7 Levels of Ministry Influence

The Holy Spirit loves us all equally, but He trusts us in proportion to our obedience. Every sincere believer wants to be trusted and used by the Lord. So what’s the first step? Being used by God is as simple as obeying God. Simply do what’s before you, and allow promotion to come from the Lord. 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NLT)

You will receive power when the Spirit comes upon you. What’s the purpose of that power? The purpose of that power is to turn you into a witness, one who shares the gospel. And as you are faithful in sharing the gospel, God is the One Who brings about the results. You do the possible, and God will do the impossible. You preach the gospel, and God will save the lost.

Now, notice that the Bible says, “in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The early Church spread the gospel first in the city of Jerusalem, then the regions of Judea and Samaria, and finally to the ends of the earth. 

Their influence grew gradually. So I believe it also goes with us.

These are the seven levels of ministry influence:

1. Personal

2. Corporate

3. Regional

4. National

5. Global

6. Generational 

7. Eternal

Personal influence first occurs in you, as the Holy Spirit works on your character and nature. He breaks the bondage of sin over your life and delivers you from demonic influence. That personal influence then begins to touch your loved ones. This is the initial stage of ministry impact.

Then the Spirit will raise you to become effective in a local body of believers, a local church, corporate influence. And, yes, a local church is Biblical. God creates systems - the solar system, your immune system, ecosystems, and so forth. Creation is filled with orderly systems that reflect the orderly nature of God. The church is no different. Yes, it’s organized, and, yes, that’s how God intended it. And it’s not possible to edify the body of Christ using your spiritual gifts outside of the context of the body of Christ, which is clearly described in the New Testament. And if you are faithful to serve in a local body of believers, God may raise you to have regional influence.

Regional influence is impact over a city or even a State or province. Likewise, national and global influence impact nations and the world.

Now, here I must stress that it’s important to think of ourselves soberly. Just because I preach in different States doesn’t mean I have national influence. Just because I have a list of countries on my preaching itinerary doesn’t mean I have national or global influence. National influence means that when I operate in my gift, nations shift. The same concept applies to global influence. Very few reach that level.

However, the level of your influence really is up to God. After all, it’s about His agenda, not our notoriety. So don’t concern yourself with how you’re raised. Just obey what God has spoken and leave promotion in His hands. How far you’ll go is none of your business. So don’t go after influence, go after obedience. 

And as we obey, we all can share in the collective impact of generational and eternal consequence. Just by living a holy life that glorifies God, you become the preservation of your generation - and generations beyond. And by simply sharing the gospel, you’re not just impacting lives; you’re impacting eternities. 

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