The 12 Rules of Life · How We Serve
Ministry
"Love your neighbor as yourself — this is the law and the prophets made visible."
How We Serve
Ministry
"Love your neighbor as yourself — this is the law and the prophets made visible."
Ministry is not a program — it is a posture. It is the overflow of a heart that has been loved by God and cannot help but love others. The Slifka family understands that we are not just a family for ourselves — we are a family sent into the world to serve, to give, to heal, and to demonstrate the love of Christ through tangible acts of service. These twelve principles are grounded in the Great Commandment: love your neighbor as yourself.
The 12 Codes of Ministry
1. Love as the Foundation
Every act of ministry flows from love — not obligation, not guilt, not performance. We serve because we have been loved by God first. Love is not the goal of ministry; it is the source.
"We love because he first loved us."
— 1 John 4:19
2. Seeing the Person
We see people — not projects. Every person we serve bears the image of God. We look into their eyes, learn their names, and honor their dignity before we offer our help.
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him."
— Genesis 1:27
3. Meeting Practical Needs
We do not offer spiritual words when practical help is needed. We feed the hungry, clothe the poor, visit the sick, and care for the widow and the orphan. Faith without works is dead.
"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?"
— James 2:15–16
4. Serving Without Recognition
We serve in secret as much as in public. We do not need credit, applause, or acknowledgment. Our audience is God — and He sees what is done in secret.
"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."
— Matthew 6:3
5. Hospitality
We open our home, our table, and our lives to others. Hospitality is one of the most powerful forms of ministry — it says: you matter, you belong, and you are welcome here.
"Show hospitality to one another without grumbling."
— 1 Peter 4:9
6. Presence in Suffering
We show up when people are hurting. We do not need the right words — we need to be present. Ministry is often less about what we say and more about the fact that we came.
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."
— Romans 12:15
7. Generosity that Costs Something
True ministry is sacrificial. We give not from our surplus but from our substance. When our giving costs us something, it becomes an act of worship and a testimony of trust.
"She out of her poverty put in everything — all she had to live on."
— Mark 12:44
8. Sharing the Gospel
The greatest act of service we can offer any person is to introduce them to Jesus Christ. We serve the whole person — body, soul, and spirit — and we never separate practical love from the message of eternal life.
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
— Romans 10:15
9. Serving Across Difference
We serve people who are different from us — different backgrounds, beliefs, circumstances, and cultures. The love of Christ crosses every boundary. We follow it wherever it leads.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
— Galatians 3:28
10. Discipleship as Ministry
One of the most powerful acts of service is investing deeply in one person's growth. We mentor, disciple, and walk alongside others — giving our time, wisdom, and faith to help them become who God made them to be.
"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also."
— 2 Timothy 2:2
11. Caring for the Least
We pay special attention to those the world overlooks — the poor, the forgotten, the marginalized, the lonely. When we serve them, we serve Christ Himself.
"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
— Matthew 25:40
12. A Family on Mission
Ministry is not an individual activity — it is a family calling. We serve together, give together, and go together. Our family is a missionary unit, and our neighborhood is our mission field.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
— Joshua 24:15