What are the bare minimum, absolutely necessary resources needed in order for us to have the most successful ministry possible? Another way to put it would be – Are there certain things (I’m mainly thinking tangible resources) we need in order to have a successful ministry? For example: do we need a church building? Like, is it definitely a requirement in order to be fully successful? If so, would you say that it has to be a particular kind of building, with specific features in a specific location? How about money – is money crucial? If so, how much money? How about personnel – talented and skilled personnel? How about advertising and marketing campaigns? Is it possible to max out your impact in the world without advertising? What about books or printed materials? What about cutting edge technology – live steam, audio and video? What about acceptance into certain groups or networks?

If you were to sit down and make a list (which I encourage you to do so. Actually, maybe stop reading right here, make the list and then come back) of what you feel are all the absolutely necessary resources you would need as a baseline for being completely and fully successful, what would be on the list? 

My belief is that there is only ONE THING that should be on that list. It is not a building – unique or common; it’s not comfy chairs, bright stage lights or cool neon backdrop lights; it’s not money – massive amounts or pennies; it’s not gifted and skilled people at your bidding; it’s not a great band or awesome choir; it’s not instruments; it’s not talented administrators; it’s not a carefully planned out marketing campaign; it’s not facebook ads; it’s not sound equipment, recordings, screens, or a seamless, professional website. 

The one and only thing that is needed is this…a body. A human body.

Hebrews 10:5-7 “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”

We have to look no further than the example of the Lord Jesus Christ – the One who successfully accomplished all of the will of God…When Jesus came into the world what did He have? Nothing but a naked body. Did he fulfill the will of God as a baby and as a young child?

When Jesus entered into his public ministry, what did he have that made Him so successful? Did He gain possession of the great Temple in order to defeat the Pharisees? Did He amass a great army with the best weapons to defeat Pilate and the Romans? Did He have the coolest scrolls to teach from? Did he need a strong horse to ride on to accomplish his preaching itinerary? Did he need a centralized system of synagogues?

When Jesus performed the work of Redemption at the Cross, what did He need? Nothing but His body. He did the work on the Cross with absolutely nothing – He was even stripped of all His clothes. He didn’t need buildings, money, a paycheck, chairs, lights, recommendations, the right friends, music, advertisements, good weather, etc. All He needed to reconcile Mankind back to God was his flesh and blood, human body. 

What did He need in order to rise from the dead? His Body. He didn’t need lively music to rouse Him. He didn’t need great crowds to cheer Him on; only the power of God.

What did He need to ascend to the heavens and to sit down on the right hand of the Majesty on High? Only His Body. 

Now, is not all of this an example for us today, who desire to partner with Jesus in winning the world to Christ? If all Jesus needed was a body, if it was sufficient to shake the world and rattle the foundations of Hell itself, why would we think that we need all of these other things? The question to ponder is, “Are you relying too much on these earthly things in order to get the heavenly work accomplished that your Father has called you to?” “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3) 

Now, Jesus won the world – conquering sin, death and Hell – with his body. Of course, it was not any ordinary, common body, but rather a body consecrated, devoted to the will of God. He did not rely on a tall, striking body like Saul, or an unusually strong body such as Samoson. “…He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2) His life was powerful because the pure, dynamic, holy, power of God was flowing without measure through his physical “tabernacle.” But still, the point is, that all that was necessary on the physical, earthly level, was a human body. If this was good enough for Jesus, why would we lean on other, earthly, things for success?

Christian brother – Is your body yielded to God’s control? Is your mind surrendered to the Word of God? Is your will broken and surrendered to the Father’s will? Is your church ministry relying on the “seen things” in order to reach your area? Have you concluded that there is some kind of ministry that you cannot accomplish until you are able to acquire ___________ (fill in the blank). The level of success you are going to have for God is the level of surrender you have towards God. Period. Spiritual work is created by God alone, and He has chosen to do that work through His people – a body hast thou prepared me. 

Ephesians 1:22-23 “And [He, Jesus] hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church (His body, the people) by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Physical resources do not produce spiritual generation or spiritual growth.    

What is the work of the Church? It is to call dead men out of their slumber and raise them to spiritual life; to fan the flames of the Holy Spirit in God’s children, that they would revive again and again, burning with holiness, zeal and passionate love for God and man. What can we purchase that will accomplish these things? Nothing. The work of God is spiritual. The resources needed must all come from Heaven.

You don’t need a building. You don’t need funding. You don’t need anything that can be purchased or given by man. You need your body – body, soul and spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. There is no telling what you may accomplish in this world if you are truly yielded to Him, depending on Him completely, and not your own understanding and resources. If you are truly God’s son, no other person in the world has an advantage over you. You have full access to God. Love Him. Trust Him. Obey Him, and watch the power of God poured out through your life.   

I intentionally waited until the end of this to clarify that there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with the utilization of any kind of resource to do the will of God (provided that it is not sinful). Jesus utilized clay, donkeys, boats, buildings, houses, food, trees, etc. So it may absolutely be God’s perfect will for you to have a building, funds, personnel, vehicles, equipment, etc. The temptation (and it’s such a subtle yet powerful temptation) is to rely on those things instead of the power of God! 

I think a key observation in the life of Jesus is that all of the things He used were transitory, or gifts. They were not things that He actually bought and possessed, but were rather received by Him at the time and moment they needed to be used. He didn’t own them, control them and regularly rely upon them. He walked, moment by moment, by the Word of His Father. The power came through His Words and through His Hands – parts of His body. May our words, our hands, and our actions become more like His! 

May we search our own hearts, as well as the heart of our ministries, and see if there is anything we are relying upon to get the job done apart from the raw, unadulterated, pure power of the Word of God and the Spirit of God. 

God is looking for a Man – a surrendered man, with the Bible in his hand and the text burned in his heart; not comparing himself to any man other than Jesus; and not trying to be like any other man other than Jesus. Let’s watch this man turn the world right side up for the glory of God!   

“You never have to advertise a fire. Everyone comes running when there’s a fire. Likewise, if your church is on fire, you will not have to advertise it. The community will already know it.” – Leonard Ravenhill