Thoughts Of Some Guy In Ohio
Thoughts Of Some Guy In Ohio
Let's Talk About Church Membership Part 4
Stepping into the world of church ministry is no ordinary journey, and this episode offers an unfiltered look into the profound responsibilities and emotional complexities that come with it. Ever wondered what it’s like to be constantly available to a community, celebrating their happiest moments and supporting them in their darkest hours? Join me as I draw from Thom Rainer’s "I’m a Church Member" and my personal experiences, revealing the unspoken sacrifices and the extraordinary commitment required to serve as a church leader.
As we navigate the intricate landscape of pastoral responsibilities, the conversation sheds light on the unique challenges that can lead to high burnout rates among ministry workers. Balancing the success of a church with personal life pressures is no small feat. The emotional weight is palpable as we discuss the sometimes lonely path of ensuring spiritual growth and community cohesion while managing one's own family and financial challenges. This discussion serves as a reminder of the critical need for patience, resilience, and most importantly, the unwavering support of the congregation through prayer.
The episode closes on a poignant note, highlighting the eternal impact ministry work can have. The pressures of guiding a congregation extend far beyond crafting the perfect sermon; they touch every aspect of a leader’s life. Personal relationships often bear the brunt of these pressures, necessitating a community's prayerful support. By lifting our pastors and church leaders in prayer, we play an essential role in sustaining their mission and helping them navigate the weighty responsibility of their calling. Tune in, and together, let’s explore how we can actively support those dedicated to nurturing our faith communities.
Hey, everyone, hope you're doing well today. Hey, I just wanted to follow up. We kind of had to skip a couple weeks between our class here and this. Last week we did week four. Actually, two weeks ago we did week four, and in chapter four of the book we're reading, it's called I'm a Church Member by Tom Rainer.
Speaker 1:If you haven't read the book, it really is a great book, and I think one of the biggest things we've learned from it is just the importance of what does it look like to be part of a church? Right, and I think that's one of the conversations people always ask is what does it look like to be part of a church and to participate in being part of a church? And so part four is all about praying for your pastor, and so that can mean a couple of different things. Maybe you have someone who's in full-time ministry, who works at your church, someone who's preaching. Maybe you have multiple staff at your church, those who are in kids ministry, maybe a volunteer staff you know that you're not even you don't even know about. I hope you do, but maybe you don't. Maybe they're running a ministry of your church that you're not quite aware of that they're putting their time and energy into. You know, when I was in Cincinnati a couple years ago, I had the privilege of what was then called TCA, which was Tri-County Assembly, and I had the privilege of being part of their master's commission for two years, and I can tell you, one of the greatest things that I learned being there was just how overwhelming ministry can be, and I don't say that in a negative way, but I think one of the things that a lot of men and women, when they go into ministry, they're not really prepared for, is just how time-consuming it can be Not only time-consuming, but energy consuming and emotionally consuming. And so when I was in Cincinnati for two years, one of the things and to this day I'm grateful for my opportunity to be there One of the things that I learned while being there is that ministry is tough. Ministry is not for the lighthearted, it's not for those who give up easily. Um it, it. It takes a certain level of grit to go into full-time ministry and and I'm sure you could argue that for a lot of jobs that people do, but but really like ministry is is is hard and it's one of the uh, the more difficult things that I've done.
Speaker 1:I remember there was a period of my life so I've been in full-time ministry probably since I was about 16 years old. I started working out and volunteering at the youth group. I was a youth leader, I was on the youth worship team, so that's something that I kind of picked up along the way. And then, you know, there was a church that I was at in Wintersville, ohio, not too far from here, where I was helping with the youth and volunteering my time. And then I got my first full-time paid position when I was 22, 23. That was actually here at this church where I am now, 22, 23,. That was actually here at this church where I am now.
Speaker 1:And so I remember my time in Cincinnati and everything we did. So we were essentially interns and we did different tracks, right. So we worked with different ministers, we helped make sure the ministries of the church were functioning. We volunteered our time. On top of that, we would spend our time traveling as well with Master's Commission and getting the word out there and spreading the news. And you know, I think the furthest trip we ever took was to Texas, at least in the States. But we went to Guatemala, we went to Greece. These are all just opportunities that we've had and I can tell you that the ministry in and of itself is exhausting.
