If you asked my team what ministry in Bulgaria has looked like this summer, we would probably all have different answers. The Lord has worked in and through each of us in unique ways. I think the one thing that has been universal in our experience is that it has encompassed so much more than we expected. Our time in Bulgaria thus far has opened our eyes to the vast diversity of fields of ministry in the kingdom of God.
As college students on a mission trip, it seemed clear to each of us that we would be filling the role of “missionary” this summer. However, it wasn’t until our boots were on the ground in Sofia that we realized the wide range of ministries this label can encompass. From helping with kids’ camps and serving in nursing homes to participating in church small groups and evangelizing to strangers in parks, it really feels like we have done it all this summer.
When engaging in such a variety of ministries, it can be easy to fall into the trap of comparison—specifically, comparing one ministry to another. We have had challenging moments when a seeming lack of fruit in one area has made it challenging for us to see ways God is moving in another area.
For example, we really didn’t see “results” from much of our evangelism to unbelievers at the beginning of the summer. It was discouraging to feel that we were failing in our primary duty of sharing the gospel. However, it was during one of these times of discouragement that a teammate pointed out the opportunities we’d had to work alongside the local Bulgarian believers. Though it may not have been in the way we had expected, God was using us to bring glory to Him by encouraging our brothers and sisters in the faith.
From that moment, we became more intentional about asking God to open our eyes to see the ways He was moving. We began adopting the mindset of viewing everything as a ministry for the kingdom of God, rather than confining ourselves to only working through evangelism to unbelievers. As God has continued to show us the different ways He is using us, it has become clear that there are many different fields of ministry among God’s people.
While different areas of our ministry may flourish at different times, each is important to the mission of God. We are learning to be careful to not dismiss the growth happening in one field based on our human judgement of its value. We are beginning to recognize that the focus is not which fields are doing the best, but that there are laborers working for the kingdom in all fields.
As stated in Luke 10:2, we must continually pray for the Lord to send laborers into His many fields of ministry.
Emma Campbell is a Ten2 storyteller with Greater Europe Mission and serves in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Ruth Coleman is a Ten2 volunteer with Greater Europe Mission and serves in Sofia, Bulgaria.