“Why Ministering to the Total Man Matters”

Posted on 11Jan CATEGORIES: General 4390

He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. –Colossians 1:28 (NIV)

In our efforts at ministering to the total man (body, soul, and spirit), we should understand why this is important to God. When I look at Colossians 1:28 in the NIV bible, it comes up under a section with the heading of “Paul’s Labor for the Church” in a letter written to the church at Colossae. This body of believers was threatened with heresy from outside the church. The traditions and beliefs of the surrounding community were not Christ-centered, and this letter was meant to encourage these converts. (See Colossians 1:24-29.) The goal was to bring them to maturity in Christ. And so it is the same for us today!

We use Colossians 1:28 as the scripture in conjunction with our annual theme of “2020 Vision – God’s Plan for the Total Man” and recognize that it is an incredible responsibility for our church to serve God in this way! It is a serious opportunity for every one of us to build one another up in the faith, and to do the work of this ministry. Somebody cared enough about each one of us to minister in a way that brought us to Christ.

Over 25 years ago, when I was sorely in need of a savior, an elderly woman befriended me in a grocery store parking lot. She was so taken in by my son’s smiling face that she invited us over for dinner on the following Sunday. I was low on money and low in spirit. How did she know? When that Sunday came, I went to this lady’s house. She ended up ministering to my body through the food she served. She ministered to my soul through the encouraging conversation. She ministered to my spirit through the prayers she prayed for us, and the constant reminder that God was ever-present. This went on for months. I think back to that experience and recognize the impact she had on my life at that time. Remember, ministering to the total man, by definition, will “provide something necessary or helpful” to the spirit, the soul, and the body of man. This lady did that for me, praise God! She let God use her, and I am incredibly grateful for God’s intervention at that time.

God uses faithful believers to minister to the body, soul, and spirit of people to bring them to maturity in Christ. Think about your own conversion. Can you see the evidence of God at work in your life? Can you understand the impact that “ministering to the total man” can have on a person’s life? There is someone out there in need of a savior where your willingness to minister may make the difference. There is someone who knows Christ but needs your encouragement to continue growing towards Christian maturity. I encourage everyone, as committed believers, to take an active role in the work of this ministry. This is an awesome opportunity to serve God, and it is going to take all of us working together to impact our community.

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“Why Ministering to the Total Man Matters”

“Why Ministering to the Total Man Matters”

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