Professional Documents
Culture Documents
B I B L I C A L K E Y S T O S T E WA R D I N G
AND GROWING MINISTRY
© 2020, David Hernandez Ministries. All rights reserved. – www.holyspiritschool.com – Version 3.6 (5/30/2020)
M I N I S T RY G ROW T H :
B I B L I C A L K E Y S T O S T E WA R D I N G
A N D G R OW I N G M I N I S T RY
I pray that the Holy Spirit would spark a fire in you, as you take
this course. May you know the privilege of a life laid down. May
your heart’s cry be, “Lord, spend me for your glory!”
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© 2020, David Hernandez Ministries. All rights reserved. – www.holyspiritschool.com
CALLED, PROVEN, PROCESSED, & COMMITTED
The Scriptures offer a clear pattern regarding the call to ministry—bypassing this
process is not an option if you desire to have success and longevity.
Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke. Then
I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people
with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” Then one of the seraphim flew
to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it
and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for
us?”
• Isaiah the prophet had an encounter with God before he was sent by God.
• There is a holy mark upon those who have been in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
• The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) teaches us that we should be doing something for
God right now - while we await more specific instructions.
A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee,
repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their
father behind. Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the
Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far
as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if
they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Large crowds followed him wherever he
went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.
• The crowds followed Jesus for the miracles, but the disciples followed Him for so much more.
• The disciples followed Jesus immediately after Jesus had called them.
But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of
God.” – Luke 9:62 (NLT)
III. Elisha
So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were twelve teams of oxen in the field, and
Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and
then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my
father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have
done to you.” So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire
to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his
assistant. – 1 Kings 19:19-21 (NLT)
• Once he was called, Elisha burned his plow—he destroyed his means of returning to his former life.
• Although Elisha caught the garment, he still needed to be processed in order to receive the double
portion.
• The blessing and the problem with social media is that anyone can have a platform—and, because
anyone can have a platform, anyone can skip the process.
• Ministry, for the sake of popularity alone or gain alone, simply isn’t worth the spiritual battle; you have to
do ministry because you love the Lord, or you won’t last.
• Ministry will require sacrifice on your part - more than you might realize.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
• There are numerous New Testament verses that clearly demonstrate women in ministry.
For Example:
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. – Romans 16:1 (NLT)
UN COVER T H E T RUE
NATURE OF BIBLICAL
M INIST RY
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© 2020, David Hernandez Ministries. All rights reserved. – www.holyspiritschool.com
MINISTRY IS OVERFLOW, MISSION, AND SERVICE
#1 – MINISTRY IS OVERFLOW
“All true ministry is the overflow of your relationship with the Lord.”
The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they
could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized
them as men who had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:13 (NLT)
• “Before you can tell the world about Jesus, you must encounter Him yourself; otherwise,
you have nothing to say.”
The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he
will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!” Just then his disciples came
back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask,
“What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside
the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything
I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see
him. – John 4:25-30 (NLT)
• The woman at the well is an example of how an encounter with the Lord precedes
effective ministry.
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith
that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Jew and Gentile
are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For “Everyone
who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in
him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless
someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say,
“How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” – Romans 10:9-15 (NLT)
For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” – Luke 19:10 (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not
perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through
him. – John 3:16-17 (NLT)
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I
preach not the gospel! – 1 Corinthians 9:16 (KJV)
• You’ve heard it said, “Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words.” But, the Bible teaches us to declare
the message clearly, with words.
Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our
foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish
to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and
the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the
power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s
weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. – 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 (NLT)
#3 – MINISTRY IS SERVICE
There is a cost to following Jesus.
If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. – Matthew 10:39 (NLT)
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake. Then one
of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes
have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” Another of his
disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the
spiritually dead bury their own dead.” – Matthew 8:18-22 (NLT)
• In essence, Jesus was asking the teacher of religious law, “Do you really want the kind of life that
comes with following me?”
From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he
would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law.
He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began
to reprimand himk for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus
turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely
from a human point of view, not from God’s.” – Matthew 16:21-23 (KJV)
Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to
pray.” He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told
them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” He went on a little
farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken
away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep.
