Two Kinds of Ministry: Professional and Relational
By Rodney Lloyd

God’s cry for the nations resounds in the hearts of Rodney and Nita Lloyd. They have been in ministry together since 1974. They have planted and overseen churches in the United States and ministered to churches and Bible Schools in the USA as well as in African, European, and Asian nations and in Australia. Their Kingdom message stirs hearts to faith and obedience.

Rodney is a graduate of the 1975 charter class and Nita a 1979 graduate of Kenneth Hagin’s RHEMA Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was an instructor at RHEMA Tulsa from 1978–1981 and RHEMA Johannesburg, South Africa in 1991 and 1992.

South Africa has been the primary focus of their ministry since 1989. When in the USA their base is in the state of Tennessee. They have a daughter: Minda Nichols and her husband Paul and 2 grandsons, Peter and John David who live in Johannesburg, South Africa. They have a son: Michael and his wife Jill who live in Los Angeles, CA

To receive their free teaching newsletter, Words for the Wise, please e-mail the Lloyds at rodnit49@gmail.com. You can also follow Rodney on Facebook or on Twitter @Rodney_Lloyd.

Two years ago we met Alfie Fabe of Mitchells Plain. He is an apostolic father to many in several nations. In the twenty minutes of our first meeting, one thing he said that struck a cord in my heart was, “There are two kinds of ministry: professional and relational.” Since then, I have contemplated this much and discussed it with Alfie and others. I have had a passion to be the latter, having been the former for many years.

Let me make a confession: I am in a recovery program. The Lord is recovering me from one of the vilest bondages anyone can have. I am a recovering Pharisee; for a little more than seven years now, I have been coming to an increasing freedom from those ways. But more often than I like to admit, I can still see the Pharisaical ways alive in me. Professional ministry – as I lived it – is replete with Phariseeism and it is the opposite of the way Jesus ministered and Jesus is our model for ministry.

There are two kinds of ministry: professional ministry which is flesh driven and relational ministry which is Spirit-led and empowered. Our desire is that each of you consider these and position yourselves to become more relational in ministry.

Characteristics of Professional vs. Relational Ministry

Jesus’ model of ministry was relational. His disciples were ready to continue His work when He left because He had spent the majority of His time with them. He ministered to the multitudes, but He poured Himself daily into the twelve. If we are going to equip people to influence our culture, we will have to do more than give a sermon or two a week. We must regularly pour our lives and truth into the teams we are raising up.