Speaker 1:And up until recently I've always kind of been I don't want to say the secondary staff, but I kind of youth slash associate. For a while I helped run an upward league in the last church that I was at. You know I've been privileged to help plant a church that was in Newark Ohio. I tried to plant a second church. Ended up not working. You know, thanks COVID kind of ruined that.
Speaker 1:But between working, you know, coming back here full time, I worked a warehouse job and let me tell you that it was a break, man, if I'm honest, it was a break. The job I had was. It was a good job, I liked it, I was good at it, I picked clothing. I worked for Abercrombie Fitch, their warehouse out of New Albany, ohio, for a couple of years. But one of the best parts about it is more often than not, when I went home I was able to leave my job where it was. That's one of the benefits of having kind of a nine to five job. Now I know that's not everybody, but most people when they go home from work they're able to kind of compartmentalize and separate those things. Ministry does not often allow that to happen. So let me give you an example.
Speaker 1:Yes, I do have regular office hours here at the church and I use that time or I attempt to use that time to study, to prepare for upcoming events, to try to connect with people throughout the day and the week, you know, try to answer any phone calls that might come in, but once I leave my office, I'm still in full-time work mode, right? I leave my office, I'm still in full-time work mode, right? So if someone calls me at one in the morning because there's a tragic thing going on in their family, I've got to be there for them. If people reach out to me because they're having struggles in, you know, relationships that they're having, whether with their spouse or with, you know, maybe boyfriend and girlfriend, or maybe they just have a relationship problem with people they work with, like you know, maybe boyfriend and girlfriend, or maybe they just have a relationship problem with people they work with. Like you know, there's some counseling that happens there.
Speaker 1:One of the difficult things about being in full-time ministry is that it's 24-7. And you know, I think about this on Sunday mornings, right, and don't take this personal, because it's not meant to be personal, and don't take this personal because it's not meant to be personal. But Sunday mornings can often be the most difficult time, because you're trying to get ready, you're praying through the message that God has given you, you're trying to make sure that everything's working like it's supposed to, because we all know that it might not seem like a big deal, but if a mic cuts out or the light goes too dim or there's not enough light or maybe the music's too loud, you're going to hear about it. That's just me being 100% honest with you. You're going to hear about it, right, because that's how ministry works. So part of Sunday morning is trying to make sure those things don't happen, so that we don't have to have conversations.
Speaker 1:On top of that, people approach you on Sunday morning and they want to tell you about what's going on in their life good or bad or otherwise, right? So either they're going to share with you a story that's going to be uplifting, about some of the things that they've accomplished this week, or they could share with you something that's disheartening and it's difficult and maybe it's a challenge for them and you're trying to navigate. How do I love them, how do I counsel them? But I can't do it in this moment. Or my favorite people are going to come up to you and they're going to complain about something, something that happened last week, something that you said in a sermon three weeks ago, something that's last week, something that you said in a sermon three weeks ago, something that's happening in the moment, something they don't like about what's about to happen in the next hour and a half.
Speaker 1:So when you talk about being in ministry, especially in a pastoral role, there's so many responsibilities, there's so many hats that you wear, there's so many things that happen. There are so many hats that you wear. There are so many things that happen. I have the privilege of being in people's lives on the greatest moments and I get to celebrate with them some of the greatest moments of their lives A new birth, a wedding, a newfound faith, when someone gives their life to Jesus and we get to experience the decision to get baptized with them. And on the other side of it, you experience some of the hardest times when someone passes away, when someone's marriage is struggling, when someone's struggling with an addiction that they thought was gone and it's found its way back, or when you're helping someone wrestle with some significant doubt about even their own faith. Right, and here's the thing Sometimes all of that happens in the same day.
Speaker 1:It can be overwhelming, overwhelming, and if you're working full-time in a church, you understand 100% what I'm talking about. If you don't work in a church, I think you probably have an idea of what it can be like, but I don't think you really understand how difficult day-to-day can be, right, and so I talk about that this week when I preach, like this last week for me was tough. Not only are you trying to navigate all the different challenges that come with being in ministry and sermon prep and praying with God and to God and saying, hey, god, I want to make sure we're leading right, that I'm doing this. You know I'm doing things that I'm supposed to be doing, that I'm leading this church in the direction that it's supposed to be going. You know I'm trying to navigate the challenges that come with my own family and the difficulties that can arise when you have sick kids. Or you know something happens and your car breaks down and you're not sure what to do, or the finances just aren't lining up like you hoped they would, or the schedule becomes overwhelmed and there's too much going on, or you have a fight with your spouse, or you have a fight with one of your kids. And listen, I say all of that because I'm trying to help people understand that being in full-time ministry is challenging. I know that I was privileged to be part of a program that helped me see some of that.
