Ministry inevitably produces painful accounts of struggle and spiritual dryness. But here’s an oasis. We asked ministry leaders to share practices that refresh and energize them. As you read, reflect on what refreshes you, and consider adding some of their practices to your list.
Let Christ Do the Real Work
It’s hard to talk about spiritual refreshment without talking about peace. When you drink deeply from God and trust him to act in your life, there is peace in your preaching and pastoral work.
Once, on my way to the podium to speak, I sensed the Lord saying to me: Remember, it’s what I do with the word between your lips and in their hearts that matters. That was a tremendous lesson. If we do not trust God to do that, then he will let us do what we’re going to do, and it’s not going to come to much. But once we recognize that we are always inadequate, but our inadequacy is not the issue, we’re able to lay that burden down. Then our satisfaction in Christ spills over into everything we do.
We often buy into a false model of success. We get the idea that we are supposed to make something happen, and so we need services to go “just right.” The concluding benediction has hardly ceased before those in charge are asking each other, “How did it go?” We are not at peace when we try to manage outcomes that way. The truth is we don’t know how it went. From God’s point of view, it will be eternity before we know how it went.
In John 8, when Jesus said to the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more,” I don’t think she felt, If I work hard, maybe I can do that. She experienced Jesus’ words as That’s really possible. I can do that. That is one characteristic of preaching that comes from a peaceful, satisfied life.
Henri Nouwen said that the main obstacle to loving God is service for God. Service must come out of Christ’s strength and life, flowing through us, into receptive lives. Take an hour, sit in a comfortable place in silence, and do nothing but rest. If you go to sleep, that’s okay. We have to stop trying too hard. We need to do this for our own peace, and as an example to those to whom we speak. There is a place for effort, but it must never take God’s place with us. We need to make room for him in our lives.
—Dallas Willard is professor in the School of Philosophy at the University of Southern California.
Take Energy from the Vision
I’m refreshed by thinking about vision and dreaming about the future. I schedule time to dream. I set aside a significant amount of time to think about the future of my church and our church planting movement. When I am in a good rhythm, I will take a whole day once a month just to dream about the future. I also spend time envisioning the future with my brother Jon (our church’s co-founder), or with my directional leadership team.
I make a habit of meeting with high-capacity leaders. In the last month, I’ve met with top ministry leaders to discuss the direction of our church. I’ve also spent time with young entrepreneurs. I love to hear their ideas and learn from their creativity. I’ve also spent time with established business leaders and challenged them to increase their impact through extravagant generosity.
These practices have a way of recharging my batteries. Knowing that this is how I am wired, I’m intentional about integrating these kinds of tasks into my schedule. I have an annual retreat so our whole team can participate in dreaming about the future. I hold one-on-one meetings with visionary staff members.
Some tasks, I’ve found, expend my energy rather than fuel it. Pastoral visits, counseling, and administration are a few examples. These are crucial, but they leave me drained. However, being around leaders who have dreams for tomorrow and are advancing the mission of Jesus, refreshes me. It does not feel like work. If work is going to school, these kinds of conversations are my recess.
—Dave Ferguson is pastor of Community Christian Church, a multi-site church in the Chicago area.
Make Visits that Recharge
Years ago whenever things began to press in on me, I sought solitude in books and study. While I still do a lot of reading to refresh, now I find myself replenished after spending time with my church members.
I pastor a small congregation composed primarily of older adults. In the seven years I have served here, I have conducted more than 40 funeral services. Losing valued members of our congregation reminds me it is important to spend time with our seniors, both for their sake and for mine.
During the week, I’m in the office most mornings to make phone calls, handle administrative issues, and plan with our church’s office coordinator. But in the afternoons I’m out in the community visiting our members. I make hospital rounds, visit the nursing homes, and call on our homebound members.
I carve out time to listen to each person, and I try to learn something new about them each time I visit. I always come away from those visits amazed at the experience, intelligence, accomplishments, and expertise we have within our congregation. But more than that, my faith is strengthened by theirs.
