"Upon the whole, it is most important to mark the combination of these three Sections of Ministerial preparation--Study, Prayer, and Exercise. The omission of one of these, whichever it may be, weakens the practical influence of the rest. Study furnishes the materials--Prayer sanctifies them--Exercise makes a suitable distributive application of them to the several cases brought before us."Taken from Christian Ministry, page 67. This section on The View of the Christian Ministry focuses on "The Employment in the Cure of Souls," in other words, what the work is like that has eternal impact on others for the sake of Christ's Kingdom.
We all would do well to consider these three pillars of ministry preparation. Ministry should be your every-day occupation. Life ceases to become about ministry when Christ ceases to become your Master. In some way and somehow we tend to neglect study of the Word which "stores the mind," prayer to God Himself which "infuses a divine influence," and exercise of all that we have come to know about God's instruction which "carries out the resources into effective agency."
Where do you fall short in ministry? What is your personal plan for being committed to study, prayer, and exercise?
