If I could describe my ministry experience in one word, it would be this: CHANGE. Change happens in life. It happens so much, we don’t always notice. Kids growing up. Us growing wiser. Friends or family drifting apart or growing closer to each other. Churches dying or reawakening. Some changes, however, are stark. They’re sudden […]
You Must Do No Work!
In Leviticus 23, God gives Moses instructions regarding Appointed Festivals. These are official days for holy assembly. Like a national holiday but with more requirements. Like rest. The Sabbath, which happens every week, is already a day of complete rest. Then there are the festivals with days where everyone must stop all their ordinary work or […]
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Joining the Ministry (Part 3)
As fun and funny children can be, I learned that being in a ministry is no joke. It’s is hard work and you learn a lot. Hindsight is always 20/20, isn’t it? Here are the last 4 things I wish I knew before joining the ministry. You can read the first 3 here and the second […]
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Joining the Ministry (Part 2)
Wouldn’t it be great if every ministry has a very detailed handbook with step-by-step instructions for any and all situations? It would certainly be easier! I joined the children’s ministry when I was 14 years old. You can just imagine how much I wish I knew then some of the things I know now. Read […]
10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Joining the Ministry (Part 1)
I believe that we all have a ministry. It’s whatever God called us to do (may it be at home, work, a charity, online, etc). I also believe that a sign of spiritual growth is getting involved in a ministry at your church or faith community (Ephesians 4:11-16). One of my goals in moving forward in this […]
A Good Kind of Tired
I’m tired. Bone deep, feet aching tired. And it’s GOOD. It’s VBS week over at our church. That’s Vacation Bible School for the kiddos. It’s been crazy decorating and getting last minute things ready. This past Sunday, we had 8 kids registered. Yesterday, 19 kids showed up (and as I update this post, 25 on […]
2 Very Practical Ways to Prevent Ministry Burnout
On Monday, I wrote about calloused calluses, when our hearts harden and we become spiritually dull. And I mentioned that the author of Hebrews seemed to know about ministry burnout. Burnout is “the state of chronic stress that leads to physical and emotional exhaustion, cynicism and detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness and lack of accomplishment” (psychologytoday.com). […]
