Leadership in Ministry

Success In Ministry isn’t the same as Success in the World

What Is Success in Ministry?

You have this calling God has given you. Whatever that role is, it is one of leadership – whether you’re a small group leader, deacon, church staff, pastor, or CEO of a ministry organization. If you’re new to this calling, how would you define a successful ministry? If you’ve been in ministry a while now, think back to when you just started out. Is ministry what you imagined it would be? If not, how is it different? Here’s a few things the Bible tells us about leadership:

Matthew says that a leader must be confident, but James tells us that a leader must be humble.

Mark teaches us that a leader must be a man of action, but Luke teaches us that a leader must be a man of prayer.

Luke says a leader must have a strategy, and James says a leader must submit to God’s will.

1 Timothy says that a leader must rule, and Matthew and Mark say a leader must serve.

Leadership in the Corporate World

In the corporate world, successful leadership is measured by the “big office,” the bigger paycheck, the ability to delegate to others, and the luxury of others being at the leader’s beck and call. Success in the world is synonymous with glory, fame, riches, and power. But in ministry, the best leaders of those who understand their calling is one of service, not glory. It’s a position that often leaves us alone. It requires courage and sometimes it stirs up some conflict. But if we lead like Jesus, the we lead by serving.

Sometimes leadership in ministry means being alone

In Mark 10:32, Mark wrote: “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.“

Why is this verse significant? Because Jesus is coming towards the end of His ministry and the road He was on would lead Him to the cross. But notice that Jesus was walking ahead of the others. He didn’t put his disciples out in front as a shield. He lead the way – even though the way ahead would end in torture and a very painful death.

Jesus led the way, but he was out front, alone on the road with the others following behind.

Sometimes in ministry, we have to go alone. Sometimes that means we lead the way and others follow. And sometimes it means that we are alone with no one but Holy Spirit walking with us. Leadership can be lonely.

Are you prepared to go alone, if necessary, to be a leader in ministry?

Leadership in ministry takes courage

In Mark 10, this is the third time Jesus tells the disciples that his ministry led to the cross, not a coronation. Basically, he tells them that he will be “handed over” . . . “condemned to death” . . . “made fun of” . . . “spat upon” . . . “scourged” . . . “killed”! And yet – Jesus is out front – leading the way.

Think for a moment about a commander in the military. He issues orders and the soldiers under his command carry out the orders, even if it costs them their life. But Jesus is our commander and he has promised to go before us wherever we go, even when it is through the valleys, the fire, the shadows of death. Even there we do not need to be afraid because he is with us.

So if you are on the road with Jesus, where would you be? Would you have the courage to walk alongside of him? Would you continue following him? Or would you go back home? It’s important to know where you stand because ministry is hard. It’s a spiritual battle every moment of every day. We can often be like Peter and declare we’d never leave the Lord’s side but when it’s all laid on the line, would we stand on trail with Jesus or deny him?

Being a leader in ministry takes courage.

Leadership in ministry is not about position and power

After Jesus’ very frank discussion about what lies at the end of the road, the disciples finally understand that Jesus’ kingdom isn’t going to be an earthly kingdom but a heavenly one. So two brothers, James and John, make a request to Jesus. In verse 37, they ask, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” If Jesus was going to sit on a throne in Heaven, they wanted to be sure they had the best position in the heavenly court and a position that would give them power.

Jesus responded that they didn’t really know what they were asking. There are no first, second and third places in the kingdom of Heaven. Anyhow, those positions are already occupied by God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Jesus then asks them a question: “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They eagerly agree and Jesus foretells that they will indeed do so. But what do the “cup” and “baptism” Jesus was talking about mean?

Metaphor of the “cup”

At a royal banquet given to honor a king, it was customary for the king himself to hand a cup of wine to invited guests and ask them to drink of it. So, in religion, the cup became the symbol of a life experience that had been handed to him or her, or passed on to them, by the Lord God. In this instance God had handed Jesus the “cup” of the cross. So he was asking James and John if they were willing to lay down their life for the gospel – and eventually they would.

Each of us called to ministry must be willing to accept the role handed to them, or passed on to them, by God the Father – and to give it all we’ve got – Just as Jesus gave His all – even to the point of death on the cross.

Metaphor of the “baptism”

The other metaphor – baptism – means “dip” or “submerge.” It was not unusual for a Jewish person to speak of a family member or friend as being “submerged” in an experience of life – for example, “submerged in grief.” Jesus was saying, “Whatever God asks you to do, submerge yourself in that experience – to the extent that you go all out to accomplish the task.” Thankfully, Jesus did go all out to accomplish His task because if He didn’t we’d have no hope of eternal life.

