66 books15 followersDave Earley’s life passion is to know, love, and glorify God and be used by Him to make a difference by reaching as many people as deeply as possible in the least amount of time. For twenty years that passion was lived out by planting and pastoring a healthy, growing multiplying church. Recently Dave accepted God’s call to move from local to global impact. His role has shifted from being a pastor to training pastors, from starting a church to equipping church planters, from leading small groups to developing small group leaders, and from pastoring the congregation of a local church to encouraging the followers of Jesus in many congregations.
Dave’s unique blend of passionate practicality and innocence, intensity, and idealism have given him a platform to many through teaching, training, writing, and speaking.
Dave’s passion for a vibrant personal adventure with God has resulted in several books, including The 21 Most Effective Prayers in the Bible (Barbour publishing, 2005) and Living In His Presence: The Immanuel Factor (Bethany House,2005). The 21 Most Encouraging Promises in the Bible (2006), The 21 Most Amazing Truths about Heaven, (2006) The 21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People (2007) and The 21 Most Dangerous Questions in the Bible (2007). As a nationally recognized expert on small group ministry, he has written several popular books for small group leaders: Eight Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders (2001) and Turning Members into Leaders (2003) and The Pocket Guide to Leading a Small Group: 50 Ways to Help You and Your Group Grow (2007). Those books are published by Cell Resource Network and have been translated into several languages.
Dr. Dave Earley is Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Ministries and Church Expansion at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as Director of the Center for Ministry Training at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, the Director of the Center for Church Planting of Liberty University. (www.liberty.edu/cmt)
Prior to teaching at Liberty, Dave was the founding sr. pastor of the New Life Church of Gahanna-Columbus, Ohio. New Life started in his basement with 12 people and grew to nearly 2,000 a week in attendance with over a 100 small groups. (www.enewlife.com)
Dave, and his wife, Cathy, have three highly active teenaged sons, Daniel, Andrew, and Luke. They enjoy rafting, biking, hiking, hanging out, and art.
Dave’s unique blend of passionate practicality and innocence, intensity, and idealism have given him a platform to many through teaching, training, writing, and speaking.
Dave’s passion for a vibrant personal adventure with God has resulted in several books, including The 21 Most Effective Prayers in the Bible (Barbour publishing, 2005) and Living In His Presence: The Immanuel Factor (Bethany House,2005). The 21 Most Encouraging Promises in the Bible (2006), The 21 Most Amazing Truths about Heaven, (2006) The 21 Reasons Bad Things Happen to Good People (2007) and The 21 Most Dangerous Questions in the Bible (2007). As a nationally recognized expert on small group ministry, he has written several popular books for small group leaders: Eight Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders (2001) and Turning Members into Leaders (2003) and The Pocket Guide to Leading a Small Group: 50 Ways to Help You and Your Group Grow (2007). Those books are published by Cell Resource Network and have been translated into several languages.
Dr. Dave Earley is Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Ministries and Church Expansion at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He also serves as Director of the Center for Ministry Training at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, the Director of the Center for Church Planting of Liberty University. (www.liberty.edu/cmt)
Prior to teaching at Liberty, Dave was the founding sr. pastor of the New Life Church of Gahanna-Columbus, Ohio. New Life started in his basement with 12 people and grew to nearly 2,000 a week in attendance with over a 100 small groups. (www.enewlife.com)
Dave, and his wife, Cathy, have three highly active teenaged sons, Daniel, Andrew, and Luke. They enjoy rafting, biking, hiking, hanging out, and art.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
Read
December 15, 2020Good book with many helpful suggestions concerning ministry. Earley and Gutierrez both share personal experiences along with much advice for successful ministry. This is a great book for both those just entering ministry as well as those who have been in ministry for some time.
December 22, 2020
- Minister: The word diakonos is Greek for “minister” and mentioned 20 times in the New Testament as such, plus 8 as “servant” and 3 as “deacon."
Serving actively: Not about the title, but about “doing what needs to be done” (8).Not about a title: Even James and John wanted to be great leaders when they asked Jesus if they could sit at his right and left. Moreover, when the other disciples learned this, they reacted with resentment. Tough, but rewarding: Paul mentions in his second letter to the Corinthians that ministry is “not for cowards or wimps,” ad yet it “is ultimately worth it” (12). —2 Corinthians 6:3-10
- Mercy: “Our God is characterized by mercy. Mercy is at the heart of His Kingdom.” […] “So what is real ministry? It is expressing God’s vast mercy to others. Our mandate as servants of Christ is to be merciful ministers” (31). [It’s important not to just be merciful, but to love mercy.]
His great love: Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus, stressing “the fact that all believers received insurmountable levels of mercy from God” (30). “We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature were children under wrath, as the others were also. But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of his great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!” —Ephesians 2:4-5Paul’s experience: “The hallmark of Paul’s experience with God can be summed up in one word—mercy. Someone has said that mercy is God’s ministry to the miserable. So it is.” —Charles Swindle and Gary Matlack
- Threatening the enemy: “I pray that when I die, all of hell will rejoice that I am no longer in the fight.” —Charles Thomas (C.T.) Stud, a famous cricket player who decided to fight for God’s kingdom by attempting to save souls instead of winning medals.
Jesus and Paul: They both had “wide and powerful ministries” and Paul was well known in Hell because he crucified himself with Christ by getting rid of his ambitions, reputation, possessions, and rights (37). “God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that even facecloths or work aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.” —Acts 19:11-13
- Fishing for people: “Ministry is following Jesus and fishing for people. It is being a disciple and making disciples. It is growing and going. It is learning and evangelizing. It is being saved and leading others to do the same” (49). “If you are saved yourself, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ.”—Charles Spurgeon
An act of faith: “A fisher is a person who is very dependent, and needs to be trustful. He cannot see the fish. One who fishes in the sea must go and cast in the net, as it were, at a peradventure. Fishing is an act of faith.” —Charles Spurgeon
- The Church: Jesus loves the church! “The Church should be understood as existing simultaneously in two spheres: universal and local” (57).
Portraits of the Church: The Body of Christ, the vine and the branches, the building and the cornerstone, and the shepherd and the sheep.
The Great Commission: “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (60). —Matthew 28:19-20
Church planting: "The great commission is church planting" (61).
- Gratitude: Like Paul, “we too ought to express our gratitude to our great God who has equipped, called, appointed, and cleanses us for ministry!” (89)
Common anthem: “If we are truly grateful ministers, then gratitude will be a common anthem in our sermons, writings, publications, emails, and conversations. Like Paul, we should lead the way in testifying God’s great work in our lives” (90).
- The good fight: Eventually, Paul handed off his “mantle of leadership in Ephesus to a younger minister named Timothy” (94). He declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” —2 Timothy 4:7
No pride: Paul makes it clear that he will do away with “pride and “selfishness" in favor of “humility and sacrifice” (97). “So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the fresh to live according to the fresh, for if you live according to the fresh, yo are going to die. But if by the Spirit you are put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. All those led by God’s spirit are God’s sons.” —Romans 8:12-14
- Accepting the call: “Those with the calling can do nothing else. They will be inwardly miserable otherwise. They have a consuming conviction and compulsion; they have a driving passion. […] One church planter wrote, ‘This thing inside me was so strong, that I had to act on it. I felt if I didn’t, I would be violating something… or somebody’” (121).
- Life of prayer: When Paul gave Timothy, a young pastor, the church of Ephesus, he suggested that above all else, he pray. “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity… Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or arguemment.” —1 Timothy 2:1-2,8 [The ultimate goal of prayer is not the answering of prayers, but a life of peace.]
Not too busy: “Sometimes we think we are too busy to pray. That also is a great mistake, for praying is saving time… God can multiply our ability to make use of time. If we give the Lord his due, we shall have enough for all necessary purposes.” —Charles SpurgeonBelieve: “God will do nothing on earth, except in answer to believing prayer.” —John Wesley
Serving actively: Not about the title, but about “doing what needs to be done” (8).Not about a title: Even James and John wanted to be great leaders when they asked Jesus if they could sit at his right and left. Moreover, when the other disciples learned this, they reacted with resentment. Tough, but rewarding: Paul mentions in his second letter to the Corinthians that ministry is “not for cowards or wimps,” ad yet it “is ultimately worth it” (12). —2 Corinthians 6:3-10
- Mercy: “Our God is characterized by mercy. Mercy is at the heart of His Kingdom.” […] “So what is real ministry? It is expressing God’s vast mercy to others. Our mandate as servants of Christ is to be merciful ministers” (31). [It’s important not to just be merciful, but to love mercy.]
His great love: Paul wrote to the church of Ephesus, stressing “the fact that all believers received insurmountable levels of mercy from God” (30). “We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature were children under wrath, as the others were also. But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of his great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!” —Ephesians 2:4-5Paul’s experience: “The hallmark of Paul’s experience with God can be summed up in one word—mercy. Someone has said that mercy is God’s ministry to the miserable. So it is.” —Charles Swindle and Gary Matlack
- Threatening the enemy: “I pray that when I die, all of hell will rejoice that I am no longer in the fight.” —Charles Thomas (C.T.) Stud, a famous cricket player who decided to fight for God’s kingdom by attempting to save souls instead of winning medals.
Jesus and Paul: They both had “wide and powerful ministries” and Paul was well known in Hell because he crucified himself with Christ by getting rid of his ambitions, reputation, possessions, and rights (37). “God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that even facecloths or work aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them.” —Acts 19:11-13
- Fishing for people: “Ministry is following Jesus and fishing for people. It is being a disciple and making disciples. It is growing and going. It is learning and evangelizing. It is being saved and leading others to do the same” (49). “If you are saved yourself, the work is but half done until you are employed to bring others to Christ.”—Charles Spurgeon
An act of faith: “A fisher is a person who is very dependent, and needs to be trustful. He cannot see the fish. One who fishes in the sea must go and cast in the net, as it were, at a peradventure. Fishing is an act of faith.” —Charles Spurgeon
- The Church: Jesus loves the church! “The Church should be understood as existing simultaneously in two spheres: universal and local” (57).
