So I am a woman, who is a Christian, who loves to be a part of women’s Bible studies. I used to think that meant that I should be actively involved in a women’s ministry. But I haven’t always been sure of what women’s ministry should entail. And one theological concern that has been nagging away at me is the whole use of this word “ministry.”

It seems that everyone in the church needs to be a part of some kind of niche ministry these days and women’s ministry is the queen of them all. As Protestants, we believe that Jesus is our only mediator between believers and God and that by grace we are all gifted with his Holy Spirit. And since Scripture tells us that each Christian is given spiritual gifts to serve Christ’s body, we have developed a popular manner of thinking about every member ministry. It seems like a simple matter of stewardship of our gifts, right? So now we talk about my ministry and your ministry, Randy’s ministry and women’s ministry. With all this excitement to serve with our gifts, I’m afraid that we may have lost the value of the ministry.

I am talking about the ministry of the Word and sacrament, administered by particular people ordained in the office of ministry. Michael Horton has written on the topic of every member ministry on occasion in a helpful way. In The Christian Faith he spends some time critiquing some of the newer translation’s of Ephesians 4:11-12:

However, there are good reasons for preferring the older translations (for example, the King James version), which render the verses, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

 

Reflecting the actual construction of the Greek, the older translation draws three lines of purpose clauses for the offices given that newer translations obscure. The same officers who are given for the completion (not equipping) of the saints are also given for the work of the ministry and edification of the body. On this reading, Christ has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers for the ministry of the Word that brings the whole body to unity, maturity, and completion in the truth. This is not to say that the body is complete in and through these offices alone, for there are other gifts mentioned elsewhere (esp. Ro 12 and 1Co 12). However, the focus here is restricted to that work of bringing unity and maturity to the body through sound doctrine…