How submerged are you in the ministry you’ve been called to do? Do you go all out to accomplish the task?

You can expect conflict as a leader in ministry

As you can expect, when the rest of the disciples heard about James and John’s request, they were not too happy about it. Jesus had to pull the team together and help them get their act together. Here Jesus is – on the road leading to his death – and the disciples are arguing over who’s going to be the greatest in His kingdom. Mark records Jesus’ response:

And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Many times in ministry conflicts arise, whether over doctrine or style of worship, or even the color of the carpets. Sometimes we just have to stop and get the flock together and help them get their act together. The family of God shouldn’t include sibling rivalry among our spiritual brothers and sisters, but rather unity.

The Point of Leadership in Ministry

The whole point of ministry is not position and power. It’s not about glory. The point of ministry is to lead like Jesus. It’s about serving God’s people and Jesus told the disciples that is why He came – to serve – by giving His all and laying down His life.

If you’re not willing to serve, you’ll never have a truly successful ministry. You might lead a large mega church, but you’ll just be a leader like any other corporate leader. Jesus calls us to serve. He calls us to be last.

If you are in ministry for what you can get out of it or for what it can give you, then you’re in ministry for the wrong reason and you miss the whole point of ministry. Whether your ministry is leading a small group or children’s class, deacon, serving on a committee, playing an instrument, office staff or pastor – you’ve been called to serve others, not to be served.

What’s your motivation to lead in ministry?

by Julia M. Bruce

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#ministry #leadership #servantleadership #leadlikeJesus #WCM

Here’s what’s new in the shop this week:

Here are some of our favorite designs:

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

 

Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

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Galatians 6:9

Ministry is battlefield

Doing ministry is serving on a spiritual battlefield constantly at war, but we must not give up.

The Spiritual Battlefield

Ministry is a battlefield. It’s the battlefield of eternal life over eternal separation from God. We get up every day to fight the good fight. Even when your ministry is flourishing and growing, there are constant battles to be fought. The dangers we face every day may not be what a soldier faces on a battlefield, but anyone in ministry would agree that there are times they feel like their place of ministry is certainly a battlefield.

No matter your ministry position, denomination affiliation, leadership capabilities, level of education or years serving in your calling, there is a spiritual battlefield that is constantly at war. We might not be able to see the battle, but we can sure feel it and the battle going on in the spiritual realm is indeed fierce. So much so that there may be times where we feel like our armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) has taken some real damage.

When We’ve Given Our All

We read in Ephesians 6:11 and 13 that we are to put on the full armor of God so that we can stand firm. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul writes, “Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” However, sometimes we find that our “standing firm” feels like standing on tired, wobbly legs, weak from fighting. We’re worn down. We’ve given our all. And all that’s left to fall on our knees before God and weep in exhaustion.

In these moments, we might find ourselves in a place of questioning God’s call to ministry. Did we hear God right? If this ministry is truly what God has called me to do, then why is it so hard and why isn’t God blessing it? At a time, I found myself asking these very questions, I heard the soft whisper of the Holy Spirit say, “Don’t give up in doing good. You will reap at the proper time, if you don’t give up. The more I am at work in you, the harder Satan fights. Stand firm. I am greater in you than he that is in the world.” It was the whisper I needed to keep pressing forward toward the goal. But it doesn’t make the battle any easier…if anything, it becomes harder as Satan fights back even more.

The Earthly Battlefield

As if the spiritual battlefield wasn’t hard enough, there is also an earthly, human battlefield that Satan uses in his arsenal against us. Since those of us in ministry are imperfect people and those whom we minister to are imperfect people, we can find ourselves on a battlefield made up of human problems, such as differences of opinion, selfishness, anger, and well…sin of all kinds.

This earthly battlefield manifests as those moments where the church members argue over which side of the stage the piano belongs on or if there should or should not be a pulpit on the stage. It’s the arguments over the color of the carpet or if it’s okay for the preacher to preach from his iPad rather than a Bible in his hand. It’s those moments where you look around at the squabbles, tired of mediating, and wonder how church ever got to be about these things instead of saving souls from an eternity in hell.

Added to this there is the growing concern of mass shootings within the walls of churches and the questions begin to rise of how to protect the congregation. Should we be concerned about public ministry events at parks or stadiums? Should we be afraid of prayer walking the community where we serve? How do we reach the lost world and still protect the people in our churches? And now we must add the questions of how to keep people safe from the COVID pandemic that has forced all of us to find new ways to do ministry differently.

