Your experience with ministry

J

Jenster

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This post is partly a vent and partly a discussion starter. The discussion starter is this: What experience have you had with ministry, and what did you learn or enjoy (or not) from serving others and the Lord?

And this is the venting part: :p So I just got another email from the person who coordinates the ministry I recently joined at church. It seems like I get an email from her every week with yet another request. It's getting to the point where I don't really want to open her emails.

I volunteered with the idea of helping out once a month. Just once a month because I used to be heavily involved in church ministry and got burned out. Plus, I put in a lot of hours at work.

Anyway, gee, since I started, I've been asked whether I can come in every week (I can't), fill in for those who can't make it (sometimes), lead part of the ministry (what?!?) and change the days that I volunteer (I'd rather not).

I'm going to pray about it and see what God is leading me to do. On the one hand, having the right spirit can mean sacrificing and putting the desires of the ministry above your own. On the other hand, the coordinator seems kinda disorganized, and I don't want to be the person who she keeps coming to because there's suddenly a scheduling problem.
 

miss-a

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For me, when I feel pushed, I don't believe it's the Lord. I once heard a pastor say that the Lord leads; He does not push. I try to keep that in mind. Often times it doesn't reach the surface of my thoughts until, like recently, I find myself overly committed and have to bow out and/or delegate.

I also once heard someone say, "I'd rather burn out than rust out." I'm someone who did burn out, seriously, with a long-term illness, something the originator of that quote obviously never experienced. I disagree with that person's statement. I think there is something in between burning out from being on screech all the time and rusting out from lack of movement. I think it's called being led by the Spirit. And that is what I am aiming for these days. I just delegated two ministry things that were too much for me. All it took was a phone call and an email. Both folks were happy to step in. there was a time when I would not have asked for someone to take over for me. But how these last two worked out has shown me that there are people out there ready to help. It doesn't have to be all on me.

I hope that helps. Don't let them burn you out. God does not require that of you.
Blessings and prayers,
A
 
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dayhiker

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Good thoughts. I was very involved in minister for many years. As even a assistant pastor for 14 years. Taught Sunday School for 30 years. most of that time I developed my own material to teach. It was good and taught me so much, not only about the Bible, but also about leading small groups.

The last 6 yrs or so, I've done very little organized ministry. What I've been doing is being a friend to a lot of people. Redefining my relationship with God to not be legalistic, but really thinking about loving God and loving people. It had lead me to have some amazing experiences with people. As fun and meaningful as preaching a sermon is, I'd much rather spend an hour in an intimate conversation where the other person really gets to share their life story and me being able to listen to it and they know that I'll not put them down, but accept everything they have to say and be as friendly to them tomorrow as I was today.

Those verses were Jesus says if you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me. Well, I want to be a friend of people to the point where Jesus will say I've been one of His best friends. Just tonight I was with a brother who knows everyone one of my sins and knows the details of every relationship I've had in the last 7 yrs. He told me I was the most interesting friend that he has to talk with. I was with him 6 years ago when he was telling me he was thinking of committing suicide because of the way hi wife ha treated him for 34 years. I said one sentence that started his way out. It was: I love the adventure that change brings. That sentence start to create in his mind a new way to view life. Then he did the mental work he needed to do. Today he is happier than he has ever been in his entire life. He had a great woman who loves him.

So ministry today isn't inside the church walls for me, its out among the people, just being a friend.
 
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B

Bridgit

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... What I've been doing is being a friend to a lot of people. Redefining my relationship with God to not be legalistic, but really thinking about loving God and loving people. It had lead me to have some amazing experiences with people.....

So ministry today isn't inside the church walls for me, its out among the people, just being a friend.

I agree.

Ministry is all about Him, loving Him and loving others as He loves them. God's goal for us is to become like His Son. Jesus did all out of His love for His father and His agape love for us.
 
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blackribbon

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Redraw your boundaries. Respond to the next email with very clear limits to what you are willing to do. "At this time, I am able to volunteer only once a month. Be selective in what you request of me because once I have served in whatever capacity for the month, I will no longer be available for the remainder of that month. This will continue until God opens up some more time in my life. I will faithfully pray for the success of this ministry through out the remainder of the month. Thank you for understanding the limits that God has in my life at this moment. And thank you for your service." And steel yourself for some "attitude" but stand by your guns...at least until you feel God asking you to offer more.
 
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memoriesbymichelle

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Redraw your boundaries. Respond to the next email with very clear limits to what you are willing to do. "At this time, I am able to volunteer only once a month. Be selective in what you request of me because once I have served in whatever capacity for the month, I will no longer be available for the remainder of that month. This will continue until God opens up some more time in my life. I will faithfully pray for the success of this ministry through out the remainder of the month. Thank you for understanding the limits that God has in my life at this moment. And thank you for your service." And steel yourself for some "attitude" but stand by your guns...at least until you feel God asking you to offer more.

:thumbsup: Excellent post. I find that in some ministries they burn people out because of this very thing. That's one thing that shy's me away from wanting to serve in our church. I don't mind special projects that I can plan for, but I want to be led by God not checking off a checklist for brownie points with God.
 
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mottie

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Ive been on both sides of the fence on this one, getting people to help out and being burnt out! True that some people are better at coordinating ministries but still it can be hard these days to get enough volunteers and that means the people who volunteer can be overworked. Anyhow I ended up as a burn-out, looking back now I see that I was too much Martha and not enough Mary! I do pray you will know Gods guidance in what to do in serving Him.
 
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J

Jenster

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Thank you, Mottie. And welcome to Mature Singles! I can definitely relate to being too Martha and not enough Mary. Perhaps there's a line that needs to be walked, both as volunteers and as ministry leaders, between work and prayer. Or rather, the two need to be combined!

I was feeling pressured earlier, but I explained my situation to another volunteer in the ministry who has been there for awhile, and she took up my plea with the director. So I think things are smoothed out now. Praise the Lord.

Still, I think the thoughts about boundaries and ministry are right on. We can often feel we "must" serve because there is a need, and while that impulse is admirable (pitching in), the Lord may NOT be calling US to fill that need.
 
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