Informal ministry

When you think of informal ministry, I imagine you think of what everyone does that is not working full-time in ministry haha! What does this really mean then and are we doing it? Technically we should all be thinking every day about how we can reach our friends, family, neighbors, or even people on the street, since it is what we are called to do in Matthew 28:19-20. But it is not always easy and nobody wants to be that guy that annoys everyone about church or God right?! So, this is how we land on informal ministry. It is just an idea of doing ministry but without dates or structure or much planning at all, just an intentional time with someone or a group of people doing something that is relevant and can build a relationship that leads to Jesus. For example, I have been playing disc golf once a week on a course in our city, I just show up and play with whoever is there. I am in a group of disc golfers as well, and I seek to play in their events or accept invitations to play with people when they ask. The last few times I have been out I have had the opportunity to share about Jesus because they always ask me what I do for work or why I am here. I usually keep it brief and ask them more questions to see if they open the door for a larger conversation. If not we enjoy the sport and I focus on getting to know them, in the end, it is God who will do the work. Is it ministry, of course, because there is an intention and end goal but it is nothing structured or organized and has to be done a certain way or I leave a church invite card. Sometimes I never see the person again, other times I bring friends who I know are not Christians and it helps open a lot of conversations. It can even be a great time to take out Christians who need help growing in their faith because there is less pressure than a one-on-one or group study. I think a lot of us could be doing informal ministry with our hobbies or free time but are not. If you have not intentionally shared your faith through something informal, I challenge you to do so. Even if you don't mention God or Jesus or the bible, you still can open doors to them through your actions, time, and love. Nayeli and I love to do informal ministry and it has opened a lot of doors for us, not only in conversations but in ministry that has led people to Jesus or growth in their faith.