Learning to be Content in Ministry

I've heard it said, "The Grass is Greener where you water it." As I have grown older and (hopefully) wiser, I have realized the truth of this statement. It holds more truth than the old saying, "The grass isn't always greener on the other side." The grass is not always greener, but it is certainly greener where you water it, cultivate it, and encourage growth. This has taken me years to understand. It all boils down to one word for me - contentment. Learning to be content in ministry and in the situation where I have been put. 

Early on in my ministry I was chasing the next big thing. I wanted the celebrity status as a Youth Minister. I wanted to be known for the work that I was doing. I wanted to be invited to speak at the big youth events. I wanted to brag about the events that I planned or was a part of via committees or board appointments. I wanted to the pats on the back. I wanted the recognition. I wanted to bring positive change to the youth ministry and the church. I lived for my glory. I would look at other Youth Ministers and think that I was not doing enough... In doing so, I worked tirelessly. The calendar was full. There were long days and long nights, often at the sacrifice of my family. The recognition didn't come. I worked for 3 congregations in 4 years. I was far from a celebrity and about two and half years ago I was humbled, I was brought low, and I was asked to resign. If you read the last paragraph, you noticed there was a lot of I and not enough God. I see so many ministers and youth ministers hustling to provide or plan the next big thing - I know that life - it's dangerous. Selfish ambition, the comparison game, and chasing the next big thing can lead to burnout and disappointment.

Contentment and the art of learning to be content has not been an easy road. In fact, I still find myself at times fighting the selfish desires versus what God is wanting from my life and ministry. Then, I read the book of Philippians and Paul hit me with some truth bombs. 

No matter who receives the recognition - Christ is being proclaimed (Philippians 1:12-18)

I had to accept that there are others who are more equipped than I to speak to young people at different events and that's okay - Christ is being proclaimed. That does not change the fact that I get to spend every week with the students who are sitting in front of me. I had to realize that the most important thing I could do was to provide to the students a study of God's word and help them to understand how life-changing the scriptures can be. I get to spend more time teaching God's word than the every now and then speaker at an event - I get to have a greater, deeper spiritual impact on these students. It is my prayer each time that God receives the glory, because I am nothing without God.

Be an Encourager (Philippians 1:3-11)

Could you imagine being an encourager while you are sitting under the watch of Roman guard? That's exactly what Paul does! He encourages the people of Philippi through his prayer of thanksgiving. He, also, takes a moment to encourage them to continue living for Christ while being pure and blameless, filled with the motivation to do the right thing. Now, could you imagine being an encourager when you don't agree with leadership or you are dealing with difficult people? That's exactly what you need to do. I am not always the best of this, but I try to make it my purpose to encourage others even when things might not be going my way. You know what happens? You receive encouragement through your encouragement. I feel uplifted when I have opportunities to encourage others. It's possible that you will receive encouragement from others because of your encouraging spirit. 

Find the Positive (Philippians 2:14-18)

Paul is awaiting to hear if he will receive the death penalty. He is unsure of his fate; however, he knows where he will spend eternity. Either way is fine with Paul (Phil. 1:21). Paul continues to encourage the Philippians to "rejoice and be glad" with Paul. How can anyone find the positive in this situation? Maybe you have faced similar situations where you walked out of an Elder's meeting feeling completely defeated... how do we even find the positive? It's possible you have had conversations with very difficult people who would rather tear you down than build you up - do they even have any positives? To dwell on the negative can be very detrimental to your ministry. It can cause resentment and angry to build up while your mind begins to think that the grass maybe greener somewhere else. The church is the body of Christ which is made up of imperfect people. There will be no perfect situation. Every congregation has their problems. Let's take our blinders off and begin to look for the positives. In looking for the positives, you will see opportunities to help the church grow, as well. 