Speaker 1:Not everyone who goes into ministry initially is aware of those challenges. They're not ready for them. This is why full-time ministry has one of the highest burnout rates from a job profession. And you're right. Well, you're going to say, and you might be saying to yourself well, you signed up for it. You're right, I did. I knew what I was getting into. Thank God, I had some really good mentorship and leadership along the way. But knowing what I signed up for doesn't make it easier to do. It doesn't negate the fact that it can still be overwhelming. Do you know? One of the biggest things that sticks with me personally right? So this is just me being honest is the success or failure of a ministry or a church, the church I am at now.
Speaker 1:I believe that God has brought me back here for a reason. I don't think it was a coincidence. I don't think the timing was a coincidence, but there's a lot of weight that comes with. Am I doing what God wants me to do and why is it taking so long to see, sometimes, the fruit of my labor? Right, there's a weight with that. The things that people don't like on Sunday morning, or the things that people complain about I probably have already thought about them a thousand times Because I'm trying to navigate different personalities, different wants, different needs, but also stay true to what God is calling me to do.
Speaker 1:The things that I've said in sermons, right or wrong. I wrestle with Every sermon. I go home and I play it again in my head over and over, and I even go online and I rewatch my sermons. Did I say that right? Did I elaborate on that truth enough? Do people understand what I was trying to get to in this moment? What happened here? I feel like I missed something. Or the critiques that you get being in full-time ministry I've already given them to myself. The hardest thing in the world is trying not to compare myself to other preachers and how great they are, and when you hear people talk about how great they are. And when you hear people talk about how great they are and you wrestle with. Am I that good? Am I not enough? Am I doing what God has called me to do? Or the fear of a church failing or people leaving or members feeling disheartened or new believers not really growing in their faith? There's a lot of weight. There's a lot of mental and emotional involvement.
Speaker 1:I was in student ministry for probably more than 10 years of my life. I still pray and wonder about all my kids from the past, all of the students that I influenced. Where are they now? A lot of them I stay connected with when I can, but I wonder about them and I think about their life. I wonder if I had an impact or if I made a difference on them. I wonder about all the people that I've ministered to in my life that are they still spiritually strong and seeking after God or have they fallen away? And if they fell away, is it something that I did or could I have done something more?
Speaker 1:I think about the people now who God has brought into my life and I feel like there's some people who get it and who understand and you disciple them into being a disciple, and then there's other people you disciple and you don't really get to see much of the fruit, or there's not much fruit, and you wonder, could I do more? Could I have said more? Could I have done more? I say all of this and I'm trying to, and really I just want to be vulnerable in this moment because I want you to understand the weight that comes and the thought processes that come, and I would argue that almost everyone that I know is in full-time ministry has these same struggles. Why are we not as advanced as the church down the street? Why are people going to that church and not my church? What about my sermon? Is this going to upset people, but is it going to honor God? Because that's the bigger question.
Speaker 1:Sometimes God, I believe, leads me to say things that need to be said, and I trust in that, and sometimes that causes fallout. Right, why can't our live stream be better? Why aren't our lights brighter? Why can't we have more people who can volunteer for these events? Hey, we did this event last week and no one really showed up. Why, what did we not do? Am I communicating enough? Am I over communicating? Are we talking about the vision enough? What's the plan for the building moving forward? And are we, you know, talking about the vision enough? Or what's the plan for the building moving forward? You know how can we utilize, you know, in our case, our property more Like what events should we be doing for the community? How are we loving the people around us? What's the perception of our church in the community? Do people see us as a loving, caring, compassionate church or overly judgmental and hypocritical Like?
