From Ministry "For" to Ministry "With" Christ

A study done a few years ago rated doctors, lawyers, and pastors as having the most [long-term] stressful careers. Obviously, this is due to the fact that the function of each of these roles is to assist people as they walk through extreme life-changing and/or life-threatening seasons in their lives.

While [secular] lawyers and doctors deal with issues that remain within this world’s boundaries of time and space, pastors are faced with dealing in issues which are mortal and immortal, timely and timeless, intellectually factual and spiritually faith-based, human and Divine, etc.

In the course of our ministry (lit. defn: “service”) it is easy for us as pastors to shift from serving with Christ into a mode of serving for Christ. Even though we deal with very challenging situations on a daily or weekly basis, situations that require us to call upon the Lord for His help and guidance, it is easy to lose our intimacy connection with Christ.

I would like to challenge all of us who serve in the ministry [as a career] to plan for a change. Let’s not seek the Lord for a momentary and refreshing touch in the midst of our stressful career moments… let’s seek the Lord for a permanent transformation whereby our ministry returns to being with Him.

After all, on the last day there will be plenty of minister-types who will remind Christ of all that they have done for Him, but He (Christ) will not have any recollection of their ministry works because He only remembers ministers that ministered with Him.

“’Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?”

Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

Matthew 7:22-24 (NIV)

Thanks for reading. See you at the altar of ministry with Christ where ministry is truly satisfying in this age, and in the age to come!