When things get tough now, I visit one of our senior members just to enjoy their company, listen to their stories, and be inspired by their courage. Members always tell me how much they appreciate my visits, but I’m the one who is most blessed.
—Chuck Warnock is pastor of Chatham Baptist Church in Chatham, Virginia.
Get Some Sleep, Establish Rhythm
When God feels absent in my life, it usually means I am out of rhythm. As a pastor, when I hit a dark night of the soul, it is usually because I have not been spending enough dark nights asleep.
Fatigue affects my body and my spirit. I’ll hit the pulpit knowing my sermon didn’t get the time it needed, or the preparation that the listeners deserved. I approach one meeting still reeling as I struggle to process the last one. I’ll find myself starting various tasks but not finishing any of them. I’ll add just one more thing to a schedule that has no room and end up being late for everything else as a result. What unifies all these issues? Poor planning.
Wise scheduling can be a spiritual practice. When I make use of this practice, I show myself a little more grace and mercy, and I suspect I give those around me a little more as well.
I have finally found a rhythm that allows me to thrive as an introvert in the extroverted life of ministry. The key is freeing up my mornings. I try not to schedule anything before noon. My afternoons and evenings are for meetings, hospital visits, and conversations with staff. But I keep the mornings as open as I can for the work of “the holy imagination”: sermon-crafting, writing, or even a trip to the gym. My mornings are a time when I know I won’t have to talk to anyone but my cats and God. This sets me up to be more present to human beings when the time comes. On those quiet mornings the cats don’t talk back, but amazingly, there are times when God does.
—Lillian Daniel is senior minister of First Congregational Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Roles that Refresh
When I was new in ministry, I asked other leaders what they did to refresh themselves. I discovered that everyone’s temperament is different and people are replenished by different things. That was significant for me to realize, so that I wasn’t trying to model myself too closely after someone else.
I’m an introvert, so I have to discipline myself to withdraw and take time to be on my own. Many of these alone times I spend in Bible reading. That refreshes me. I can sit and spend a long time reading, and I have colored pencils I use as I read to mark passages and engage with the text. Bible reading is probably one of the most refreshing things I do.
I also make sure that I regularly frequent clubs, bars, and concerts. That gets me around people who are not part of the church. I find myself praying for people and remembering why I do what I do. I live in a small town, so I get to know regulars from the local music scene. I study and write in pubs as well.
At my church, I try to spend about 75 percent of my time in roles that refresh and energize me. Casting vision, problem solving, strategic thinking, recruiting volunteers, and teaching or discussing theological questions are activities that feed my energy. So even though it is “ministry,” it doesn’t drain me. Serving in those roles is crucial to my emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and to my long-term vitality in ministry.
—Dan Kimball is pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California.
Recharge in the Routine
After five years as a pastor, I’ve discovered several ways that I’m recharged and receive grace and strength:
When I hit a dark night of the soul, it is usually because I have not been spending enough dark nights asleep.
Working to get the gospel to the unreached. One of the primary responsibilities of my pastoral work is to mobilize many to pray and go to parts of the world with the least amount of witness. Since getting the gospel to the ends of the earth is a major theme in Scripture, I know that what I’m doing is something close to the heart of God.
Walking Prayer. Often as I sort through emails, study for Sunday, or think about how to handle a difficult situation, I leave my desk and walk the neighborhood. I use the walk to pray about the things that I am working on. The walking also alleviates anxiety, and the prayer brings greater faith and clarity about the tasks before me.
Networking with people outside of my normal circle. I make a habit of connecting with people from a variety of churches. I find encouragement in our shared struggles, I find joy in meeting and making new friends, and I get a dose of life-giving humility that God’s mission is much larger than my immediate sphere of ministry.
Serving with a team of equals. Five years ago we transitioned to a flat leadership structure. Instead of having one senior pastor with supporting elders, we now have four pastors with equal authority. While this raised a few eyebrows, and many wondered if it was really possible, it has brought great health and stability to our leaders and to the church. None of us has to bear the burden of our church alone. And I’ve found serving in this new structure liberating and refreshing.
—C.J. Coffee is lead teacher at The Well Community Church in Portland, Oregon.
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