After leaving a church plant-- that I felt was going nowhere, I left behind almost 20 years in the ministry.  I searched and searched for a place that wanted a veteran Youth guy.  I searched and searched for a place that wanted someone like me with the gifts of evangelism, leadership, communication, and thinking outside the box.  It has been a 3 year pit.  While I have been working in the “real” world, I have found that many view my credentials from ministry as not much to offer.  Yes, I have been working in order to make money for my family.  I work very hard at being an example to the people around me of a person that at best loves God and finds HIm relevant in this crazy world, but in truth I doubt it matters much.  So, in my heart, I keep hope alive.  At 47 I know I still have it in me to do ministry, but I am starting to loose heart. There is much more to this story…

I’m at a new ministry in South Texas. At my previous place, I was able to have friends in the congregation who were friends, and I was still able at some level to be their pastor. We left because we simply felt the Lord was done with us and the church needed different leadership to head for the next stage of life. Lots of risk involved in making friends with your flock, but for me in order to love them I have to like them also. And, it’s worth the risk when you look at the alternative (see Todd’s statistic above--THE PROFESSION WITH THE 2nd HIGHEST DIVORCE RATE!) At my new ministry, I have hopes of having some friends here and the local denominational leader seems really supporitve. If you wonder why it’s hard to find support, just read that big thread from last week--There’s some people you just can’t get close to. I really appreciate Todd’s ministry on this website, and the offer he makes.

I have noticed--all the guys I went to Bible College (class of 84) and Seminary (class of 88) with--
maybe 10% of us are in a pastor or staff position!! Many of the 10% are bivocational, but it is surprising the percentage is that low.

Early in my ministry (right out of seminary) I experienced a church for 2.5 years that made me want to get out. Since then, the times I’ve wanted to quit have centered on money--I’d like to make more. I don’t know why I haven’t fallen by the wayside yet, but fortunately God put me in with a group of guys over the last 6 years (denominational leaders, no less) who worked really hard on helping us understand who we are and how God uses us.  This has given me a great sense of peace and accomplishment. Some of us were given 2 talents, some 5, some 10 or 20; all the Lord asked us to do with it is invest it . A 2 talent giftedness level isn’t going to produce the numbers of the 10 talent guy. BUT, that’s not what we’re asked to do.

Know yourself, seek growth opportunities, rejoice for the work of the 10 talents guys (the mega guys) and the 2 talent guys (most pastors in America). Always consider it a privilege. “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.” 1 Tim. 1:12

I have been in the ministry for 17 years.  One of the most valuable things I did and continue to do is surround myself with support and accountability.  I have always had a prayer partner (going on 11 years with my present one).  I have always been in a small group.  I have a weekly date with my wife.  And over the last 4 years I have invested in professional coaching.  Without the intentionality of those systems of health I would not be in the ministry.  With them, I have thrived, survived a major conflict within my calling and have thrived again, always growing my relationship with God and growing my leadership abilitites.

I believe we have unique challenges within the ministry, but they are challenges that God will give us guidance through if we take the opportunities which God provides.

I needed this today. Someone to talk to. I am a woman in a church where I’ve been for an Associate for most of my nearly 9 years. The last year I’ve been in the role of Lead Pastor following the strained resignation of the Senior Pastor. I have been married for 21 years to a man who is often depressed to the point of being “shut down,” which is where he has been most of this holiday weekend. A year ago this past June he lost his job and after six months of looking decided to leverage some of our savings to buy a house to flip. It was supposed to take three months and $35K. Instead, it took nine months and nearly $90K. Now the house is on the market (who buys houses for Christmas gifts) and he has a job through a temp company that doesn’t pay enough for him to cover the cost of keeping the rehab house going until it sells. We spent some time this weekend slashing our budget to make things work but keep getting bad news through the mail of checks bouncing and bills due for the house that weren’t on his radar. Needless to say, that keeps him circling a bad place. I don’t feel I can be completely honest with anyone from church--they are depending on me to be strong for them during this transition, the duration of which is unknown. I feel angry at my husband, and on the edge myself. I’m in the office early today, but have a staff meeting shortly and a Ministry Assistant that drives me crazy on my best days. Can’t wait! I have considered whether or not I should put my husband in the hospital, but as I write this I wonder if that should be me. Thus begins a new week of ministry. I am working hard to do self care and am clinging on to the hope that we are not in this boat in the middle of the storm alone. I guess for now if Jesus wakes up and does something to let me know that, He can keep hitting the snooze alarm. Maybe one of these times, He will actually calm the storm. I know perfect peace is only going to come from keeping my mind focused on God, but I also have to figure out what steps to take to help us manage this crisis.

Mark,
Thank you. I will wear your words of encouragement as a blessing today. May God bring you a glimpse of His heart for you today.

This is all so very sad to me. There is supposed to be joy in using our gifts from God.  Where is the joy, and how do we reclaim that?  The wisdom of loving God, then loving ourselves before we can love others is magnified in the obvious pain so many pastors are suffering.  And, quite frankly, if it makes you htat unhappy, it is time to move on.  I speak from experience.

I normally post my name but am going to omit it this time. I hope you’ll accept my choice.

I can affirm so much of what is in this book. Especially the part where my self esteem is lower than when I began the work but in many other areas too. I know I can look over my 20 years in ministry and see personal and church growth and successes but it seems the more one accomplishes the more people point out what you haven’t done. I don’t see much grace extended.

I have been thinking about leaving the ministry lately for a couple of reasons, one I think where I am pastoring might need a different kind of pastor to take it to the next level, and second because I am tired of having to battle the same old entrenched traditions and arguments after so many years when there is so much more to do in reaching the world for Christ.

