For the Work of Ministry, 4
Ecclesiastes 7:8:  "Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
When I began this, I didn't think it would become a mini-series.  I began by thinking about the following passage and what it would look like to be a saint equipped for the work of ministry--to think about the shepherds and teachers not doing the work with me sitting in the audience but being equipped by them to do the work under them and by the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10).
Ephesians 4:11-14:  "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes."
From the initial post, I segued to the matter of older women teaching younger women, seeing that as an aspect of the work of ministry of the laity.  From there, I landed on the trait of self-control as one important to all:  overseers, older and younger men, older and younger women.
As I wrap up this series, reflect with me on this:  "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:4-10).
It is all of God and through God and for God, from "But God" as verse 4 begins to "good works, which God prepared beforehand" in verse 10.
Are you anxious about whatever work of ministry you are or may become involved with?  Let me direct you to this:  "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:5b-7). 
Note the sequence:  [Because] the Lord is at hand, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything ... let your requests be made known to God.  And [after that] the peace of God ....

For the Work of Ministry, 3
As I have studied passages related to the work of ministry, one trait which especially struck me as an essential quality for both men and women is "self-control."

Why is self-control critical?  Without it, we are vulnerable in many situations.  Proverbs 25:28 points out that:  "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls."  First Corinthians 7 refers to self-control in relationships.

Galatians 5:22-23:  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."  This fruit includes love and self-control as the beginning and end of its 9-part bunch.  Here it is clear that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit, not something we can create or maintain on our own.

First Timothy 2:9 mentions "that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control."  Modesty, yes, but who of us would have seen self-control as an adornment?

In his letter to Titus, Paul specifies that the character of an overseer must include being self-controlled (1:9), and later he underlines the importance of that for older men (2:2) and younger men (2:6).  Self-control is also among the habits which older women are to teach the younger women (2:5).

Peter reminds us in his first letter:  "The end of all things is at hand: therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers" (1 Peter 4:7), and in his second letter exhorts us to supplement our faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with steadfastness, steadfastness with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, brotherly affection with love (2 Peter 1:5-7).

But that which ought most to motivate us to self-control is this:  "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own posession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:12-14).

For the Work of Ministry, 2

Paul commanded Titus regarding his work and that of his congregation:  "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.  Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine.  They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." (Titus 2:1-5).
Older men "are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness," and so are older women.  Older men are not given a mandate to teach younger men here in the same detail as older women are to teach younger women, though in verse 6, Titus is commanded to teach the younger men to be self-controlled.
What is to characterize older women?  Paul mentions reverent behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to much wine.
What curriculum are they to teach younger women?  They are to teach what is good, which has these components:  "and so train them to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands" (v.v. 4-5).
Why is this important?  Verse 5 tells us:  "that the word of God may not be reviled."  How many of us women think of our lives as having that significance?
Do you feel unequal to this work of ministry as an older woman?  Let me remind you of this promise of God:  "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you have become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire" (2 Peter 1:3-4).

Psalm 92:12-15
The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.  They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green; to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

For the Work of Ministry, 1
Recently I found myself contemplating the following section of Ephesians 4:  "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceiftful schemes (v.v. 11-14.)"
What are the tasks God has given to the five named categories above?  There appear to be two:  to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ until ....
I have been thinking about the expression, "to equip the saints for the work of ministry," asking what the work of ministry might be which the saints are to undertake. 
Romans 12:6-8 seems to provide seven categories:  prophecy; serving; teaching; exhorting; contributing; leading; and mercy. Interesting the order in which they appear.  Who but God would place serving between prophecy and teaching, or leading after giving?
One last comment for this week comes from James 3:13:  "Who is wise and understanding among you?  By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom."