The Place of Social Ministry

"And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." {Acts 10:38}

I used to think that it was important to "strike a balance" when it comes to ministry. That typically means that we will feed the hungry, help the needy, and continue the work of evangelistic ministry. However, what I am discovering in the ministry of Jesus is that the whole purpose of ministry is to lead people to the saving knowledge of Himself. Social Ministry (doing good) is only half of the equation. Unless we seek the healing and deliverance of those oppressed, all we have done is feed, clothe, and provide for natural things that will pass away.

As you read Acts 10:38, I want you to see some important lessons about ministry that we need to learn:
#1 - God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power
#2 - Then Jesus went about doing good AND healing all who were oppressed by the devil
#3 - God was with Him

*Before we do anything FOR God, we need to be anointed by God! Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave His disciples "The Great Commission"; but before they could follow through with His instructions they had to be endued with power (Acts 1:8). The need for the world to be saved was important but the followers of Christ could not carry out the work without the anointing of the Holy Spirit with power.

*After being endued with power from the Holy Spirit, we should set out to perform the same ministry of Jesus. Doing good (social ministry) was only a part of what Jesus did. The "doing good" of Jesus was a means to show the world the goodness of God. Where the church falls short today is that we have neglected the healing of those oppressed by the devil. Mark 16:17-18 says, "And these signs WILL follow those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons...they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." {emphasis mine} James Richards said, "We have wanted to reach the world by becoming socially accepted and influential. What we have wound up with is a bunch of socially-accepted, demon-oppressed people influencing the church. What good does it do to reach people and get them in our churches if we do not set them free?"

*When you and I are empowered by the Holy Spirit, set out to do good and deliver those who are oppressed by the devil, God will be with us. This is the church body that God blesses. We have become too focused on doing the right kind of ministry, performing the newest cutting edge program, imploring the most effective growth strategies, or even watering down the Gospel as a means of growing the body. What if we simply walked in all that Jesus said we could/should walk in? Think it will make a difference? I do!

Doing good is an important part of what the Body of Christ is all about. We are to walk in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior. This is how we help the world experience the goodness of God. However, I want to encourage the Body to walk in all that Jesus died to give us. Let us seek to heal and deliver all of those who are oppressed by the devil. In this way we demonstrate the goodness and power of God in the world.