Foreword

There is a ministry that is quietly responsible for the success of every other ministry in the church. It does not usually get preached about. Its members are rarely featured in the conference brochure. And yet without it, nothing else functions. I am talking about the Ministry of Helps — the Spirit-gifted, divinely appointed ministry of service that holds the local church together.

In 1 Corinthians 12:28, Paul lists the gifts God has placed in the church in order: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers — and then he lists "helps." The Ministry of Helps is in that list right alongside the most prominent gifts. It is not filler. It is not the ecclesiastical version of grunt work. It is a genuine Holy Spirit–empowered gifting, assigned to specific people, with a specific mandate, for a Kingdom purpose.

I wrote this book because I have watched helps ministry be undervalued, misunderstood, and abused — and because every one of those outcomes could have been prevented by a clear, biblical understanding of what helps ministry actually is. If you are serving in a local church in any capacity — sound, hospitality, security, children's ministry, administration, grounds — this book was written specifically for you. I want you to see your assignment through the eyes of Scripture. I want you to understand the anointing on it, the weight of it, and the reward that comes with it.

Serving faithfully is one of the highest callings in the Kingdom. Let me show you why.

Apostle Charles Mutuku