Our Thesis
Where did this all begin? By “this”, I don’t just mean this ministry, but something much more profound: you and me, our calling, the idea of ministry itself. Back in the literal beginning of time, there was God — three in one — living in perfect unity with Himself. Yet, since love always seeks to give and express itself, the Father desired to create objects of love upon which He could express Himself in all His goodness. Then man fell; sin, the devil, and pain were all introduced into the world. But through it all, God’s heart remained steadfast. He continued to ask, “How can I express My love upon My creation?” The preeminent expression of this love came through His Son, Jesus Christ. The cross is not some religious token, but the manifesto of Love itself! Love never fails--and the Father did not fail us, though we had failed Him. He was committed to expressing love despite our weakness. This is the beauty of the cross! This was God’s ministry! His ministry was love, sacrifice, holiness, power, all expressed in His son. Therefore, true ministry must partner with these same things. “Ministry” is the partnership of a believer with the heart of God to express His desire.
+ Our Blueprint
We use the following scripture as our blueprint for our ministry:
“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe….” (Eph. 1:16-20)
Towards this end, Workers for joy exists for:
- PROPHECY – Don’t let the word scare you; prophecy is simply the ability to connect with the heart of God to deliver His thoughts into any situation (a NOW word)! Don’t we all want to be led by His Spirit? We move regularly in prophecy because it is His desire. We believe in equipping people in hearing God's voice and spiritual discernment. This is biblical perception (vs 17-18).
- POWER – Power is the grace of God to bring the kingdom of God into the world. When we say "power", we are speaking of the power Jesus promised in Acts 1:8. This is not some impersonal force, but the promised Holy Spirit Himself. We seek to demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s will to reverse the effects of evil in the world today (from a true miracle to an act of kindness done from His heart). We believe the gifts of the Spirit destroy the works of the devil and impact people for joy. His power toward us is immeasurably great and He wants to express it to the world (vs 18-19).
- PURPOSE – Purpose is the result of understanding God-given identity. Our purpose is to teach, disciple, and train in hope, (which brings joy) so that people see the way Jesus does. When this happens, people come into maturity and identity. Teaching on relationships, character, and each person’s unique identity fulfills our mission. This is biblical discipleship and how we see Jesus equipping His body for the work of His ministry (vs 18-19).
Prophecy, Power, and Purpose are the ways the Holy Spirit uses us to minister to the body of Christ. It is upon these principles from Ephesians that Workers for Joy is founded. You can expect these things when experiencing our ministry. We have an unending commitment to the Glory of God by partnering with Him for your joy!
+ Our When and How
We minister in a variety of settings through various means, including:
Discipleship and mentoring
Marriage counseling
Teaching classes on a regular basis
Leading our annual School of Supernatural Identity
Equipping weekends at churches
Evangelism outreaches and encounters
Leading a local house church
The variety of settings reflects our relational heartbeat. We invest so much time in people one-on-one because this is how discipleship and transformation take place. We are committed to teaching and sowing into our local community on an ongoing basis because discipleship happens best in healthy community. These healthy communities are in turn the vehicle God uses to bring regional transformation. We strategically accept assignments to bring the grace on us and our region to other cities where we are relationally connected. The gospel must go to the ends of the earth, and this is how we respond to that call!