He said to Peter, “Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to
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YOU IMAGINE THAT YOU YOU BRAG ABOUT YOUR YOU NEED TO BE SEEN,
HAVE HATERS OPEN DOORS CELEBRATED, AND NOTICED
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YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME YOU CONSTANTLY SHOWCASE YOU IMAGINE THAT THE
RECEIVING CORRECTION YOUR TITLES PURPOSE OF GOD’S FAVOR IS
AND CRITICISM TO ELEVATE YOU
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YOU LOVE CROWDS YOU TAKE JOY IN OTHERS FAILING
BUT NOT PEOPLE AND SEE THEIR SUCCESS AS A THREAT
RECEIVE T HE K EYS TO
EM POWERED LEAD ERSH IP
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© 2020, David Hernandez Ministries. All rights reserved. – www.holyspiritschool.com
THERE ARE MANY FACETS TO DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE
MINISTRY—THESE EIGHT ARE FOUNDATIONAL
#1 – SPIRIT
Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my
Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s
way; it will become a level plain before him! And when Zerubbabel sets the final stone of the Temple in place,
the people will shout: ‘May God bless it! May God bless it!’” – Zechariah 4:6-7 (NLT)
• We must welcome the Holy Spirit, not just in our lives but also in our ministries.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling
people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” – Acts 1:8 (NLT)
• The Holy Spirit is not a liability; He’s the primary Builder of the Church.
• Jesus didn’t begin His ministry until after the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.
Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk
him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming
to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So
John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens
were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a
voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
– Matthew 3:13-16 (NLT)
But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will
send Him to you! – John 16:7 (NLT)
#2 – STRUCTURE
Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,“Clear the way through the wilderness for the LORD! Make a straight highway
through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth
out the rough places. Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has
spoken!” – Isaiah 40:3-5 (NLT)
But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. – 1 Corinthians 14:40 (NLT)
• Structure, though practical, is an important part of the ministry. In fact, all ministry is a harmonious blend of
both the practical and the spiritual.
#3 – STYLE
“Excellence is not having the best of everything but doing the best with everything you have.”
Then Moses told the people of Israel, “The LORD has specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur,
of the tribe of Judah. The LORD has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and
expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He
is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. And the
LORD has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach their skills
to others. The LORD has given them special skills as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple, and
scarlet thread on fine linen cloth, and weavers. They excel as craftsmen and as designers.
– Exodus 35:30-35 (NLT)
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and
the king thought to set him over the whole realm. – Daniel 6:3 (KJV)
#4 – SUBSTANCE
The Word of God is the substance of ministry.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in
our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. – 2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT)
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in
the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who
prospers in all he does. – Psalms 1:1-3 (NLT)
• Move beyond just knowing the Word superficially; know the Word in depth.
“The people of God want to know the Word of God. Those who preach the Word should know the Word
better than the average Christian. If you will give them the Word, they will come. Therefore, the Word of God
is key to growing true ministry.”
• In one way or another, whether obvious or subtle, your secret life shows.
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then
your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. – Matthew 6:6 (NLT)
• That which is done in secret, whether good or evil, has the most power over you.
“But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly,
whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms
will be proclaimed upon the housetops.” – Luke 12:2-3 (NLT)
• “Small” secret sins today, left unchecked, will destroy your ministry tomorrow.
• Your hidden life is the foundation of your future. What kind of foundation are you building?
#6 – SPECIFICITY
“In order to become dynamic, you must first become specific.” – Unknown
And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
– Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)
• “It’s better to do a few things with excellence than to do several things with mediocrity.”
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds
of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work
in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NLT)
• Identify your gifts, your calling, your area of grace—and then start moving.
#7 – SYNERGY
We all need a mentor, a friend, and disciples—reaching up, reaching out, reaching down.
• Your relationships and connections will help determine the distance you will go.
Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
– 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NLT)
• While being led of the Lord, select your team members based on character and compatibility.
#8 – SUSTAINABILITY
We must think long-term about ministry.
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they
saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been
given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands
I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
– Matthew 28:16-20 (NLT)
• Sadly, some of the most powerful ministries of all time have died with the founder. Don’t let that be the case with
you. There’s no reason why the ministry you steward shouldn’t go on to impact generation after generation.
This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.
– Acts 2:39 (NLT)
• Begin praying now about a successor—don’t think in terms of years; think in terms of generations.