1988 Miracle Yearbook

To Minister..• MINISTRY. What is it? Webster de- fines it as"the office or duties ofa minister." But what is a minister? And what does it mean to minister? Again turning to Webster, it is defined as "a diplomatic representative, an ambas- sador." And to minister is "to give aid or ser- vice." Thus a minister is a rep- resentative that aids or serves within the con- text of his minis- try, his chosen office. Well, that's all fine and official and governmen- tal. But what about those who aren't so official? What about those who arejust students at a small private college out in the middle of a cornfield? How can those students minister? How can those students be ministers? How can they make a difference? The answer is simple. They already are ministers!They were appointed the day Jesus Christ became their Savior. lie is the "higher office" they serve and to whom they are accountable. But there's one catch! Just because students are ministers doesn't mean that they're good ones. Any higher of- fice can be poorly or aptly represented. Christians don't have a choice about being a representative once they've chosen Jesus, but they can choose how to represent Him. Ministry need not be structured. Think of it: students minister for God when they sing His praises and trust Him. Stu- dents minister to each other when they take time to encourage, or when they give ofthemselves to aid a brother or sister. Or minis- try can be struc- tured. Students usher at the Fel- lowship, visit the jails, operate a pup- pet, or sing on a weekend traveling team. But whatever their chosen field or their chosen ministry, Christians must be careful not to have an officejust for the sake of the position or prestige it may bring. They must serve in their chosen capacity for one purpose only: to represent the "higher office" to the best of their abilities. As Christian stu- dents,they must be good ambassadors notfor personal gain but for His!This is the only way Cedarville will make the difference. 11 To minister is to make a difference...a differ- ence in the lives ofoth- ers. Cedarville empha- sizes this kind of ministry. ; Dana Lachmiller and Doug Cunningham paused for prayer with the rest of the college family. Day ofPrayer was held during winter and spring quarters. Steve Averitt paused for some quiet time, an important time for Steve and other members of traveling teams. Chapel is the center of a Cedarville College day. The outflow of students after chapel em- phasized the importance of daily attendance to all members of the college family.