How To Start a Ministry

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you."

Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

How to Start a Ministry

When deciding how to start a ministry, there are many things to consider.
Let's explore some of those considerations first as a starting point to making a plan for ministry.

"A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."
Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)

The American Heritage Dictionary defines "ministry" as:

the Christian clergy
the act of serving; ministration.
one that serves as a means; an instrumentality.

It comes from the Latin, ministerium, meaning servant.

"Christian" is defined as:

Professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following a religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus.
Manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus; Christlike.
Showing a loving concern for others; humane.

It comes from the Latin, Christus, meaning anointed.

As Christians, we serve the Lord. Ministry is a requisite to being a Christian, but is it our calling? To be an instrument of His peace and love,
and to do His will through ministry and helping others is a beautiful and fulfilling way to share your life!

What is your ministry? What are you good at? What is your passion? You must realize that your ministry will change and grow as it evolves, but
start with something you love and know well! How can you help others with your gift and your passion? I started God's Will Ministries as a
music ministry, and it evolved to include ALL the arts, addiction recovery help, children's relief services, scripture placement, and helping
others realize their own ministries! All from a love and a gift for music!

Now you have a basic idea of the point of your ministry. To know how to start a ministry is a wide open area. There are many ways and many
things you can do. Be creative! Use your gifts and know that what you are doing is being done to help others and ultimately, to glorify His name!

Most importantly, KNOW AND TRULY BELIEVE that He has called you in this way!

The information discussed here is general and meant to give you an idea of how to start a ministry. Here is a brief checklist of things to think
about as you move ahead:

Know AND Believe that you have been called! Prayer over this is essential! Scripture teaches us many times that all things are
possible through Christ!
Prepare- Scripture tells us that we can be destroyed for lack of knowledge. You must have vision AND knowledge!
Legal Considerations- Incorporate as a non-profit. Licensing requirements, if any. Accounting practices and procedures.
Support- Build a support team around you of people that you know have faith in the mission of the ministry. Your ministry family and
spiritual support are very important to your success!
Financing- This is a major area of concern for all ministries. Funding is necessary not only for your charitable programs, but for the day
to day operational costs of the ministry as well. Prayer goes well with this area of your ministry! We'll touch on some general financing
and fundraising ideas later.
Fellowship- As you learn how to start a ministry, keep in mind that a Christian ministry is also part of the body of Christ. The ministry is
a constant work in progress and must continually work with the whole body of Christ in order to survive. Patience, determination and
unyielding faith are necessary elements for success.

We'll reference this checklist as we go along from here and set up the very basic framework for your ministry.

"We must have a spiritual understanding of ourselves.
With that understanding comes anointing.
With anointing comes maturity.

The maturity of knowing that we are responsible.
Responsible for the outcome of our actions and decisions.

Jesus died in order to give us these tools,
But it takes time to learn to use them."

Joe Quinn