Ministry comes in many forms. Here is an example of a Methodist church that found a ministry at a maximum security prison. It began with one man moved by God’s Spirit.

CRUCIAL TIME: A PRISON MINISTRY

“The persistent efforts of a small group of people from Christ United Methodist Church in Franklin, Tennessee, have turned a prison ministry outreach program at the state’s highest security prison into a model for other prison ministries. … “

For me, the real power of this video is not the ministry – though that is powerful – but its demonstration of the way a ministry can develop out of the passion of  one person. It is attention-grabbing because it is unusual. Many ministries are less visible and less dramatic, but that does not make them less valuable.

Christ Methodist did not set out to have a ministry program that would echo around the world, they just set out to provide a ministry to people who were in need of God’s grace.

Jesus calls us to serve others, not to make a big splash. For ideas on how to serve others, you can consult Outreach Ministry in the 21st Century: The Encyclopedia of Practical Ideas, by Group Publishing. It is filled with simple ideas to help your church step into its neighborhood and provide service. These are ideas that churches of every size and age range can employ.

The key is to start taking concrete actions to touch the lives of others. Once you are in motion, God will guide you along your congregation’s path. And that’s when the journey really starts!