The call to ministry is one believers are actively called into by God, and through Christ we are given the ability to do so, serving out of a heart overflowing with the blessings that come from the grace of God and not out of the outward working of man.
One hears the word ministry and thinks usually of preaching, teaching, counselling, worship leading, or any activity that is involved in church affairs. But ministry is not, at its core, a matter of outward service, but must manifest first from an inward revelation that Jesus has reconciled us so that we might serve others in love.
2 Corinthians 5:18 tells us, "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." The word ministry used in this context and one that carried through the propagation of the gospel by the early church was the Greek word diakonía which is more accurately translated as active service often done out of a voluntary heart.
To so many Christians today, ministry has become a duty to be fulfilled and no longer a joy to be performed. We serve God and the church thinking that we must do so to gain His favour or the favour of pastors and church leaders. This is not the essence of ministry. Ministry is also not a way to try to pay back God for the grace He has lavished upon us. If so, we would work for all of eternity and never be able to pay back our debts to God!
So why do we do ministry, both voluntary and vocational? Is it just so that the house of God will have people to pursue the mission? Might be so, but I don't think God needs our help in the first place.
2 Corinthians 5:8a tells us best why we do what we do: "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us..." The heart of ministry is diakonía or active service out of a voluntary heart knowing that we are already blessed. Ministry is outflow work because we work not because we're empty and need something from God, but because we have already been blessed through Christ and we now serve because we are blessed.
Believers do ministry not because we want to be blessed, but because we are already blessed, and as a result we serve and love God and others. We obey Jesus' great command when we do ministry. We express love for God through ministry as we worship Him with our service and we express love for others as we preach, teach, sing, scrub toilets, usher, administrate and serve.
