We are living in a time where one of the most important things the Body of Christ is seeking is balance. This book is a must read for every pastor who desires for his church to properly grow in the perfection of God. It is also a must read for every child of God searching to discover their place within the church, while at the same time coming to an understanding of how to flow with their pastor and the vision that God has mandated him. The biblical examples that are taught and brought to life in this book will refresh and enlighten you on how you can achieve God’s best for your life. Rev. Buddy Bell is truly a pastor’s friend and gifted in bringing balance to the Body of Christ. I highly recom- mend every pastor and church staff members read Ministry of Helps, Volume 2 if they desire to see their church develop and grow in fulfilling its vision. Danny Sims Senior Pastor New Life Christian Fellowship Jackson, Mississippi When Buddy Bell says he is a “pastor’s friend,” he really is. When we first had Buddy minister in our church, we more than doubled our volunteer work staff. He helps people understand that their call to the helps ministry in the local church is vital and fulfilling. It blesses a pastor’s heart to see people doing life together, and everyone serving with joy in this community called the local church. I believe this book is Buddy’s best yet. His passion is clear through each story and each chapter for every believer not to tolerate church, but to really enjoy it and be a vital part of what God is doing today. Pastor Robert Barriger Camino De Vida Lima, Peru www.lifemissions.com The Ministry of Helps is the most overlooked, under- rated ministry in the church. Every year thousands of pastors leave the ministry. Most pastors quit because they are over worked and burned out. With a healthy “Ministry of Helps” at their disposal, this number would be considerably lower. Buddy Bell shares proven biblical principles that will help equip the local church to fulfill its God-given mandate while enjoying the experience. This book is a must read for leaders and lay people alike. Dr. Jim Willoughby Senior Pastor Echos of Faith World Outreach Ministries Ontario, CA R e v. Buddy Bell is a trail-blazing pioneer in the ministry of helps. He is a man who has brought great encouragement and purpose to the lives of multitudes of believers called to serve in this often unrecognized, but vitally important, ministry. He is truly a “pastor’s friend” who understands the importance of “every joint supplies.” This book is full of insights on the impor- tance of the ministry of helps in the local church. It showcases biblical examples of those who served as “ministers of help,” and is a delightful read marked with Rev. Bell’s trademark humor. Our church is indebted to him for laying the foundation of helps in the early years. Imagine a whole army of helpers and servers in a local church that is stirred, chal- lenged, and anointed. A church like that would glorify our Lord Jesus and shake the very foundations of hell! Joseph Prince Senior Pastor New Creation Church Singapore You hold in your hands the road map to an exciting future! Buddy Bell is a travel agent who has helped to send tens of thousands of people on a journey to a place far beyond the mundane. He will lead the way past the boundaries of just going through the motions. Pack your bags and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Countless churches have been transformed into launching pads for significant life-changing ministry through the leadership of Buddy Bell. On these pages you will begin to understand that Y O Uare a major key for your church to experience the greater things God wants to do. Thank the Lord for pastors and church leaders, but the transformation begins when every child of God begins to discover their place of service and ministry. I am thrilled that you are taking this step and moving beyond the past. Your journey begins TODAY! Read each word prayerfully and embrace the dream that God places in your heart! B. G. Nevitt Senior Pastor Decatur, Illinois www.gtChurch.com Buddy should have been a boxer because he knows how to knock some sense into the Body of Christ when it comes to the Ministry of Helps. His first book was mandatory reading when I started the ministry, and this book is definitely going to be another best seller. I’m so glad to have Buddy and Kathy as our close friends as we partner in teaching the Body of Christ. Get ready for the best 1, 2, combination that will change your ministry. Pastor Orlando Barela Household of Faith Family Church Orange, California “Every member a minister and every minister minis - tering” is the oft repeated mantra of churches today! This sounds great, but pastors everywhere still beg for volunteers while their church members either sit on the sidelines or attempt to become something, or someone, they’re not! How can we conquer the confusion? Buddy Bell has used his practical, down to earth, and often h u m o r o u s approach in thousands of churches to bridge the gap between “member” and “minister ministering.” Buddy simply, biblically, and powerfully explains and encourages church members in the true “ministry of h e l