{"id":5798,"date":"2019-01-21T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2019-01-21T13:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trainchurchleaders.com\/practicum\/?p=5798"},"modified":"2025-06-30T15:24:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:24:08","slug":"tools-of-the-holy-spirit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trainchurchleaders.com\/practicum\/tools-of-the-holy-spirit.htm","title":{"rendered":"Job Descriptions as Tools of the Holy Spirit?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TheWe need to yield to and rely on the Holy Spirit<\/a> if we’re going to use tools like job descriptions in ways that get us beyond mere secular business practices. The Spirit provides the power that enables us to line up all we do with the basics of life in Christ for it is His role to direct our steps toward our Lord Jesus (Jn. 15:26). For job descriptions to accomplish an eternal purpose, we need the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

Job Descriptions that are Tools of the Holy Spirit Must Line Up with the Basics of Life in Christ<\/h2>\n

Some of the basics of life in Christ include the following as they relate to job descriptions. (If you scroll down to ‘Related Posts’ you will find articles about each of these basics.) Notice the Holy Spirit’s role in helping us toward this end.<\/p>\n

1) Job Descriptions need to reflect our purpose to love God and love people, the Greatest Commandments.<\/p>\n

To get beyond mere intent written on a piece of paper, we need the Holy Spirit to work in hearts to generate such love. Handing people a job description with the expectation of alignment with this purpose needs to be coupled with constant prayer that they walk in the Spirit so their ministry bears the fruit of love for God and those they serve.<\/p>\n

God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Rom. 5:5)<\/p>\n

But the fruit of the Spirit is love … (Gal. 5:22)<\/p>\n

your love in the Spirit (Col. 1:8)<\/p>\n

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Tim. 1:7)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2) Job Descriptions need to align with God’s design for Body Life.<\/p>\n

If you leaf through job descriptions for various ministries, you should find quite a bit of diversity needed to effectively function according to God’s purpose and design for the Church. Without the Holy Spirit bringing unity out of such diversity, we’ll have a hard time serving interdependently with attitudes of humility that enable us to align with God’s design for the Church. We mustn’t rely on our own skills as leaders to unite people.<\/p>\n

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. … Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7)<\/p>\n

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:3)<\/p>\n

…stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel … (Phil. 1:27)<\/p>\n

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Phil. 2:1-2)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3) Job Descriptions should emphasize ministry, under the Lord’s leadership, no matter how task-oriented or behind-the-scenes the responsibility might be.<\/p>\n

Jesus’ Great Commission makes it clear that all believers serve under His authority. And, everyone should view their role as making disciples not just those with “outreach” or “disciple-making” in the position title on their job descriptions, nor just those with more upfront or people-oriented ministries. The Spirit enables us to take ministry to higher levels than simply the accomplishment of a task.<\/p>\n

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses … (Acts 1:8)<\/p>\n

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matt. 28:19-20)<\/p>\n

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Cor. 3:3)<\/p>\n

… because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. (1 Thess. 1:5)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4) Job Descriptions must be used in ways that reflect Christ-like character.<\/p>\n

We must get beyond merely describing what people should do in their ministries to who they should be … Christ-like qualities, not just personal strengths. And, leaders must exercise Christ-like character in the development and use of job descriptions so as to arrive at God’s intent, not to merely accomplish an administrative task. Walking in the Spirit is our only guarantee of serving with God’s heart as reflected in Christ Jesus.<\/p>\n

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16)<\/p>\n

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)<\/p>\n

… the sanctifying work of the Spirit … (1 Pet. 1:2)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

5) Job Descriptions shouldn’t be written in a way that suggests ministry happens through human effort.<\/p>\n

Jesus clearly stated that apart from Him we can do nothing of eternal value (Jn. 15:5) so it doesn’t make sense to write job descriptions as though the ministry depends on us. We need to pull on God’s power to speak His message and to do His will. The Holy Spirit enables us, helping us not only know what to do but how to do it. And, He then empowers us to accomplish it to the glory of God and the building up of His people.<\/p>\n

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Cor. 2:4-5)<\/p>\n

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, … (Col. 1:9)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Clearly, ministry requires the power of the Holy Spirit to work within us as leaders and within those we recruit to serve within the Church. Let’s be careful not to quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19), even in simple things like the writing and use of job descriptions. Rather, may they be tools of the Holy Spirit … that through which the Spirit is pleased to work.<\/p>\n

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