Speaker 1:All of these things, almost daily, are running through my mind, and I would venture to say the leadership of this church as well is in the same place. What are we doing? What are we accomplishing? What difference are we making? Are we making the right choice in this decision? All of these things are constantly running through my head, because there's nothing I want more than to be successful as a church in the current culture we live in. There's nothing I want more than to see people come to Jesus left and right, to see thousands added to our numbers daily. There's nothing I want more than to see people mature in their faith and get to know who Christ is. There's nothing I want more than to watch my kids grow up in a church that they want to be a part of, in a church that's meeting their needs, but also as their dad and am I meeting their needs as well? Not only am I leading them, but am I teaching them to love and follow Jesus? Am I ministering to my spouse enough? Am I protecting my family enough? Am I being everything I can be so that the world around me sees people, or they see someone who loves God, and do people see Jesus in me? Those are things that, every day, my brain hardly ever shuts off, and I can tell you that no other job I've ever had have I ever cared as much as I do about the one that God has called me to the position that I've chosen, because I believe that God is calling me to build his kingdom, and that's no small feat. The weight of that, the pressure of that, a lot of times can be overwhelming. So I say all of that to say this and I realize that, man, I just gave you a proverbial bleh.
Speaker 1:Chapter four of the book we're reading says pray for your pastor, pray for your leadership, pray for those in your church who are wrestling with these types of things. Pray for them because we need it. There's nothing I want more than for the direction that God has given me. There's nothing I want more than for the direction that God has given me. There's nothing I need more than relying on His power and His strength to endure what he's called me to do. There's nothing outside of His leadership in helping me become the man of God he's calling me to be that has a higher priority or a higher calling in my life. So pray for your pastor. Pray for me, even if I'm not your pastor. Pray for me Because I believe that what we're trying to do here has an eternal impact.
Speaker 1:Trying to do here has an eternal impact. It's so much bigger than just being successful or having a nice building or having the best live stream or the best lights or crazy dynamic sermons those things aren't bad. But what we're trying to do is to reach people who don't know Jesus, to teach them about Jesus and then to teach them how to teach others about Jesus. That's the mission that we are on and I'm telling you that mission is worth every ounce of my energy physically, emotional, otherwise. But I can also tell you that the weight of that is heavy.
Speaker 1:So many times in ministry it can feel like you're on an island, like you're the only one running full throttle, like you're the only one who feels like you're trying to get to that next level, and I'm not saying that that's necessarily true, but it feels that way. It feels lonely To be in a fishbowl, to have every decision and every thought and everyone's opinion geared towards you and what they like or don't like. That can be a lot. I'm not unaware that it exists, it's part of it. That's why Tom Rainer in his book says pray for your pastor, pray for your elders, pray for your leadership, pray for those who volunteer in ministry on your elders, pray for your leadership, pray for those who volunteer in ministry on your staff, pray for those who oversee ministry at your church, but pray specifically for the one that God has called to lead your church.
Speaker 1:Leadership's never been easy. Leadership in the church is a whole different level. I mean, I'm not going to go into it, but there's so much research that has shown just how challenging it is to be in ministry full time. Apart from the other jobs, from the other jobs. I'll share this one thing that I read a couple years ago. They were talking about that preaching a 30-minute sermon can be as mentally exhausting as an eight-hour workday. And listen, I know that probably doesn't make a ton of sense, but let me tell you that after Sunday morning, I am exhausted, the worship team is exhausted, the leaders of our church are exhausted because we just successfully made it through another Sunday morning. We just navigated another set of problems or concerns that everything worked like it was supposed to and, by the grace of God, we got to celebrate someone giving their life to Jesus and by the end of Sunday morning I am a more out. You go home, you try to rest up, but you still got to be ready Because people still have problems, people still have struggles, people still have sickness, people still have relational problems and they're going to reach out and say, hey, I need help and you've got to be ready to say, okay, how can I help?
Speaker 1:So pray for your pastor, pray for those who are spiritually leading your church, because it's a lot, your church, because it's a lot. I would, almost across the board, say that everyone that I would come across who's in ministry would agree that it's a lot. It's incredibly rewarding, but it's also incredibly challenging, and it's only by the grace of God that we can accomplish any of this. It's only by the grace of God that we can accomplish any of this. So make it a regular habit to pray for your pastor, pray for his sermons, pray for his family, pray for the ministry, the events he has coming up, pray for your part in the church and how you can help and how you can serve.
Speaker 1:But lift your leadership up in prayer, bathe them in prayer, trusting that God is giving them exactly what they need to be Everything that not only you need them to be, but that they need to be For their families, for the community, for the kingdom as a whole. It's worth it. It's always going to be worth it, but it's hard, and I've resolved that it's always going to be hard, but with the prayers of a church behind you and prayers of loved ones, and just in my own personal prayer life, just relying on God with everything that's in me to continue to lead His church in the way he's called me to, that that is what we need, that is what every church needs More than anything else a church and its leadership bathed in prayer. Pray for your pastor, all right Later.