As much as ministry is service, and not just an ordinary service for that matter, a spiritual service rendered in the name of the Lord, there are ministerial ethics in which a minister of the gospel must abide with.

 

Ethics, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary are "rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad." Every profession or field of endeavor are guided by a set of rules that govern the conduct of those who are identified with those professions. Without those ethical standards, people of such professions would do as they please.

 

Listen to Podcast: ETHICAL MATTERS IN MINISTRY

 

Ethics in ministry are scriptural principles that guide the conduct and operations or practice of a minister. That means as a minister of God, there is a way to behave. You don't carry yourself anyhow, there is a scripturally acceptable behavior expected of a minister.

 

See what Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:14-15. It says: "These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."

 

There is a way to conduct yourself as a minister of the gospel. You see, you cannot be too spiritual or under spiritual and bring yourself below the standard of acceptable biblical behavior. That won't be fine with you.

 

So, let us go ahead to examine one after the other areas in which a minister of the gospel must show top standard of behavior.

 

Number one: THE AREA OF MONEY

Money no doubt, is good and important for ministerial work and assignment. As a matter of fact, the King James Version of the Bible referenced the word "money" 123 times. Aside from that, Ecclesiastes 10:19 tells us that "money answers all things" which I believe includes ministerial things as well.

 

Luke 8:1-3 also gave us an account of women who sowed into Jesus' ministry, before we assume that Jesus only did ministry by the power of the Holy Spirit alone. No, Jesus' ministry also had need of money and certain people were responsible for making those monies available. Let me read that passage to us, Luke 8:1-3 (God's Word Translation) the Bible says:

 

"After this, Jesus traveled from one city and village to another. He spread the Good News about God’s kingdom. The twelve apostles were with him. 2 Also, some women were with him. They had been cured from evil spirits and various illnesses. These women were Mary, also called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; 3 Joanna, whose husband Chusa was Herod’s administrator; Susanna; and many other women. They provided financial support for Jesus and his disciples."

 

But as good as money is in ministry, know this for sure that money cannot be your drive for entering into ministerial work. If money is your drive for going into the ministry, then your motive for working for God is already defeated. See what Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 9:3. It says: "And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece."

 

What does that tell you? It means as a minister, money cannot and should never be your motive for ministry. If money was that important so to say, Jesus would have told His disciples to take so much of it as He sent them out. Don't be known as that minister of God who goes about selling miracles. Jesus said "freely you have received and freely you should give." (Matthew 10:5-8)

 

Don't commercialize the gift and the anointing of God. Many men of God today places premium on the anointing. Some even charge for the miracles that is being done through their hands. This should not be so, and we should desist from such actions. As rich as the woman with the issue of blood was, Jesus didn't charge her for the virtue that got her the miracle she needed. Why do you do such as Ministers of Christ? Please, watch it and desist from such attitudes.

 

The second leg of the matter of money in ministry is this. When people have started sowing into the work of God that you are doing, never allow God's money to be mixed with your own money. As much as possible, let your personal account be distinct from the church or ministry's account. This will do you so much good in the long run. If you want to go by Jesus' example, He had someone who was in charge of money among His disciples. John 12:6 shows us that Judas Iscariot was in charge of Jesus' ministerial money. Even though he use to steal from it, that is his own problem. But Jesus never meddle with the money and was not responsible for keeping it.

 

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Obayomi Abiola Benjamin!

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