In The Eye of the Storm
Intro 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Part II
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The
Second
Phase of the Church
Corporate
Relationship Concept
Chapter 7H
God Gives Leadership Gifts
to Equip the Saints
Helps
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Helps' Ministry |
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"And God has appointed these in the church: first the apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues" (I Corinthians 2:28).
A person who takes the responsibility as an assistant or apprentice to someone in public ministry is someone who functions in the area of "helps." They may assist or share in the ministry of an apostle, a prophet, a pastor, a teacher, or other leader.
Rather like the Scripture found in Philippians 12:5, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," the helps person grows to understand the person they serve so well that they begin to have "the mind of their boss."
During a time in my life when I administrated a large ministry, I had a secretary that seemed to know what I needed to have done even before I said it. We understood each other well, and tasks were performed almost effortlessly as we flowed together in unity.
Then one day something a bit out of the ordinary happened. Rather than arranging for others to pick up ministry guests at the airport, she abruptly left the office and went herself to do a task normally delegated to other people.
It was not the usual procedure, so I immediately sensed something out of the ordinary was happening. Sure enough, I later discovered she was in a romance and the young man she admired had gone along to the airport too!
The point I am making is this: There will be a great anointing on the leader and his helps person who flow together in unity. They will understand each other well and accomplish their task with great success. The vital supporting ministry of the "helper" will benefit the whole church because they support the leader to be more effective in ministry.
Although this may be one of the least recognized responsibilities in the church, the ministry of helps is a much needed one. These people fill their responsibility with humility and don't look to bolster their egos. They are just there to help get the job done—loving and caring people who know their calling.
Helping to Carry the Load
Often this assistant understands more than anyone else the weak spots of the leader they serve. They can fill in or take the extra load the leader is carrying.
Aaron and Hur had this relationship with Moses when they held up Moses' arms during a battle (Exodus 17:11-12). Aaron and Hur didn't say, "We're not going to help Moses. If God wanted Israel to win this battle, He should have anointed us instead!" No, they knew they were anointed. . . they were anointed to support Moses.
The helps person backs up, encourages and supports the person he serves. Helps people should be used extensively in the church. Their support ministry is desperately needed.
He should never be overloaded with responsibility but pick up only those responsibilities God has called him to do. There is a delicate balance required here.
The story of Mary and Martha illustrates this point. Martha was so help-oriented in her natural relationship with the Lord that she neglected her spiritual relationship with Him. A helps person would be wise to see that this does not happen to him.
A helps person to an apostle may be sent out to accomplish a temporary job of setting up a base of ministry. In essence, the helps person is doing the job of an apostle, because he is like an apostle-in-training. Because there is an absolute trust between the leader and his assistant, the apostle knows his administration is being carried out exactly the way it would be if he was there himself.
Trained On the Job and Anointed For Service
The assistant of an apostle, teacher, pastor or evangelist may or may not take on the full responsibility as an apostle, teacher, pastor or evangelist. It all depends on what God has called and anointed him to do.
In the Bible, we sometimes see that someone from behind the scenes moved into the more prominent position of the one he served, such as Elisha or Timothy. Of course, this happened after years of faithful apprenticeship to Elijah and Paul, respectively. Other times, helps people remained as helps and never were called to follow in the footsteps of their leader.
The assistants are an important facet for the continued growth of the church because they know their ministry responsibilities and "do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord they will receive the reward.
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