I’m writing this post for people that either desire to go into full-time ministry or to have some form of ministry alongside their secular work, to encourage you to prepare for ministry and to minister from the overflow. Maybe you have a heart for leadership in the church or a dream of how God could use you.
Reasons for going into ministry
There are good and bad reasons for wanting to go into or launch any sort of ministry, especially full-time paid ministry. It’s important that you get your motivation right as you prepare for ministry, firstly for your own sake and then for the sake of those you will be ministering to. Full-time ministry is tough. It’s a challenge. And at times it will be hard. To get through those times, we need to have the right motivation, that way we won’t give up or burn out. First, let’s cover some of the bad reasons for wanting to go into ministry:
- Pride and selfish ambition. This is bad, period. Ministry isn’t about you, it’s about glorifying God. In ministry, pride will only cause problems. Self ambition will cause you to do things in your own strength and not rely on God for provision and guidance. Both pride and selfish ambition should have no place in your heart.
- Thinking it’s an easy option, an easy way to earn a living. It’s not. Ask any pastor or anyone in full-time paid ministry. If you want an easy job then look at any other job.
- For self-validation. Our acceptance comes from Jesus dying on the cross for us so we are now co-heirs with Him. If you are considering going into ministry to look for the acceptance and praise of people, then you will be disappointed. People will criticise you. You need a thick skin in ministry.
We should go into full-time ministry or any other ministry because we are called to it. Nothing more. I’ve felt the call into ministry for several years now, and I still work full-time in a hospital. I have used those years to prepare.
Prepare for ministry
So, what have I done with those years?
I have prayed and sought God’s will. And He has clarified and confirmed the call.
I have trained, I have completed a Bible college course. I have studied the word and learnt about the theoretical aspects of ministry. No matter how much you have studied the word, you can always study more. I have tried to read widely, I have completed a writing course and a life coaching course.
I’ve looked at others in ministry to learn from them, I’ve taken opportunities to practice, I’ve grown in my gifts. Learning the theory of ministry is not enough, that learning needs to be put into practice. But remember that learning is lifelong, we should always remain teachable.
Look for areas to serve in, get outside your comfort zone if you can. From my experience, it’s stepping out of your comfort zone that grows you the most, it is those times that your spiritual gifts come to the fore.
Look to the mission field as well, an opportunity to serve in an underdeveloped country amongst abject poverty can give you a whole new perspective and transform your thinking.
Don’t rush into ministry. Take the time to prepare for ministry. You see, if like me, God has a ministry for you, then it will happen in His perfect timing. Don’t try to be the boss. Let God be the boss. Trust in His say on what season it is. It might be a season for preparation and training that you need to go through. I had a specific word spoken over me years ago that I was in a season of training. It has lasted years. In those years God has shaped and sharpened me, honed my vision for this ministry, and prepared me for what lies ahead. The season of preparation is a precious gift, make the most of it.
Minister from the overflow
Ministry should be an overflow. To overflow, you need to be full. If you’re not full of God’s blessing, then what you’re doing isn’t God, it’s you. If you’re not in this position, then you need to stop, and you need to refuel.
I’m writing this sitting on a beach with sand between my toes as I listen to the crashing waves. I’ve had a very stressful few weeks at work and had lost my peace and joy; I was running on empty. The beach is my happy place. As soon as I hear the waves, I relax. And it’s one of the places I hear God most clearly. So, I came to the beach. I’m refilling and refuelling.
With any ministry, no matter how big or small, no matter how long you’ve been doing it for, you can easily slip into the mistake of running on empty, and doing it (or trying to) in your own strength. That’s why we need to be tuned in to our spiritual health. We need to realise when we need to rest and when we need to recharge. And then we need to be willing to take action. To carry on regardless is a big mistake no matter how much we need to get done. When we know we need to take a break, we need to take that break.
As I sit on this beach, I can feel my joy and peace flooding back to me. And writing suddenly comes with ease, it’s not always easy, but there is an ease to it despite the challenges when I know that the Holy Spirit is prompting and inspiring me.
Never let fear or shame or anything else prevent you from taking the time to recharge, to get yourself spiritually prepared to carry on or start out in ministry, then you are ready to go back out and change the world.