It’s funny how you’ll be living your own life, minding your own business, and before you know it, there is a big fish on your plate and you have to work your way through it.
God knows I’ve never really been drawn to the more visible side of Christianity. I’ve never been the type to seek a stage, host big events, preach in 10 different churches within the span of 5 months, or have my name/face on every flyer there is…
And just to be clear: I’m not criticizing those who do!! God uses people in different ways, and there are people who are genuinely called to that kind of ministry. They have gifts that allow them to serve Him in ways that I personally would not be comfortable with.
I’m just saying that has never been my personality. I’m the quiet type who wants to serve my God, do what He asks of me, and live my life in peace. That’s partly why ministry has always sounded a little scary to me.
I remember once telling God that if He really wanted me to do ministry, He should let me see the fun side of it. I know the work of God is a serious thing, and it won’t always be fun otherwise, it wouldn’t be “work” but I wanted to be passionate about whatever ministry I would eventually end up doing. I’ve seen enough of the rough side of it so I wanted to enjoy myself a bit.
Since then, He has been sending me on various side quests, and honestly, it’s not all that bad.
One of these random side quests was recently becoming a board member of the Antwerpse Raad van Kerken (ARK).
Before I explain what the Antwerpse Raad van Kerken is, I need to explain where I came from.
I am part of a local church (Due Season Ministries) that belongs to the Verbond van Vlaamse Pinkstergemeenten (VVP). The VVP is a network of different Pentecostal churches in Flanders and Brussels. It connects around 80 churches that share a Pentecostal identity and want to walk together in faith, mission, and service.
When the chairman of the VVP asked me to represent them in the Antwerpse Raad van Kerken (ARK), my first instinct was honestly to run away. Life was already overwhelming with my full-time job, school on the side, being a youth leader, maintaining this blog, co-hosting a podcast and helping Cross Connect get started.
But after some discussions, lots of prayers, and careful consideration, I decided to give it a try on a probationary basis.
I had never heard of the ARK before. It sounded extremely high-level, and let’s be honest, I wasn’t exactly the most knowledgeable person when it came to church structures.
To top it off, I wasn’t just representing my local church. I was representing a broader body; a wider family of churches and that was a little intimidating. Oh and to add to it; I’m the youngest (the baby of the group).
What is the Antwerpse Raad van Kerken?
The ARK is a place where different Christian traditions in Antwerp come together.
To explain it simply:
Antwerp has many churches with different histories, styles, and traditions. Some are Protestant, some Pentecostal, some Catholic, some Orthodox, and many others. The ARK creates a space where representatives of these churches can meet each other, learn from each other, pray together, start initiatives, and look for ways to serve the city of Antwerp together.
Together, the ARK brings together around 120 local churches and communities, represented through different church groups.
So when I sit at that table, I am sitting alongside people who represent many different expressions of Christianity in Antwerp.
Ministry isn’t one size fits all
The interesting thing is that when I imagine ministry; this isn’t something that would cross my mind. It’s quite bureaucratic, you need a large network (every meeting I hear a new name and can barely keep up), and you need to understand your own denomination and how it differs from others.
There is a lot to learn, there is no stage, no microphone, and no spotlight. Just people representing others while also bringing their own personal experiences and perspectives to the table.
And yet, this is also an important gathering beneficial to the body of Christ. Because when Christians from different backgrounds choose to listen, cooperate, and serve together, that is also ministry.
The Kingdom of God is bigger than one church, one denomination, or one person’s idea of ministry.
It’s unfortunate how we Christians sometimes get so caught up in our own doctrine that we forget to see the similarities we share with other denominations. We forget that there is always something we can learn from one another.
Ultimately, we serve the same God. We may worship differently, have different traditions, and emphasize different things, but we are still part of the same body of Christ.
More recently, we (the ARK) have been brainstorming how to hold monthly prayer meetings in Antwerp where all denominations can come together. Honestly, this is such an amazing project, especially for those who grew up in one single church their entire lives.
Come and see how Catholics pray, listen to how Anglicans worship and get to know an Orthodox brother or sister in Christ.
Leave your own bubble and discover that the Kingdom of God isn’t limited to one denomination.
God did answer my prayer; I’m honestly having fun with all these quests and projects. I have an inkling of where this journey is taking me, but I can’t fully picture it in its entirety yet.
Maybe, just maybe, I have found my own niche in this journey of serving God. And who knows what the next side quest will be?
So in case you want to serve God in ways other than standing on the altar before men; know that they’re a million ways to go about it; find out your strengths, interests, talents….and most importantly grab the opportunity when it comes by.
Stay Blessed x
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