Two Important Ministry Priorities

Thought: The Apostle Paul was finishing his earthly race, but Timothy needed to take the baton and keep on running. He needed to faithfully fulfill his ministry. 2 Timothy is filled with directives, exhortations, instructions and words of testimony written to encourage Timothy to run his race well. This specific, succinct text clearly presents two priority concerns of the apostle for his son in the faith, Timothy, and these priorities need to be priorities for those involved in similar pastoral and leadership ministries today.

1) Be Strengthened by Dynamic Grace 
“Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (v. 1). Timothy could not fulfill his ministry on his own. He needed dynamic grace. Paul’s directive to Timothy comes in light of his own challenges, sufferings and experience in ministry. At the same time, Paul knew what Timothy was facing and what he would face in the hard times ahead (2 Tim. 2:3, 3:1-5, 4:3-5). Grace was sufficient for Paul in the midst of suffering (2 Cor. 12:1-10), and it would be needed by Timothy.

In short, we still desperately need this dynamic grace today. The source of dynamic grace is very important to note; it “is in Christ Jesus.” Paul exhorted Timothy not to seek artificial or alternative sources for true strength for life and service, and we should not either. What we need is found in our Lord Himself, our sufficiency is in Christ. Whatever practical and personal helps we have or find, they will not substitute for the resource of divine grace in Christ Himself.

Timothy was to experience dynamic grace as an act of willful dependence; he was to be strengthened by the Lord. This strength would be necessary for the tasks and trials that he was to face, and the same is true for us today. Being strengthened by dynamic grace needs to be a priority concern for us as we seek to serve the Lord.

2) Be Focused on a Definite Goal
“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (v. 2). The definite goal focuses on the passing on of truth (“things that you have heard from me”). Timothy was not to keep the truth or the ministry of the truth to himself. These “things,” the truths and practices that Timothy had learned from Paul, were now to be passed on to others. These others were to be “faithful men” with an ability to “teach others also.”

The vision is one of truth and ministry multiplication. The call or directive is to “commit these things” that Timothy has learned to faithful men. This was not to be a casual process; this was to be a mandated ministry of entrusting truth purposefully and specifically. This directive stands alongside of other challenges that Paul gave Timothy. Timothy needed to “stir up the gift of God” that was in him (2 Tim. 1:7), he needed to “hold fast the pattern of sound words” that he had received (2 Tim. 1:13), he need to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15), and ultimately he needed to “preach the word” himself (2 Tim 4:2).

Within the context of his ministry, though, Timothy needed to give priority to the practice of mentoring and training others to further the ministry of the word. We need to hear this today in the midst of the various activities that demand or call for attention.

Thrust: May dynamic grace empower us to fulfill the definite goal of multiplying ministry and furthering the truth of God’s Word.

David L. Olford teaches expository preaching at Union
University’s Stephen Olford Center in Memphis, Tennessee.