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Living Word School of Ministry
When Jesus was physically on this earth, there were times when He sent out his disciples to do the work of the ministry. Now, as then, the Lord cannot possibly reach all the broken and confused people in this world without some human help. We are laborers together with God. (1 Corinthians 3:9) The Lord has given us the responsibility of completing the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) Yet, the harvest remains plenteous, but the laborers are still insufficient.
In our world today, there is not a lack in church attendance or of professing Christians. We have an abundance of potential laborers sitting in our churches on Sunday or watching TV from the couch. As a pastor, my responsibility is to help move people out into the harvest field. The litmus test of a successful church should not be how many people are in the seats each week, but how many of those people are actually working in the harvest field.
Most Christians have come to see ministry as something that requires sending potential ministers to a distant Bible school in order to learn how to fulfill their calling. This system has produced some fine ministers, however, it leaves the 95% of God's people who are not called to vocational ministry untrained. These Christians who are gifted by God for service and extraordinary exploits (like Stephen in Acts chapter 6) are sometimes left seeing those called to full-time vocational ministry as the ones who are called to do the work of the ministry. Yet, Ephesians chapter 4 makes it clear that the main purpose for those called to the ministry as a full-time vocation is to prepare all the saints for the work of the ministry. This is New Testament ministry - everyone is called; everyone is gifted; everyone should be fulfilling his specific call with his God given gifts.
Every Christian has a calling from God to serve at some level. Some want to become more proficient in what they are already doing in the local church. Others sense a leading to move into new areas of ministry within the Body but feel unqualified. Still others do have a call to full-time ministry, but because of their responsibilities here, cannot leave to attend Bible School. LWSM is for these people; people who want to grow personally and in ministry while maintaining their relationship and service to their local church and community of faith.
You do not need to be a member of Living Word Church to attend LWSM. Our desire is to train Christians for ministry, no matter where they attend church. For more information about LWSM and/or to receive a school prospectus, please contact our church office at 804-794-0040.
In our world today, there is not a lack in church attendance or of professing Christians. We have an abundance of potential laborers sitting in our churches on Sunday or watching TV from the couch. As a pastor, my responsibility is to help move people out into the harvest field. The litmus test of a successful church should not be how many people are in the seats each week, but how many of those people are actually working in the harvest field.
Most Christians have come to see ministry as something that requires sending potential ministers to a distant Bible school in order to learn how to fulfill their calling. This system has produced some fine ministers, however, it leaves the 95% of God's people who are not called to vocational ministry untrained. These Christians who are gifted by God for service and extraordinary exploits (like Stephen in Acts chapter 6) are sometimes left seeing those called to full-time vocational ministry as the ones who are called to do the work of the ministry. Yet, Ephesians chapter 4 makes it clear that the main purpose for those called to the ministry as a full-time vocation is to prepare all the saints for the work of the ministry. This is New Testament ministry - everyone is called; everyone is gifted; everyone should be fulfilling his specific call with his God given gifts.
Every Christian has a calling from God to serve at some level. Some want to become more proficient in what they are already doing in the local church. Others sense a leading to move into new areas of ministry within the Body but feel unqualified. Still others do have a call to full-time ministry, but because of their responsibilities here, cannot leave to attend Bible School. LWSM is for these people; people who want to grow personally and in ministry while maintaining their relationship and service to their local church and community of faith.
You do not need to be a member of Living Word Church to attend LWSM. Our desire is to train Christians for ministry, no matter where they attend church. For more information about LWSM and/or to receive a school prospectus, please contact our church office at 804-794-0040.