Be Christ-Like. Be Humble. (Philippians 2:3-11)

Want to understand humility? Examine the life of Christ. It's hard to believe that the Son of God willingly gave up His spot on the throne knowing that His fate would be sealed in a cruel fate upon a criminal's cross. Paul reminds the people of Philippi that in order to be like Christ, we must learn to be humble. We must learn to put other's interests above our own, to count others are more valuable than ourselves. You want to see your life turn towards God? Take yourself out of the equation. Me, Myself, and I was my main focus when my focus should have been on God, family, and the students that needed a minister. It's okay to admit when you are wrong. It's important to humble yourself and submit to your Elders, even if you disagree. It's important to humble yourself and be changed by God. The result of Jesus Christ humbling Himself? "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:9-11)

Find Strength in Christ (Philippians 4:11-13)

How can Paul endure the strife, the arrests, the difficult people, the trials and tribulations in his life that seemingly happened over and over again? (2 Cor. 11:23-28) His strength came from the Lord. Paul was able to be content "in whatever situation" because he allowed Christ to be the King of his life. This allowed Paul to have the strength to preach the gospel despite the possibility of persecution. In whatever situation, we must learn to be content knowing that our battle is God's battle. Strength will be provided to us in the midst of the battle. Due to the strength Paul had through Christ, it did not cause him to run when things got tough. Finding strength in Christ will allow us to tough it out when we want to give up, when we want to look for other opportunities, and when we are in a season of trials. Believe me, Satan wants us to run in those situations - those are often the times when ministers leave congregations in a blaze of glory and take out everyone in their path. I pray that you will take a step back, look at the bigger picture, and realize that you are in a momentary affliction. God is still good to you and will provide the strength you need.

Let me encourage you, find contentment in the work you are a part of. The church only thrives and grows when its members and ministers remain committed to the cause of Christ. The grass is truly greener where you water it - let's quit looking for greener pastures and focus on cultivating the one in front of us.

Andrew Thompson is the Youth Minister at Lebanon Road Church of Christ in Nashville, TN. Andrew is incredibly grateful to God for the opportunity to minister to families and students. He is supported by a wonderful wife, Joy (who is out of his league!) and a two year old son, Henderson (no relation to Freed-Hardeman). Graduating from the University of Alabama was a life-long dream while following in the footsteps of his parents. If you've ever been around Andrew, you know that he has a master's in sarcasm which leads to having a dry sense of humor. Remember: God is Good, All the Time!

The Church, Ministers, and Suicide

Can I be honest for a moment? I have struggled with how to even approach this topic. In fact, it has sat in my drafts folder since October, 2019. I believe it is even more pertinent as we spend time in isolation and ministers struggle to know if they are "doing enough"... I want to share something that has been on my heart for awhile. This comes from a place of love and concern, not of angry or pointing fingers. It is an article that I hope will help us to be people who take care and concern for our ministers within the church. 

It was June 28th. I was scrolling through facebook when I saw a post that shook me to the core. It was the news of an unexpected passing of a fellow servant in Christ. While I did not personally know Brian, we had crossed paths. I had heard him speak to youth, seen the magic shows, and watched his infectious personality take over the room. Any time I was around him it was easy to see his love for the Lord and the passion he had for sharing that with anyone who would listen. Later that day, my fears were confirmed - another minister lost to suicide. 

You see, this is not the first time this has happened to a minister or even a leader of the church. It seems that once a month or more I read news of another minister who has decided that this life on Earth is no longer worth living. I do not blame the church, but I do think we can do a better job of caring for our ministers. Some churches are great at this, but not all are. Ministers are burning out at an alarming rate and we, as members, must do what we can to encourage and care for our ministers. 

A minister can feel lonely at times as if they are on an island all by themselves. We offer help and encourage spiritual growth in others, but where do we turn for help? Who can we talk to about our struggles? What will the members think if I share my sins in an open forum? How will I be received if I respond to my own invitation of repentance? These are often questions that ministers have to face. I know you already know this, but Ministers are not perfect people and should not be treated as so. We DO mess up, because we are sinners (Romans 3:23). The gift of grace goes a long way. 

So, what can we do? How can we ease the mind's of ministers so that they know the church supports them? How can we reduce the feeling of loneliness that a minister may feel, especially in a new place? I don't have all the answers, but these are just a few of my suggestions. 

