Keep Pouring

And say to Archippus, "See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord."
(Colossians 4:17 – ESV)

See that you – We are to keep seeing to it, it is a present tense command for us to be active. You are to be one who says but also one who sees. You must say to the Archippus in your life to see to it, and like an Archippus you must see to it yourself. You have an obligation to say to others to see to it and to see to it yourself.

Fulfill – This is to be a continuous action, we are to keep making it full. This is not a one-time event; you don’t give it to people and then give up on those people. The kingdom of God works like the crop of corn, the blade, the ear, and then the full corn in the ear. Notice that this implies that ministry is not so much about potential but about the process. It is an ongoing thing that you keep filling up. You are personally being poured out as you are pouring into others. 2 Timothy 4:5-7 – Do the work, fulfill your ministry, keep filling it up, you may keep getting poured out but you can say as Paul that he fought the good fight and finished the race.

The Ministry – We all are called to minister, and we are all saved to serve. Not everyone’s ministry is leading or teaching, but everyone’s ministry is their own life, to others in their own world, to their family, to their church. Everyone is an evangelist at some time. Also, those called to teach and preach must be ministered to, and there may be seasons of sitting down.

When we see that we are to continue to fulfill ministry, to keep doing it, to keep filling it up, it reminds us that ministry is more about process than instant progress. This means both the ministry you have in general, and the ministry you do specifically. Both are a process. Now certainly we have teachable moments we look for, but transformation is much more process-oriented than crisis-oriented, more eventuality than event. There are incidental encounters but growth in grace in any area is an ongoing thing.

If you are looking to minister, remember this. Instead of looking for a magic bullet or a miracle cure, or that one big breakthrough, which is usually just an emotional release, look for the long haul. It is more about truth encounters than power encounters. You are planting the word of God, and it is a seed not miracle grow. Keep pouring into others, keep being poured into, and keep filling up your ministry.