“Just love them!”  When it comes to ministry is that really all the one needs to be a staff member.  I have been listening lately to several different conversations going on and really wonder if we have a proper perspective of what it takes to do ministry.  The ongoing reference is this, if we just love the people that God has given us then we are doing our jobs well.

Here is my struggle.  I love the people I work with and the church that God has given me but that does not make me an effective minister.  I would agree that having the ability to love the people that we work with is important but it is not enough.

When I was in student ministry and recruiting volunteers it was important that the people I was trying to involve in our ministry love students.  However, I was recruiting them with a greater task in mind.  If all they did was love students they usually did not last in our ministry.

When it comes to staffing it becomes even a bigger deal of separation for me between those who are doing the the job and those who are good at doing ministry.  Those who are good at doing ministry often are able to go and perform well beyond the task of loving students, children, adults or even the seniors.  They step out and passionately seek what God is leading them towards in an area of ministry.  They measure success not by the relationships alone but by the goals that are being reached.  They look at everything as a potential ministry tool.  Yes, they love those whom God has given them to minister alongside but they since a higher calling to lead and challenge them.  It is not all about love.

Give me your thoughts.  Am I off base here or on target?  How do you lead others to this?

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