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Achieving Balance in Your Ministry - 5/14/2008 11:43:44 AM
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wings001
Posts: 2
Joined: 5/14/2008
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Achieving Balance in Your Ministry
Lonely, tired, stressed, overextended, uninspired, distracted, frustrated, passionless, and discouraged - many shepherds are struggling to lead their flock because their lives are out of balance and/or unfulfilling.
Is your life, your priorities and commitments, in balance? How effectively and efficiently are you running your ministry? Where are things bogged down? Are you getting sufficient rest and relaxation? Do you delegate appropriately? Does your family feel neglected because you are over-committed or too tired to be attentive to their needs? Are you regularly listening to God's call as you renew and refine your vision? Are you attempting to do something or be someone outside of your calling? Where do you need to "let go and let God?"
Your job as pastor or as head of a ministry is perhaps the most dangerous of all professions when it comes to burn-out and "workaholism." It is absolutely imperative that you guard yourself, your family, and your church or ministry against the devastation that can occur from imbalance and fatigue.
Even Jesus, who was God incarnate, took time to get away from the masses and renew himself by being alone with the Father. He also knew when he needed to rest. Jesus was never in a hurry or frantic. He was purposeful but peaceful. He spent quality time with those to whom he was the closest. Jesus took care of his own needs as well as those of his followers. He understood that he could best fulfill his ministry by giving to others from a position of wholeness.
There are many examples in the Gospels of how Jesus maintained his balance and focus. He had singleness of purpose and did not allow others' agendas to get him off track. Even though many of his followers expected him to become an earthly king, he knew what he was here to do and did not allow them to push him off his path. Jesus was confrontational when necessary and wasn't afraid to say "no" to requests that didn't correspond with his mission.
When we feel frustrated or ineffective, it is important to ask ourselves if we are trying to get ahead of God or make something happen rather than patiently following God's lead. Jesus said he did what he saw the Father doing. Jesus also recognized that God's timing and purposes don't always make sense to people. (The disciples couldn't understand why he delayed after hearing that Lazarus was dying. Peter, Jesus' right hand man, tried to talk him out of doing what he had come to do. His own mother didn't understand and Jesus at least once had to turn her away and stay focused on what needed to be done.)
So, how do we accomplish all God has called us to do without losing our focus, becoming overextended, or allowing our lives to get out of balance?
Let me suggest three main principles:
1) Be a God-pleaser not a people-pleaser
One of the biggest temptations in ministry is to try to make everyone happy. If you fall into this, without question you will be frustrated and overworked. If you struggle with pleasing others you must learn to say "no" without feeling guilty. When I first began to break out of my need to please everyone, I had to force myself to say "no" to practically every request at least initially. After praying about it, I would then sometimes get back to the person who had asked and let them know I had reconsidered and believed God did indeed want me to be involved. Even then I found it essential to not over-commit, and to continue listening to God's Spirit as I moved forward.
Beware of the power of your promises! Don't promise more than you can reasonably deliver, and don't agree to do something just to get someone off your back. You will live to regret it, and often relationships will be damaged by feelings of resentment or regret.
2) Love and care for yourself and your family first
While it is exciting and often fulfilling to be involved in many different ministries and to feel you are affecting the lives of your parishioners and the surrounding community in many positive ways, you will burn out if you don't take care of your own needs first.
Many years ago there was a popular acronym: J-O-Y, Jesus - Others - Yourself which was supposed to be a guide for living. The implication was that we are to put Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last. The only problem with this is that if you live by this model you never get around to your own needs. Yes, Jesus must be first and foremost in our lives, but I contend that you need to be second - not last. When you get what you need and provide care to those closest to you first (your family), then you can give to others from a position of abundance and be a spring of Living Water from which others will be nourished.
