From time to time I will meet an energetic person who asks me, “Pastor P, I’ve been thinking lately about going into the ministry—how does it feel to do what you do?”
My response is usually something like this, “In the ministry you experience the highest of highs—there are literally days when you feel like you could charge hell with a water pistol…and win! There are days when you read the story of Daniel in the lions den & think, ‘I could have done that.’ BUT—keep in mind as a minister you also experience the lowest of lows as well…there will literally be days that you feel as if someone has hit you in the mid section with a sledge hammer!!!” (This is pure honesty—the only person that might get offended at that statement has obviously never served in the ministry!)
When dealing with someone who thinks they are supposed to go into the ministry I always ask them, “Are you called?” Let’s focus on that word “called.” First of all—it doesn’t mean God is going to dial your digits on your cell phone and break off a 30 second call to you, asking you to go into the ministry. A call is something that comes from deep inside your gut…you just KNOW you are supposed to be in the ministry—I mean you KNOW…it’s something you can’t get away from…and if you can imagine yourself doing anything else or you desire to do something other than the ministry—it is likely that your not called.
I have known I was supposed to go into the ministry since I was five years old. Now this is a theological sticking point for some, since I didn’t receive Christ until I was almost 19. I had a pastor tell me once that there is NO WAY I could have known at five…but I promise I did…I think that is why I ran from God as hard as I did after my mother passed away in 1982…I knew I could run to Him or from Him…so I chose from Him…but I learned a lesson that Andy Stanley puts like this, “You can run from God—but you can’t outrun God.”
So here I am in the ministry—I honestly can’t think of anything I would rather do—seriously!
Also I take people through a list of pros and cons when getting ready for the ministry. Jesus said that we need to consider the cost!
Some things I tell people are cons are…
You will experience spiritual warfare to an extreme you have never faced before. And the more visible you become—the more intense the attacks are.
People will take shots at you, especially if you are a speaker. You will preach a 40 minute message and they will take 15 seconds of something you said and spend the next year trying to crucify you for it. (Often times these are unemployed people who sit in front of their computer all day in their underwear & surf the internet—not ALL the time…but sometimes!)
You will lose friends! There will be people who you thought would always be by your side who will walk away…and as they are walking away they will say things about you that your worst enemy would not say!
You will be criticized—often! You must develop thick skin…and you must not back down from the critics. I am began offering to receive criticism from anyone who will let me come follow them around for a day and then shoot them an e-mail or create a blog that points out all of their failures. This works!!!
So how about the pros…
There’s nothing like the ministry—NOTHING!!! I think the coolest thing for me is that I know I am doing exactly what God has called me to do…and that I am seeing Him work through me…that’s incredible.
Your view of Jesus will get much larger!!!
You will never feel fulfilled in life doing anything else if you are called into ministry. There is a dude named Paul who is on our staff—he is 50 and has been on staff for about a year and a half now. He owned several convenient stores in the upstate—and I knew he needed to be on staff here. I chased him for about a year—and even nicknamed him Jonah! One day I finally asked him, “Do you want to sell beer, cigarettes, and condoms for the rest of your life…or do you want to do something that is going to impact the kingdom?” One month later he was on staff! And, if you don’t believe me about being fulfilled—just ask him, he will tell you there is nothing like it.
You will begin to love and appreciate people in a way you could never understand!!!
You begin to realize that God uses all sorts of people…it’s NOT just preachers and singers that are in the ministry…but assistants, lighting directors, sound engineers…you discover the power of a team!
You get to assist with volunteers discovering their potential in Christ—technically we are ALL called into the ministry…some full time…but all are called to serve in some capacity. Those who are in the ministry full time get to help people find their calling…and literally live a more fulfilling life.
I love what I do—I can’t do anything else—thank you Jesus not only for saving me—but allowing me to work here at NewSpring—with the most awesome people in the world!