Ministry Landscape
As 2024 is off and running and we are reminded of horrific phrases like “polar vortex,” this is a good time to settle in for a few minutes and look at the GOSPELING that will be unfolding upon the Ministry Landscape here in Williamson County Texas.
To do this, let’s dig into the word: ministry.
What is Ministry? This word comes from a family of words which include “diakonia” in Greek and they all have to do with helping with or serving the needs of others. You may remember the word “deacon” found in places like Philippians 1:1 or 1 Timothy 3:8. This is interesting because it is a place where the Greek word gets brought straight into English (a process called transliteration). But it still has everything to do with helping others or serving their needs.
So, what is the Landscape? In my case, it is the south central area of Williamson County in Texas. This is an area of explosive population growth, including parts of Round Rock and Hutto, where projections are estimating more than 50,000 people to arrive within the next two years. Because of this rapid expansion, many backgrounds, languages, and cultures are all rapidly merging into one geographic area. All of this, noting that much of it is economically driven by the arrival of significant technology-focused industries and businesses, means that the needs here may not be what often comes to mind when thinking about needs, namely food, clothing, shelter, and more. To be sure, those needs are present in every community, but we mustn’t forget that the needs in this ministry landscape are also going to include people who are struggling with disillusionment, loneliness, questions about identity, purpose, value, and much more.
We are here to help with and serve people with all of these kinds of needs. As followers of Jesus, we always set out by beginning with the ministry of the Word. This is the announcement of NEWS. News which is good, indeed it is VERY good. This ministry of the Word is conducted alongside the ministry of hands and feet which help provide the bodily needs of food, clothing, and shelter, often one begetting the other. We will seek to do both. But make no mistake, the ministry of the Word is the source and power that sets us free to serve bodily needs! Notice how the Apostle Paul instructed his student Titus:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, HE saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to HIS own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become HEIRS according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. —Titus 3:4–8.
God’s goodness and kindness are brought to us, and He saves us never because we are good, but because HE is good. He pours out His Spirit upon us richly, setting us right with Him by His grace, which then sets us free to devote ourselves to good works, making it profitable for all of us! This is the power of the Gospel. This is how GOSPELING works. This is what we will do in this amazing Ministry Landscape!
For those who do not yet know the Good News of Jesus, we will connect with them so that they can connect with HIM. For those who do, perhaps a “reconnection” is needed or perhaps they will become fellow Gospelers who seek to help “insist on these things”…namely that we are “good newsing” wherever we go!
Learn more about just some of the developments happening here in Williamson County Texas and if you are interested in partnering with me in this ministry, learn more about that here.