3) Play to your strengths while delegating as many tasks as you can to people who have the abilities to complete them
I have the good fortune of being able to work for myself and get to decide (with some input from my wife) how I will spend my time and what projects need to take priority. My desire is to honor God in my choices and to fulfill my calling. Running my own business, however, doesn't always mean doing what I most enjoy or what I feel are my greatest talents. So, I have to choose which tasks to pay someone else to do, and which to do myself.
In my experience it is often a wise choice to delegate or outsource jobs that I find unappealing and/or difficult. While it isn't always cost effective for me to do this and there will always be some menial tasks which I have to suffer through, I have found that my energy level and passion are much higher when I can focus on doing what I do best - and what I love. Delegation creates room in your life to do what you do best and what you are passionate about -- those special individualized things that you were uniquely created to do.
Don't let Satan steal your joy or mute your passion by getting your life out of balance or weighting you down with a heavy load. Remember Jesus' words: "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
-William Kuntz, M.S., LCSW, Licensed Psychologist, Life Coach
www.NewBeginningsCoaching.ws
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RE: Achieving Balance in Your Ministry - 5/14/2008 1:29:21 PM
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rcjames
Posts: 4702
Joined: 7/15/2005
From: Oklahoma
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Well my job (calling) had been for over 45 years to preach the uncomprimised Word of God; on the mission fields of third world countries, holding revivals in Churches whose pews were filled with demons, and Pastoring Churches, some of who did not want Pastoring.
I do as admonished by Paul; fight the good fight, not looking for approval from men, but from God, whether being tired, being give out, being attacked, being sick; just continue on and fight the good fight.
As for me I will find time to rest, relax, and find balance when I go to Heaven, maybe before; but probably not.
Please not the guidelines laid out in 2 Corinthians 11 and 12.
Also please note that the prayer offered in Chapet 12 for the attacks to cease, that most folks claim was not answered was answered in Acts 28:30,31.
So maybe my prayers will be answered at some time before I enter Heaven.
Thanks
RC
edited for spelling
< Message edited by rcjames -- 5/14/2008 1:37:01 PM >
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
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RE: Achieving Balance in Your Ministry - 5/17/2008 5:53:39 PM
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buckifn
Posts: 1695
Joined: 5/23/2006
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quote:
Many years ago there was a popular acronym: J-O-Y, Jesus - Others - Yourself which was supposed to be a guide for living. The implication was that we are to put Jesus first, others second, and ourselves last. The only problem with this is that if you live by this model you never get around to your own needs. Yes, Jesus must be first and foremost in our lives, but I contend that you need to be second - not last. When you get what you need and provide care to those closest to you first (your family), then you can give to others from a position of abundance and be a spring of Living Water from which others will be nourished.
I do live by that model and it works out well...because all of my need is met in Jesus. It is one of my greatest joys to now give to others...
I look at it this way..if I spent my first 20 years living for self and giving so much time and energy to the devil then I can surely give at least 40 for God and what He wants me to do.
He told me "be thou faithful unto death, not until I'm tired.
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RE: Achieving Balance in Your Ministry - 5/17/2008 6:23:50 PM
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pbaribeault
Posts: 1124
Joined: 4/29/2005
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I too believe that the J-O-Y acronym can cause difficulties because it de-values self-care practices. We know that our spiritual needs are met in Jesus, and we know that God can (and does) give us an extra helping of strength when He sets us up for an out-of-the-ordinary task, calling, or season of life.
But, in general, God gives us a set amount of strength to get through an ordinary day-in-the-life, accomplishing His will. He expects us to choose to use it wisely, which means things like getting enough sleep, taking time for relaxation and recreation, eating properly and managing our stress in ways that work with our temperament. We need these things, and it was God who designed us. It's irreverent to expect to be able to run on empty.
It was God who invented the sabbath - specifically showing that we glorify Him through rest (alongside of glorifying him through work and through worship/devotion). I don't believe in dogmatic sabbath adherence, but I do believe that if there is so much in your life that you are functioning without about one-seventh of your time for restfulness, then there is probably more in your life than your Creator is wanting you to do.
