The Equipping Ministry, Student Workbook, SW15

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T H E E Q U I P P I N G M I N I S T R Y

Spirit of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16.7-11), no fruit will be borne. All the essential interior transforming grace must come from God, and not from us. This, of course, does not mean that we do not continue to prepare ourselves and others for the work of the ministry. What it does suggest, however, is that we recognize what must occur before fruit can be borne for God. See Paul’s good wisdom in 1 Corinthians: 1 Cor. 3.5-9 - What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8] He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [9] For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. In preparing for ministry we face many barriers, difficulties, and challenges, but the god of this age is an enemy of a different sort, one which only our triune God can face and overcome. Let us depend evermore on him to do what he alone can do—unveil the minds of unbelievers so they, like us, can see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. After reciting and/or singing the Nicene Creed (located in the Appendix), pray the following prayer: Eternal, faithful God, we pray for our pastor. Grant him grace to speak boldly that he may proclaim thy Word unafraid, in season and out of season, and be a faithful steward of thy mysteries. Hold him fast to the one thing needful and give him strength for his ministry. And open thou our hearts, that we may gladly hear thy Word and never weary in the doing of thy holy will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Nicene Creed and Prayer

~John W. Doberstein, ed. A Lutheran Prayer Book . Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1960. p 100.