Growth in service
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III speaks in this lecture about “growth in service” and sees that the nature of successful service is that it continually grows, and that lack of growth is a sign of a defect in the service.
Growth of ministry in multiple aspects
He explains that growth is not only in numbers, but in spirit: the growth of the servant himself in love of God, knowledge, and practice of service; the growth of those served in their attendance to the sacraments and holiness; and growth in the quality of work, means of clarification, and services for the poor.
Physical, spatial, and spiritual growth
He points out that service also grows in terms of place and surroundings; the church should serve neighboring neighborhoods, towns and villages without churches, and open branches and services in schools, universities, and popular districts.
The servant’s spreading spirit
He urges the servant not to limit his work to one class or a narrow circle, but to have a spirit of service that extends to everyone he contacts — at home, at work, among neighbors — so that his spiritual personality affects others and bears fruit in their lives.
Previous examples and continuous growth
He cites Paul, Mark, and founders of service schools as examples of servants whose ministry extended to many countries and schools, and he encourages servants to have holy zeal, exert effort, and dedicate time to the Lord.
Self-examination and a call to action
His Holiness calls every servant to examine himself not only for faithfulness, but for growth: Is my ministry growing? Do I seek and bring back the lost? Have I turned information into life? Growth in ministry is a necessity and a goal to always pursue.
Simple spiritual conclusion
The spiritual message is that true ministry is life; it grows from within the servant first and then appears outwardly in love for people, attracting the lost, and serving the needy — every growth is a fruit of the work of God’s Spirit in the Church.
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