I was talking to Pastor Jan once and she said that she didn't know if she would have been ready to take on the responsibilities of ministry when she was my age. I didn't think much of it then, but times recently have been making me think more. It is a major thing to be in ministry. John Maxwell says that Church leadership is the most difficult type of leadership there is. This coming from a man who has many different companies he has founded and pushed onto succeed as well as shepherded a couple of Churches.
My brother is starting up a business, importing hardwood floor finish from Italy (Vermeister USA) and he has been going through the birth pains of starting, what we pray will be, a multi-million dollar company. He has asked me why I do this, and how he doesn't think he could. I am beginning to see why.
The tricky part in ministry is knowing how to say "no." I thought I've done well in this. When Becky and I are just hanging I make sure to say no to things, and I occasionally will just relax in the afternoons or early mornings (especially after events). Where I was overdoing myself was still letting everything run through my head. I still let the events and aspects of ministry into my life for every part of it.
I'm seeing this sounds like a youth pastor on the verge of burnout. Maybe I have been working into this, but here is where the path diverges from burnout to learning (isn't this the best way to learn something?): I have forgotten about me. In all honesty, my devotional life has been far less than simply lacking. My time to just sit and relax for me, with nothing on my head has been lacking. I have let myself get caught up in the busy time of life. This is not to say that I need to step back in ministry, or any of you should not talk to me, it is just to say that I need to practice what I preach to you and set aside times just for me, where I regenerate my batteries.
So here is the solution: I need me time. So, from here henceforth, I will take one hour each day to spend in prayer, devotions to God, and study. I will journal, I will pray, I will read, I will relax. During this hour I won't plan anything for the Church, I won't think of the things going on, I will make sure that I am following God with all that I am.
Matthew says: "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." 7:3-5
So here is my challenge and my point: what's in your eye? For me, I have let life and ministry get in my eye. So look in the mirror, figure out what is in your eye. Then stop yourself and take time. Escape to your room for a bit (don't say you don't have time... how much time do you spend on Myspace, AIM or just on the internet in general?) Rejuvenate yourself by spending time alone, just you and God. This is what devotion is, spending time with no one else but Him.
6 comments:
Thanks for the good words, Matt. I often find the same situation in seminary...this is supposed to be the time in my life when I am being prepared for ministry, to learn how to balance all of the various pressures, and instead I am given reading lists that are a mile long. It scares me that almost half (47%) of the PC (USA) pastors that are trained here at Princeton leave ordained ministry within 5 years after graduation. I really have no idea how the married students are able to take care of the spouse and kids while simultaneously devoting themselves to academic study. Perhaps I simply need to become more disciplined; perhaps I need to cut some things out of my life. As Christians, I think that many of us (myself included) make our faith journey much more complicated than it needs to be. Oooooh, by the way, if you have never read John Chrysostom's "On the Priesthood" I wholeheartedly commend this book to you. I think that everyone who is in ministry or preparing for ordained ministry should read this book. I hope that you and Becky and well, and I miss you both very much. Both of you are constantly in my prayers!
I love that verse because its so right and i hate hypocrite because its just stupid. I think that is something we all need to work on.
you leave me much to think about, and much to pray about -- for you, for the group, for each of us. so my CHRISTmas present to you is not a guitar, but my love, devotion, and continuous prayers.
You saw the warning signs. Good man.
Hey Matt, MY CHRISTMAS WISH CAME TRUE!! I'm so happy. I can hardly believe it. Its so wonderful that it could never be any kind of material good. You know what your christmas wish should be? Spending time with god, your wife, and your family. This will be the best christmas ever (other than the first one).
Although you are making a good step by noticing your own errors I feel you should still be warned. Community with God is not something to be scheduled like any other event of the day it should be the main thing of the day. You should constantly be in community with God throughout the day, doing everything for God's glory whether it be mundane tasks such as orgainizing your desk or whether it be counseling a student. People don't need more events to plan or go to they need Christ in their lives. Now I ask you this how much has your ministry grown since you have gotten there...not in people sitting in the seats but in souls...how many people have you and your students won to Christ? That is all that really matters, bringing people to Christ and guiding them to be disciples of Him. Don't worry about the events or the games or the programs but focusing on fulfilling the Great Commission
Post a Comment