MINISTRY

The work and service performed by a minister, servant or attendant responsible to a superior authority. In ancient Israel, the Levites served as Jehovah’s ministers. Prophets were also used to minister in a special way. (Deut. 10:8; 21:5; see LEVITES; MINISTER; PRIEST.) However, with the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth, a new ministry began. He commissioned his followers to make disciples of people of the nations. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Accordingly, to a world alienated from God, Christians bore a message of reconciliation to God through Christ.—2 Cor. 5:18-20.

Those who responded favorably to the “ministry of the reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18) needed to be trained, taught, assisted and directed in a proper way in order to become and to remain firm in faith, as well as to accomplish the disciple-making work themselves. (Compare 2 Timothy 4:1, 2; Titus 1:13, 14; 2:1; 3:8.) Therefore, after his ascension to heaven, Christ Jesus, as head of the congregation, gave “gifts in men,” apostles, prophets, evangelizers, shepherds and teachers, “with a view to the training of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ.”—Eph. 4:7-16; see GIITS FROM GOD.

Another aspect of the ministry inside the congregation concerned caring materially for needy but deserving brothers. The ministry to which Stephen and six other certified men were appointed involved the distribution of food supplies to Christian widows. (Acts 6:1-6) Later, the congregations in Macedonia and Achaia shared in a ministry of relief for the poor brothers in Judea. (2 Cor. 8:1-4; 9:1, 2, 11-13) When the contribution was finally gathered together, and Paul was preparing to take it to Jerusalem, he asked the brothers in Rome to pray along with him that this ministry of relief would be acceptable to the holy ones for whom it was intended.—Rom. 15:25, 26, 30, 31.

Some years prior to this, a similar demonstration of love was made by the Christians of Antioch, in Syria, as they shared in a relief ministration for the brothers dwelling in Judea during a time of famine.—Acts 11:28-30.