The Battlefield of Flesh

Another type of battlefield arises as we try to make sure we protect ourselves, our families, and our ministry from even the appearance of evil. It’s the battlefield of flesh as we avoid the temptations of sin, pride, selfishness, anger, hurt feelings, and desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:17 says, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Two sides opposing each other: Spirit and flesh. It’s a battlefield.

Another aspect of ministry is that we are always on display. There are always the ones watching and waiting for us to mess up so they can point their fingers. They are the people who know us well and wag their finger saying, “How could God ever use you? He didn’t really call you. You’re just a ‘dreamer’.” They are people of the world who attempt to prove there is no God. They are people Satan uses to hurl accusations, whether true or not, to discredit our ministry.

Satan loves nothing more than to see a minister of God (whether that is a pastor, missionary, Christian Counselor, or someone in a ministry organization) fail or give up or walk away because of the pointing, accusing finger. It’s one of his best flaming arrows! It doesn’t even matter if the pointing finger of accusation is verified, or all lies. It doesn’t have to hit the target. Once the finger is pointed, damage has been done. Credibility is loss. Effectiveness diminished.

A Silent Battlefield

Then there is the silent battlefield of dangers that lurk about in the dark waiting to sneak up, kill and destroy those in ministry. These dangers include health issues, burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress. As a result, pastors, missionaries, and others in ministry professions walk away from the calling.

Instead of standing firm, steadfast, immovable and always excelling, they call it quits and leave the task of ministering for someone else to do. Sometimes they quit, but find a different way to minister. If they decide to stay in their ministry field, they no longer have the passion and zeal to serve. Ministry becomes a “have to” rather than an opportunity to serve our God. They risk facing depression, lack of motivation, and anxiety. Their relationships decline and many physical symptoms begin to emerge.

Don’t Give Up

With so fierce a battlefield, is it any wonder that people who give their all to the ministry God has called them often face the engulfing flames of burnout? But Paul wrote in Galatians 6:9 that we are to not grow weary in doing good. Why? Because at the proper time, we will reap if we don’t give up. What do we reap? Lost souls for the kingdom of God. Seeing Christians mature and discover their calling and then take their place on the battlefield for the Kingdom of God. Relationships restored. Prodigals coming home. Helping another ministry partner stay in their calling. Repentant hearts returning to God. Revival that changes our communities, nation, and the world.

Dear ministry partner, allow me to pray Paul’s words of encouragement over you today. Whether your just stepping onto the battlefield of ministry for the first time today and you’re excited and can’t wait to see how God is going to use you or you’ve been on the battlefield for years and your tired, weary, worn out wondering how to take that next step remember that you are vital to the kingdom of God. You are needed. God has uniquely gifted you and created you for the exact calling He has given you. No one else can do what you’ve been called to do exactly like you can. Don’t get tired of doing good for you will reap at the proper time if you do not give up. You are needed on the battlefield where you are.

Taken from the upcoming book, “When Ministry Becomes A Drag, It’s Time to Hoist the Self-Care Flag” by Julia M. Bruce

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#selfcare #ministry #battlefieldofministry #spiritualwarfare #encouragement #WCM

Here’s what’s new in the shop this week:

Here are some of our favorite designs:

What’s Inside God, Love and Marshmallow Wars?

This book includes 365 daily activities and takes you on a guided journey through Biblical principles about Godly marriage that you can then apply to your marriage, as well as helping you talk through concepts that can help you develop a solid relationship. Inside you will find simple, quick activities that include:

• Scripture to memorize and meditate on.
• Conversation Starters.
• Concepts from the Bible on Godly marriages.
• Romance Builders.
• Relationship Builders.
• Personal reflections.
• Date ideas.
• Group date ideas for you and other Christian couples.

Available in hardback, paperback and ebook from Westbow Press Bookstore, Christian Book Distributors, Amazon, and Barnes & Nobel. Click the icons below to purchase from your preferred bookstore. Now also available at WalMart online.

 

Join the community of couples on Facebook who are committed to intentionally growing their marriage and learning how to have a marriage that honors God. Here you can post photos of the different activities as you do them, ask questions of other couples, share how God is using this book to strengthen your marriage, and grow with other Christian couples. We’ll see you in the community.

904.239.8937
A non-profit ministry located in Jacksonville, FL 
Follow us on: