Many things can extend our time in ministry. Over the last several weeks, we have spent time diving into some of those things that can help — connecting with others, confirming our calling, investing in our families, continuing education, understanding that youth ministry is also family ministry, working to be a good part of the team and making your ministry Bible-centered. I want to close out our series by looking at an area we should all evaluate — the need to spend time in the area of our spiritual disciplines for our own benefit and the benefit of those in our ministry. These include Bible study, worship, evangelism, prayer and service.
When was the last time you spent some time looking at your own spiritual life? We can get caught up in caring for others, looking after the spiritual health of our students or just the daily activity of student ministry. But if we want to make it over the long haul of ministry, we need to make our own spiritual lives a priority.
It is easy to get distracted from the best things, even by good things. Teaching, preaching and counseling are some of the good things we do as student ministry workers. However, the best thing is to fall deeply in love with the Bible and allow the gospel to transform us. Our example is a powerful one in the lives of our students. To evaluate this area of life, it is important to ask ourselves some necessary questions:
• When was the last time I sat down and read the Word? Making our ministry Bible-centric is definitely important, but making our lives Bible-centric is even more important. Spending time in the Word, outside of preparation, is vital for us as we seek to live out a life-long ministry. We can become so consumed with the activity of ministry that we forget to listen when God wants to transform us.
If you struggle with reading, listen to the Word. Most Bible apps have an audio Bible you can listen to in your car, while you work out or clean your house. Don’t let the busyness of life pull you from one of the most important aspects of your spiritual walk.
• How often am I praying for myself, my family and my ministry? Sitting in solitude and silence is not the go-to for most involved in student ministry. We find ourselves being pulled from activity to activity. We love the “doing” of ministry. God wants us to communicate with Him. He calls us to pray and share our hearts. We need to be praying for ourselves, our families and our ministries.
It wasn’t until this last decade that I became exposed to a couple of different models that have helped me as I pray. One is the PRAY method. Healthy Church Solutions talks a great deal about this approach. Praise, Repent, Ask and Yield make up our time as we pray with this model. I came across the other while reading a book by Paul David Tripp. It is ACTS. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication are the steps with this word. You can journal or not, but praying for the above areas of your life is important. You need God’s help and prayer points us to the humility we need.
• How do I feel about my ministry? Do you still feel excited about your ministry? Is there joy in what you do? How we feel about our ministry is an important indicator of how we are doing spiritually. If the joy and excitement are gone, changes may need to be made in our lives. We start by taking a closer look at the first two areas we discussed — reading the Word and praying.
Don’t be afraid to examine your feelings on the matter. God has created us as emotional beings, not to be driven by our emotions but to help motivate us to greater places for Him. My prayer is that you will feel great about your ministry, but if you don’t, look for those things that can help you move into that place of joy.
• How much do I talk about my faith outside of church? I love my wife. I am incredibly proud of the work she does with children and families as she serves as a marriage & family therapist, counselor and play therapist. It is easy for me to talk about her because she is the most important person in my life.
We talk about the important things in our lives. Are you talking about your faith outside of church? Talking about our love (or frustration) with the Razorbacks is easy. We are passionate about our Hogs here in Arkansas. Do you feel as strongly about God’s Word? Are you talking to friends and neighbors about how God is working in your life? If the answer is no, your spiritual life may not hold the place of importance it needs to.
My prayer is that those of you working with students and serving in ministry are in it for the long haul. It isn’t an easy commitment, but it will bless your life. While I have had some hard times over the years, I wouldn’t trade any of my 30+ years of ministry. I have learned much and have had the opportunity to pour into the lives of so many different people. I hope you will make it your goal to serve until our Father takes you home.
