It’s 10:30 pm when the phone rings. The voice on the other end sounds frightened.

It’s Lindsay, the new neighbor, who moved in recently. We stopped by to introduce ourselves two months ago as the family was moving in and exchanged phone numbers. We have not had contact since. What’s going on? Lindsay explains she is home alone with her two pre-school children and she is scared. Her husband has not returned from work yet.

There are noises outside the house. It sounds like someone is trying to break in. “Could someone drive by the house and see if there is anyone outside?”

My wife and I come right over. We don’t see anyone outside the house. We call to tell her we are coming to the door so she will not panic. My wife goes in to reassure her while I walk around the house.

The intruder has gone. He left a tell-tale mess of spilled garbage. I’m not sure if it was a raccoon or a panther but there was no danger. Lindsay sighed in relief.

Fast forward to Sunday. I am reading the church bulletin. Inside I find a list of ministry needs and opportunities – Teach Sunday School, Lead Bible study, Help with VBS, Short term mission trip to Guatemala, etc.

I reflect. These are wonderful ministries. BUT wait! Something doesn’t seem right. Is this all there is to ministry? I get the impression that in order to be ministry, my effort has to be on the church calendar and part of a church program. What about helping a neighbor? Or, helping a student with his studies? Or, making sure my work is done in a God-honoring way? Where does that fit in?

If we only see ministry as something that we can schedule, or program, then we have a very incomplete picture.

The notion that things that happen in the church, or are part of a church program, are ministry and that the rest are not, is false. In part this is a result of the old Greek idea that some activities are sacred and others are secular. This needs to be challenged and corrected.

I believe there is another reason for this misconception. We only need to look at the stories we tell and the heroes we praise in church for the answer. Christians will practice the activities that are recognized and appreciated in the church. When was the last time someone was recognized for helping a neighbor, or conducting his business in a God-honoring way, unless it was part of a formal church program? Instead we have the VBS leaders and the Sunday School teachers recognized from the platform. We have a mission team do a presentation when they return from their trip. These are exciting to report and they should be reported. But if we only tell these kinds of stories we fail to show people that ministry can happen in the everyday pathways of life too.

The Church needs to tell the stories about how God uses everyday activities that come along as teaching moments to share faith in natural everyday settings. In that way she will be showing Christians how to take Christ into every corner of their lives – their homes, their communities and their workplace.

Ministry is a lifestyle choice, not a scheduling choice. It is about the relationships we create. It’s about  bringing God’s blessing to those he puts in our way.

Matt 5.16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.