When I was bishop (2004-2010), I gave the ward a New Year’s challenge from the pulpit to continue to “visit the house of each member” every month (as the Savior commanded us to do in D&C 20), but I told them to quit making the Ensign lesson the focus of the visit. I also told them to quit asking the standard ministering question, “What can we do for you this month?” and start asking EVERY member of their assigned families, “What can I be praying for this month?” That question became the new priority of the visit and changed everything for our ward.
Instead of the standard response, “We don’t need any help this month. We’re good,” the families would take a moment, think about the question and respond with actual problems and challenges they were dealing with. Even the kids were ready to respond to the anticipated question. These new, sincere answers gave the Home & Visiting Teachers actual issues to pray for and opportunities to serve. Again, this was over 20 years ago.
Because it came from the “Top” during a sacrament meeting, the members understood that this was the new expectation in our ward–not a suggestion. They also knew that every family was now waiting for “The Question” every month. Ministering became the #1 focus of our ward that day and was discussed frequently in RS and EQ lessons, sacrament meeting talks and testimonies.
EQP and RSP were asked to make their Home and Visiting Teaching interviews their number one priority and let the members do the ministering. Their job was to interview, collect information from the companionships and relay it to the bishop–the Shepherd of the Flock. The interviews were their opportunity to bear testimony, encourage and give assistance when needed to each member of their group. (More info on this to follow)
As we implemented the “challenge” to ask what we could be praying for–and then prayed for each member by name every day–something immediately changed. It was our hearts.
Before I challenged the ward to do this, I had already put it to the test myself. The first time I prayed for one of my assigned families by name, I distinctly heard the Holy Ghost respond, “Absolutely! I will bless that person, but this is how YOU are going to help ME do it. I need you to…” and I was given a list of action items. I prayed for the next next name on my list, and the same thing happened. I quickly realized that I needed to pray with a notebook by my side, because the Lord was going to tell me exactly how to shepherd my portion of His flock.
As we earnestly and sincerely petitioned Heavenly Father each day, received revelation and followed through on it, we noticed our love for them increased and so did our desire to minister to them. The desire to continue ministering “in a higher, holier way” came from within!
Why? Because there is an eternal equation that everyone needs to understand:
The more you SERVE like Jesus, the more you LOVE like Jesus. The more you LOVE like Jesus, the more you BECOME like Jesus.
Christlike love–Charity–is an essential attribute that we need to develop in order to become like Him. In fact, it is essential according to Moroni 7. And that’s why we are here–to learn to become like Him. And the Lord knows that if we are given the chance to serve like He would serve–as His representative in the home–we will develop a Christlike love for our neighbor and be able to say, “We have kept the second great commandment.”
Lastly, one of the biggest stumbling blocks for members who WANT to minister are other members who won’t let them visit. They tell their ministering brothers and sisters that they are fine and “don’t need the visit.” Just like we develop Charity by ministering, we develop another difficult-to-develop” Christlike attribute by allowing others to serve us—Humility. We NEED to receive the ministering brothers and sisters as much as they need to minister. It is a critical relationship the Lord has wisely implemented: For us to move from 3rd Nephi Saints to 4th Nephi Saints and become Zion, there must be givers and receivers.
A final note to this post: As a natural consequence to ministering in this “higher and holier way” our ministering reached 95-100% every month for multiple years, our sacrament meeting attendance naturally jumped from 60% to 85%, our Members with Current Temple Recommend numbers went up dramatically, and our Prospective Elders number went down. Valiant ministering was the catalyst for all of that change. Our ward became a little City of Enoch in Cedar Hills, Utah.
I testify that ministering is one of the most important—and easiest—things we can do to become more Christlike. Ministering is a GIFT from the Lord, and very few recognize it. In fact most members now seem to think that it’s optional. I testify that it is not optional if becoming like Jesus is your goal. It’s really up to you.
Steve Webber – Author of Home Ministering: The Process of Perfecting the Saints