Pray Daily

If there is nothing else that you do, pray for your minister daily. Most ministers and their families feel very alone in the midst of their churches. They may not have close friends in the congregation to whom they can go with burdens. They may feel that they can’t share needs because they, of all people, should have everything running smoothly. In truth, the minister’s family is just like yours. They struggle with similar issues and problems.You may not know the struggles that your minister faces, but your prayer can be focused on strengthening your minister. Pray for his family. Pray that the minister will be shielded from the schemes of the devil. Pray that the church will be open to God's word that is presented through the ministry. Pray for your minister's growth, the church's growth, and opportunities for God to work. If you truly want to encourage your minister, let them know that you have prayed for them that day. Additionally, every time you pray for your minister - let them know. Ministers, ask specific people in your life to pray for you. This way you know that everyday you have someone praying for you. 

Positive Communication

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

When we communicate with our minister, it needs to be as positive as it can be. Often times it is the negative criticism that speaks the loudest, hurts the hardest, and stings the longest. Negative feedback is rarely followed up with any positive encouragement. Therefore, negative thoughts begin to creep in - Am I being effective? Is there anything I do right? Would this church be better off without me? This allows thoughts of sadness, depression, loneliness to begin to take hold. In Deuteronomy 3, Moses was probably frustrated when he was not allowed to take the people of Israel into the promised land, but God told him he needed to "encourage and strengthen" Joshua as he would be the one to lead the people (v. 28-29). In order to encourage and strengthen the one charged with ministering the flock, we need to communicate in a positive way. The family of God is supposed to encourage and edify one another, including those who minister to the family of God. (1 Thess. 5:11)

Seek a Relationship

Recently a question was posed, "How welcoming are we as a church?" I sat and listened to the question, then pondered how I would answer. As a minister, we are welcomed with open arms, shown love, and even feast together. After awhile, the fellowship and invitations begin to be less and less. Often times as Ministers, in a new place, people are hesitant to build a relationship with the minister. If they do, we might see they are imperfect. We might see their shortcomings, their downfalls, their sin. However, ministers are just like you. Ministers thrive on relationships, but often find it hard to find true, intimate relationships with members of the congregation. I would encourage you to seek out a relationship with the Minister. They need someone who they spend time with and not talk about the work of the church. Ministers spend so much time pouring into people spiritually and trying to build relationships that it can become very exhausting and draining. Ministers need you to want a relationship with them and to seek that out. 

Be Willing to Listen

Have you ever asked a Minister who they go to when they are struggling? Often times the answer is "no one" or "family". Let me encourage you, when you seek out that relationship - build a trust where a Minister can share their thoughts and you just listen. Ministers spend time listening and counseling others, but do not have anyone to listen when they need it the most. This often can lead to a feeling of isolation and being overwhelmed. Can you imagine carry your burden's and everyone else's burdens while not unloading those burdens on anyone else? Yes, Ministers should communicate and be open with others. Is this realistic? At times, ministers may not think so because they are the ones who are supposed to be leading. It's hard to share struggles with one another, especially if you are a minister. Listen to them, pick up on cues, and offer them what they need. More often than not, they just need an ear that will listen. 

Get Involved

Do you want to help your minister? Get Involved! Ministers stand in front of their congregation and they preach about the importance of being involved in the church, being involved in the lives of others, and having an active role in ministry. At times it feels as if the message falls on deaf ears, which leads to feelings of being ineffective. Do you value the church and your minister? Get to work! Ministers become drained preaching the same message and offering opportunities for involvement only to have the same people to volunteer each time. I know there are some who want to be asked - ministers are not always good at asking. If you want to be involved, why not volunteer?  The next opportunity you have to use your talent, don't hesitate - get involved!

I know this is very rough, but I'm afraid we are indirectly doing things to create feelings of anxiety, depression, ineffectiveness, etc. When the issue is compounded, it leads to thoughts that the world would be better off with that person. That is simply not true. Find ways to encourage your ministers daily. These are just a few ways to do that - What suggestions do you have? 

What have you done to encourage your minister today?

If you are a minister and struggling, please reach out to me. I am available to you - (256) 566-5790 or andrewt519@gmail.com. If you are having suicidal thoughts, please seek professional help right away. I love you and appreciate the work that you are doing. You are in my prayers daily, even if I don't know you by name. God bless you and your work!