Tired people tend to make poor decisions. If we want to do well at the "O" for others, we need to put in some "Y"ourself time -- regularly, and without feeling ashamed. That's not living for self, that's living for God, by taking care of the self that he gave us as a tool to accomplish His will.
But, in a way, the acronym can be seen as right, because we are not being self indulgent just because we like it and think we deserve it. Rather, we are working on self-maintenance, in order to keep ourselves going (towards God's goals and glory) in top condition, being at our most effective.
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RE: Achieving Balance in Your Ministry - 5/17/2008 10:59:14 PM
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ChristianCommando
Posts: 42
Joined: 12/2/2007
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One of the most straining aspects of being a Minister is dealing with so many people who are living and thinking in the flesh.
There are so many who are caught up in disagreements and offense by others, when they forget its a spiritual battle.
Idle hands are the work of the devil, but God teaches us to rest also. If God know we need a rest, He will provide it, but even Ministers of God are to observe a "7th day of rest" during the week.
Most Ministers I know, set aside one day during the week, when don't have any Church activities going on and can adjust thier schedules accordingly.
As an Evangelistic Minister, I also know of so great a constant work schedule, yet God provides for me as needed to keep growing closer to Him. A ministry grows stale when a Minister does not take the time for personal time with God as well, for they can reach a limit to what they've learned, to teach others, if they do not continue to grow in God either.
Ministers are equally as individual as the diversity of that in thier flocks or chosen mission field. Thus, not all Ministers can operate the same.
Why would God have the Holy Spirit come to dwell within each True Child of God if we could all think and operate identically? No, regardless if part of the flock, or as a Sheperd, Teacher, etc, God works with each individually for how each one can operate best.
Some can go full bore in Ministry all the time, while others cannot. The diversity is wide ranged that way, for God to fulfill every position He has for His Church. As such, none of those needs or abilities are any better or less, but perfectly fills a need.
Therefore, neither should we think or speak any less of others who need to operate different than us.
God Bless!!
_____________________________
Warrior of God
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RE: Achieving Balance in Your Ministry - 5/18/2008 2:08:31 AM
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pstrdebi
Posts: 495
Joined: 4/28/2008
From: So. Oregon, by way of So. Cal.
Status: online
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quote:
ORIGINAL: rcjames
Well my job (calling) had been for over 45 years to preach the uncomprimised Word of God; on the mission fields of third world countries, holding revivals in Churches whose pews were filled with demons, and Pastoring Churches, some of who did not want Pastoring.
I do as admonished by Paul; fight the good fight, not looking for approval from men, but from God, whether being tired, being give out, being attacked, being sick; just continue on and fight the good fight.
As for me I will find time to rest, relax, and find balance when I go to Heaven, maybe before; but probably not.
Please not the guidelines laid out in 2 Corinthians 11 and 12.
Also please note that the prayer offered in Chapet 12 for the attacks to cease, that most folks claim was not answered was answered in Acts 28:30,31.
So maybe my prayers will be answered at some time before I enter Heaven.
Thanks
RC
edited for spelling
I would have to agree with the good pastor on this one. God has called us to pastor, to shepard... to Lead. He didn't call us to self-serve.
We are living in a lost and dying world... people are going to hell! If not us... than who? That is part of why there are so many compromising, apostate churches today... because people who take on a me, me, me attitude become lazy.
Changing the J O Y acronym to J Y O... is totally unbiblical IMO.
Yes, Jesus rested... but He got right back up and did it all over again. God refreshed Him and strengthened Him to press on. God hasn't stopped doing that.
We are living in the last days... I want to see people saved and going to heaven... and if working a little harder will save a soul from certain destruction... then sign me up.
Blessings...
Pastor Debi (and Pastor Dave gave a giant AMEN to Pastor RC's post!)
_____________________________
"For in Him we live and move and have our being..." Acts 17:28a
http://www.therockfellowship.org
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