50 Bible Verses about Ministry, Qualifications For

The LORD did not set his love on you, nor choose you, because you were more in number than any people; for you were the fewest of all peoples: but because the LORD loves you, and because he would keep the oath which he swore to your fathers, has the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out from before you, saying, "For my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land"; because the LORD drives them out before you because of the wickedness of these nations. Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

But God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise. And God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong. And God chose the lowly of the world, and the despised, what is considered to be nothing, to bring to nothing what is considered to be something, that no flesh might boast before God.

Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

He said to him, "O Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."

Saul answered, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me like this?"

David said to Saul, "Who am I, and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?"

Now, LORD my God, you have made your servant king instead of David my father. I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.

Then I said, "Woe is me. For I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD. Behold, I do not know how to speak; for I am a child."

The LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, "Samuel. Samuel." Then Samuel said, "Speak; for your servant hears."

I heard the Lord's voice, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am. Send me."

Now faith is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see. For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done what you asked me to do. Please arise, sit and eat of my venison, that your soul may bless me." Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He said, "Because the LORD your God gave me success." Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not."read more.
Jacob went near to Isaac his father. He felt him, and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy, like his brother, Esau's hands. So he blessed him. He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He said, "I am."

The LORD said to Moses, "Go up into this mountain of Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel. When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered; because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the waters before their eyes." (These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)

David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in to him, and he lay with her (for she was purified from her uncleanness); and she returned to her house.

The LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not obey that which the LORD commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.read more.
Notwithstanding I will not do it in your days, for David your father's sake; but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen."

And he called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;read more.
Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

And he appointed twelve, designating them apostles, and that he might send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out demons. And he appointed the Twelve. And to Simon he gave the name Peter;read more.
and James the son of Zebedee; and John the brother of James (and he surnamed them Boanerges which means, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James; John; Philip; Bartholomew;read more.
Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who also became a traitor.

But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the sons of Israel.

Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,

But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;read more.
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. So then death works in us, but life in you.

By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.

However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience, for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Diaspora: Greetings.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Good News of God,

This is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things which must happen soon, which he sent and made known by his angel to his servant, John,

of which I was made a servant, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.

if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church that is at Cenchreae,

Now I beg you, brothers (you know the house of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have set themselves to serve the saints),

It is indeed unnecessary for me to write to you concerning the service to the saints,

But that you also may know my affairs, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will make known to you all things;

even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on your behalf,

who also made us sufficient as servants of a New Covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we do not faint.

So the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables. Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word."

But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;

to take part in this ministry and office of apostle from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place."

(for he who appointed Peter to be an apostle of the circumcision appointed me also to the Gentiles);

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

"Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Therefore select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

The overseer therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, modest, hospitable, good at teaching; not a drunkard, not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money; one who rules his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence;read more.
(but if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?) not a new convert, lest being puffed up he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have good testimony from those who are outside, to avoid falling into reproach and the snare of the devil.

For the overseer must be blameless, as God's steward; not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain; but given to hospitality, as a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled; holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.

Servants, in the same way, must be reverent, not double-tongued, not devoted to a lot of wine, not greedy for money; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Let them also first be tested; then let them serve if they are blameless.read more.
Their wives in the same way must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let servants be husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well gain for themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

But you, man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.