Portraits of the Church: The Body of Christ, the vine and the branches, the building and the cornerstone, and the shepherd and the sheep.
The Great Commission: “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (60). —Matthew 28:19-20
Church planting: "The great commission is church planting" (61).
- Gratitude: Like Paul, “we too ought to express our gratitude to our great God who has equipped, called, appointed, and cleanses us for ministry!” (89)
Common anthem: “If we are truly grateful ministers, then gratitude will be a common anthem in our sermons, writings, publications, emails, and conversations. Like Paul, we should lead the way in testifying God’s great work in our lives” (90).
- The good fight: Eventually, Paul handed off his “mantle of leadership in Ephesus to a younger minister named Timothy” (94). He declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” —2 Timothy 4:7
No pride: Paul makes it clear that he will do away with “pride and “selfishness" in favor of “humility and sacrifice” (97). “So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the fresh to live according to the fresh, for if you live according to the fresh, yo are going to die. But if by the Spirit you are put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. All those led by God’s spirit are God’s sons.” —Romans 8:12-14
- Accepting the call: “Those with the calling can do nothing else. They will be inwardly miserable otherwise. They have a consuming conviction and compulsion; they have a driving passion. […] One church planter wrote, ‘This thing inside me was so strong, that I had to act on it. I felt if I didn’t, I would be violating something… or somebody’” (121).
- Life of prayer: When Paul gave Timothy, a young pastor, the church of Ephesus, he suggested that above all else, he pray. “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity… Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or arguemment.” —1 Timothy 2:1-2,8 [The ultimate goal of prayer is not the answering of prayers, but a life of peace.]
Not too busy: “Sometimes we think we are too busy to pray. That also is a great mistake, for praying is saving time… God can multiply our ability to make use of time. If we give the Lord his due, we shall have enough for all necessary purposes.” —Charles SpurgeonBelieve: “God will do nothing on earth, except in answer to believing prayer.” —John Wesley
November 1, 2021
Excellent read!
A necessity for anyone in ANY form of Ministry. This book provides the fundamentals of operating in ministry and not only keeping a God centered perspective but proceeding with action. This book provokes and challenges those in ministry to do what is the undoubtedly foundational requirements of Jesus Himself.
A necessity for anyone in ANY form of Ministry. This book provides the fundamentals of operating in ministry and not only keeping a God centered perspective but proceeding with action. This book provokes and challenges those in ministry to do what is the undoubtedly foundational requirements of Jesus Himself.
January 11, 2025
Good look at ministry
This is a good look at ministry and the various aspects of it. It is far more than just preaching on Sundays, but also the day to day life of the minister.
This is a good look at ministry and the various aspects of it. It is far more than just preaching on Sundays, but also the day to day life of the minister.
March 14, 2017
This is such a great and practical resource for any person looking to go into ministry. It helps us get a bit of an honest look at what Biblical ministry is and looks like and how we are to conduct ourselves as ministers of God's Word. It has helped me look at areas where I am weak and has encouraged me in areas I haven't really thought about. Very thoughtful and pretty well written. I would greatly recommend it.
May 24, 2015
I read this for my undergraduate degree. It's quite simplistic, but it does have a few helpful insights. Overall, the authors are trying to be practical to those going into ministry, so they aren't giving any new information that a person wouldn't know already. I enjoyed it, though, because I felt mentored in the book by people who have gone before me. At times I couldn't help but skim because of its simplicity, but I would recommend it to young guys considering ministry. It will help them to strive for humble service instead of making ministry about them.
June 17, 2016
I don't really have a lot to say about this book. It had some good information in it, I didn't take issue with any of the points, but it was bland. The instruction was obvious and repetitive to me, and a lot of the chapters were redundant. I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, but I'd have to say this is the weakest entry. That being said, I can certainly see how someone could benefit from it, especially a new minister.
February 28, 2014
One of the few books I was required to read that I loved. I highly recommend this to those planning to go into ministry and even to those who have been doing it for years or decades. It puts a lot into perspective. It's great.
November 29, 2010
What is ministry? This book guides the reader to a deeper and at the same time more basic understanding of the motives, the methods, and the merits of ministry in the local church.
April 27, 2013
I just finished this book for my ministry class with Liberty University. I thought it was awesome. If you are going into ministry of any kind, I recommend it.
November 17, 2021
Excellent, accessible, biblically sound, and highly recommended.
July 26, 2018
This book was absolutely terrible. If I could give it 0 stars I would. We tried to use it with some high school interns(to read and discuss) but spent all of out discussions talking about what we didn't think was biblically accurate. We finally stopped reading it. It's going straight to the recycling bin, I can't even justify giving it away. I do not recommend this book at all.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews