I remember hearing someone (Leonard Sweet?) once talk about Jesus’ primary tasks. And recently, while reviewing Missional Church (which I recently wrote about), I came across this quote:
… three main tasks of Jesus before his crucifixion: preaching, teaching, and healing (133).
Preaching. Teaching. And healing.
I view preaching as proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, telling people where they can find hope — eternal hope!
Teaching involves equipping people to live out God’s plan for their lives. While Jesus may be noted most for his healing ministry, teaching was a significant part of his life. In fact, most of Jesus’ ministry was spent pouring his life into his closest followers who became leaders in the Church after his resurrection.
Finally, the gospels are full of stories about Jesus’ healing ministry. Healing is about restoration, restoration of body and soul. Today, the work of the Church is the work of restoration — restoring people, through Jesus Christ, in the image of God in which they were created and intended to live.
I don’t believe these tasks are limited to pastors. Rather, these are the tasks of all Christ-followers. Each of us is responsible for telling others where they can find hope, for helping people grow in Christ, and for seeking the restoration of the bodies and souls of others.
In a day when it’s so easy to lose focus in ministry, it’s helpful to remember the three main tasks of Jesus.