p s . ” This latest edition of Buddy’s teaching, T h e M i n i s t ry of Helps, Volume 2, will prompt believers to launch exciting but authentic ministries within their local c h u r c h . Get ready, pastor! This book will position you for ministry multiplication, growth, and advancement! Pastor David Brown Victory Church Amarillo, TX My greatest challenge as a pastor is motivating people in the church to help with the many behind-the-scenes tasks. In reading Rev. Bell’s new book, The Ministry of Helps, Volume 2,I found the answer. It is the most practical and inspiring book on the subject I have read, and I will be using it in our new member’s class for years to come. Mike Buie Cathedral of Praise Sand Springs, Oklahoma Buddy and Kathy Bell have been a tremendous blessing to Omega Church for many years. The Ministry of Helps, Volume 2 is an even greater blessing. Just when we think that Buddy has done his best, he causes us to believe even more that the ministry of helps is the greatest ministry of all. Pastors Ronnie and Zona Allen Senior Pastors Omega Church San Antonio, TX Ministry of Helps, Vol. 2 E q u i p p i n g B e l i e v e r s t o C h a n g e T h e i r W o r l d by Dr. Buddy Bell Harrison House Tulsa, Oklahoma Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Versionof the Bible. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible: New International Ve r s i o n® N I V®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from The Message: New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995 by Eugene H. Peterson, published by NavPress, P.O. Box 35001, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80935. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked AMPare taken from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan. New Testament copyright © 1954, 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. Used by Permission. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible.Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NLTare taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL60189. All rights reserved. Author photo by: Rupert Vega Photos [email protected] 10 09 08 07 06 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The Ministry of Helps, Vol. 2: Equipping Believers To Change Their World ISBN 13: 978-1-57794-774-5 ISBN 10: 1-57794-774-6 Copyright © 2006 by Buddy Bell P.O. Box 27366 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74149 Published by Harrison House, Inc. P.O. Box 35035 Tulsa, Oklahoma 74153 Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents and/or cover may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the Publisher. C o n t e n t s Dedication..................................................................ix Foreword....................................................................xi Introduction ..............................................................xv PART 1—RUNNING THE CHURCH GOD’S WAY Chapter 1 Divine Design ..................................1 PART 2—BEING ABOUT OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS Chapter 2 Jesus and the Ministry of Helps, Part 1 ..............................................23 Chapter 3 Jesus and the Ministry of Helps, Part 2 ..............................................47 Chapter 4 God Uses Both Stars and Candles..69 PART 3—WINNING FIRST-TIME VISITORS Chapter 5 “They’d Have To Pay Me To Go in There!”..................................99 Chapter 6 It’s a Package Deal ......................119 Chapter 7 Stepping into Another World........137 Conclusion: The Rewards of Helping ....................149 Study Guide ............................................................159 Endnotes..................................................................179 Dedication My wife, Kathy, has served in the local church for many years and has never complained. I trav- eled a lot when our girls were growing up, and Kathy would shuttle the girls to school and to extracurricular activities, sometimes averaging 300-400 miles a day. She served in the nursery and ministry offices, and was a homemaker, mom, and great wife. But what amazed me the most was how she put together a women’s conference for Marilyn Hickey Ministries, with over 6,000 women in attendance, and how she took on the task of feeding 100 youth workers. She would prepare small meals at home and take them to the church to feed the volunteers. They had two serv- ices so Kathy and her helpers would clean up after the first group, have fresh food for the second i x MI N I S T RY O F HE L P S, VO L. 2 group, and provide food and drinks for the youth pastor and his staff. She always went the extra mile in serving others. Even today, Kathy serves in our local church when we are home. She also oversees our ministry offices, runs her own business, and still makes time to love on our five beautiful grandchildren. I asked her one day why she does what she does. She said that it was just her heart to serve others. Kathy believes in the supernatural and that God can use anyone. What a woman of God! I know that God is very pleased with her. God bless the people around the world, like Kathy, who have a heart to serve others—you are beyond the beauty of a rose. x