Part III: The Man and His Work

The New Testament, as we have seen, has much to say about the ministry with its many aspects, many elements, many demands, many difficulties, many sorrows, many responsibilities, many encouragements, many joys. But perhaps the one word which sums up most of the New Testament teaching about ministry is the Pauline word t/caz/o?, which is rendered ’ sufficient ’ in the Authorized Version, and means ’ competent,’ enough.’ It describes the ministry which is capable, competent, because it has ’ enough ’ of capacity, power, grace; the ministry which is efficient because it has sufficient. The corresponding substantive Ixavor, suggests ’ competence,’ and the verb IKUVOU), ’ to make competent, to render efficient by providing a sufficiency.

Now with the view of gathering together the various lines of suggestion made in the foregoing chapters, and of concentrating attention on the essential elements of all true ministerial life and work, character and service, it is proposed to dwell on some of the aspects of an ideal ministry, an ideal drawn largely and indeed almost exclusively from the New Testament. It is well, if not essential, to have an ideal with which to start, if we are to succeed.