loving ministry more than life

chapter twenty-three of the purifying power of living by faith in future grace by john piper is titled "loving ministry more than life." below are quotes from this chapter.

according to the New Testament, "ministry" is what all christians do. pastors have the job of equipping the saints for the work of ministry. but ordinary christians do the ministry. what ministry looks like is as varied as christians are varied. it's not an office; it's a lifestyle devoted to advancing other people's faith and holiness. in this sense the only life that counts for anything is a life of ministry...fulfilling your ministry is more important than staying alive. ...this conviction is what makes the lives of radically devoted people so inspiring to watch.

doing the ministry that God gives us to do is more important than life.

the grace of power bears witness to the grace of truth. this is not the performance of gratitude for what is past; it is the performance of faith in what is future.

the purpose of spiritual gifts is to receive and dispense the future grace of God to those needs.

someone will be positioned to benefit from your words...if you put your faith in future grace and serve in the strength that God supplies, you will become a channel of that grace.

...when it comes - to you and through you - the satisfaction is so deep, you will know why you were created and why you were called.

prayer is the form of faith that connects us today with the grace that will make us adequate for tomorrow's ministry.

...ministry is given as freely and as sovereignly and as graciously as the first experience of mercy that we received in salvation.