There are people in the Bible about whom we know very little. Stephanas is one of them. As far as we can tell, he never wrote a book of Scripture, never planted a church that history recorded, and left no sermons for later generations. We do not know how long he lived, what occupation he held, or what formal position he occupied in the local church. Yet one clear fact stands out about him and his household: they had addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 16:15-18,
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.
In modern English the word “addicted” almost always carries a negative meaning. It describes something that takes hold of a person, consumes attention, reshapes priorities, and demands time. The idea here is positive and deliberate. The household of Stephanas had devoted themselves completely to the service of God’s people. This was not an occasional activity squeezed into the margins of life. They had given themselves over to it. Every church needs such people. Every believer who wants to be used of God and to fulfil the purpose for which life was given must learn the same spirit. The call is not merely to attend church but to minister through the church, seeing needs and moving toward them without having to be begged or recruited.
Three observations rise from this passage.
Give Yourself Deliberately to Ministry
Notice the wording again: they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. Romans 12 reminds us that presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice is our reasonable service. Paul writes,
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
If we want whatever God gives us to do to feel like anything other than a crushing burden, we must focus not first on the task itself but on the mercies of God. When service is no longer done for Jesus, it quickly loses its wind and can turn into bitterness or resentment. The primary motive must remain the mercy we have received.
No one in genuine ministry serves for silver. The most obvious application is money, yet the principle reaches further. Anything we do while looking for a reward other than the pleasure of Christ will eventually turn us away or crush us. Leadership and lasting influence do not come from knowledge alone or from titles. They come from service. Those who deserve to be heard in the church are those who are serving the church.
It was not Stephanas alone. The text speaks of the house of Stephanas. Whole families can cultivate a culture of service. In a church plant years ago, children learned early that going to church meant arriving early to set out chairs, take them down again, push the piano into a closet, and empty the garbage. Serving was simply part of gathering. In a more established congregation with assigned roles and comfortable facilities, intentionality becomes even more necessary. Without it we easily become consumers rather than contributors. The extreme of neglecting family for ministry is unwise and breeds resentment. The opposite extreme of never expecting children or adults to serve is equally unhelpful. We must deliberately give ourselves, and our households, to ministry.
Look for People Who Need Ministry
The verse continues, “to the ministry of the saints.” Ministry is directed toward people. A common joke in ministry circles says that ministry would be great if it were not for the people. Yet without people there is no ministry. Jesus Himself came not to be ministered unto but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The “many” are individuals.
Some of those individuals sit right among us and never draw attention to themselves. Single mothers can be overlooked. Shut-ins and seniors sometimes receive less care than they need. People have problems and weaknesses. They forget to say thank you. They need encouragement again this week. They disappoint us. They need rides, prayer, counsel, meals, visits, teaching, patience, forgiveness, and sometimes yet another chance.
When Paul says, “That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth,” he points to a vital principle. Influence flows from service. A person may hold advanced degrees and still carry little spiritual weight if he does not serve. Another believer may not yet be deeply versed in every doctrine, yet by quietly meeting needs gains a hearing. First Timothy 3 notes that those who serve well as deacons purchase to themselves a good degree. You do not need a title to have a ministry. You only need someone to serve. Devote yourself to meeting the needs of God’s people.
Stay Faithful When Ministry Becomes Work
Paul adds the phrase “and laboureth.” Work means profitable activity. Labour carries the deeper sense of sustained effort, resilience, and hard work. Hebrews 6:10 gives a precious promise:
For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
People may forget a contribution, but God will not. Sometimes ministry is more than ordinary work. It requires dedication, sacrifice, and staying power. David Livingstone once observed that if an earthly commission from an earthly king can be considered a privilege, how can a heavenly commission from a heavenly King be considered a sacrifice? Much of what we call sacrifice is simply the stewardship of what God has already given. Yet real labour still arrives, and we must remain faithful when it does.
Faithfulness refreshes others. Paul says of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, “For they have refreshed my spirit and yours.” The spirit is the part of us that communes with God. Certain people make it easier to walk with the Lord and to worship Him. Their quiet service lifts the whole body.
One couple in another congregation looked for a way to serve and settled on a simple plan. Once a month on Friday evenings they offered to watch all the children of the church at the building. Parents leapt at the opportunity. The couple never sought the platform or the microphone. They simply saw a need and met it, and in doing so they refreshed many spirits.
Stephanas leaves us only a short epitaph in Scripture, yet it is an eternal testimony: they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. The prayer we need is straightforward. Lord, make me a Stephanas. Give me eyes that see needs, hands that are ready to help, and a heart that does not have to be begged to serve. I give myself to the ministry of the saints.
Conclusion
What can this church do for me is the wrong first question. What can I do for God’s people is the better one. Give yourself deliberately to ministry, motivated by the mercies of God. Look for people who need ministry, especially those easily overlooked. Stay faithful when ministry becomes labour, knowing that God does not forget and that your perseverance refreshes the spirits of others.
We are grateful for every quiet servant in the body of Christ, many of whom labour without recognition or even awareness by others. May the Lord multiply our opportunities and our joy in serving Jesus. May He correct any wrong motives so that we neither burn out nor grow discouraged. And may we love one another in deed and in truth, because He is worthy.