One thing attractive to me about a secular job is that the goal is clear, make money. In the church, and some companies, people have perceived goals and actual goals. Perceived goals in the church are to see the church grow by people joinin. The actual goals are to be comfortable with a church they like and expect others to accept. I’ve been reading about the church house movement and it is getting attractive to me to have a secular job for income but minister to a small group in a house meeting.

Todd, while I deeply appreciate the offer for MMI to be a place of refuge I hesitate to do so because I have seen, like in ministers in my area, too much recrimination and posturing from some on the board to feel at ease openly airing my inward personal thoughts. I believe that isn’t the attitude of everyone on the board, and I seen very supporting responses even in this post, and I absolutely accept that is not your attitude but the one or two, or three and four, that do seem to know it all and never have any doubts about what they are doing are enough to make one nervous about sharing.

However, I don’t want you to heavily edit or block posts as, overall, I like the liberty of free exchange. Recently, I’ve gotten involved in a local minister’s group who meet for lunch monthly, but unfortunately it isn’t a supportive group for airing thoughts..

Great article Todd! 

I have been in ministry since I was sixteen years old.  I realized I could not seperate ministry from my vocation whether I was working in a church or outside the church.  God wants us to “Show Others God Lives” 24/7, and I have decided that it really doesn’t matter if I am a paid professional minister or a salesman.  My mission in life doesn’t change because my vocation changes. 

I have served on a mega church staff for most of my professional ministry days, but currently I am a bi-vocational church planting pastor.  I have had thirteen years in the corporate arena where I have won more people to Christ than when I was in “Full-time ministry.” There is no difference in the two unless you make it different.  This was difficult for me to get my heart around at first, but as time passed I realized the fruit I was seeing produced in my life increased, I became more convinced that God had made the corporate ministry as sacred as the church ministry.

With over 750 individuals won to Christ in the marketplace over the past 18 years, I would say there is plenty of room for more ministry guys in the marketplace.  The fruit is hanging so low that anyone with a heart for ministry would love to serve in the “Corporate” setting.  There are no ministry expectations put on you verses the “perfection” that the church puts on you.  The fruit is so easily produced and so greatly appreciated by the individuals receiving the care and ministry.  The fruit inside the church is more difficult with little to no appreciation for the effort.  Did I mention that the pay in the “Corporate” setting is two to three times the church setting. 

Please do not think I have given up on the church setting...remember I am planting a church and the amount of effort that has taken over the past five years is enormous.  The church is healthy and blessed but in the eyes of most who judge by the numbers we are barely a blip on the radar today.  I believe you can do both and succeed at both with God’s help.  It does get lonely from time to time but when that loneliness comes calling I go spend more time with the Master and it seems to evaporate as quickly as it came.

Keep the faith, run the race for the prize of “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Let’s all persevere until that glorious day when we meet the Jesus in the heavens!  Do not grow weary in well doing.

Blessings!

Everyone;
I know many of you will not read this short entry. But I’ve been and in some ways still where many of you are at. I have experienced and felt many of the points mentioned (Not sexual misconduct PTL or divorce).
I am preparing to leave ministry if this next step of “faith” doesn’t work.  I have a family who has needed me for the past 20 years and I haven’t been there for them because of my lack of balance in ministry and the reasons stated above.
That’s why I want one more try at it only this time taking the rejected, beat-up, ex-ministers and put together a team. I would be the Lead Pastor, but form a team of men and women with heart, soul and “outside of the box” ideas and start our own church.
I’m investing in a family business for one reason to be financially well enough off to launch our own ministry.
It is in the Lord’s hands and His only. With so many of us feeling the way we do, can we honestly believe this is what God intended for His body?
I still believe there is something higher that we’re missing. Denominational lines don’t get it, partly because they have to play the party game, and I’m sick of the party games.  But unfortunately you have to play the game or you’re out of job. Forget what God thinks or wants, go the party line.
Anyway I’d love to take all of you and start our own church. I know we’d scuffle and argue, but at least it would be in honesty, integrity and an openness to be real.
God Bless,
JIM

Jim,

Please email me. I am interested in your theories.  My emails is:  . I’m just wondering if this is the same Jim I met here or is this some other Jim. I guess I’ll find out. Thanks for all of your words. I may not always post but I try to read. Though my previous words seem more poetical than anything else, I hope that what I said rang true to what others have so kindly shared. I feel as though I am trapped in two worlds. Neither of which, seem good right now. But as I stated earlier, to not serve God would be worse. If that even seems possible for so many of us right now. God bless.

Praying for those who have responded… and those who have not as of yet or never will.

Yesterday morning as I went into the room, there was but only one sitting there. Having spent a good amount of time preparing, I felt as if it was time wasted. Yet, as I put aside the lesson for the day and started really spending one-on-one time with this individual… my eyes were opened. She really needed to talk. I needed to listen and just be there and offer whatever encouragement I possible could. It was time very well spent.

Throughout the afternoon she and I kept talking via myspace. A place in which I never honestly thought I would ever use in ministry until last weekend. By the time the evening was over she had created a place on myspace groups for us to use to reach out to others. She had sent out invitations to several to join. This morning when I checked it, there were indeed several who had joined. They’ve never walked into our physical church building but they’ve connected with us through myspace. She asked me if we could post our lessons on a weekly basis in the group site as well as on my own personal myspace - to cover the bases. Wow! Was I the one ever encouraged by her actions and thoughts?

This morning I received another message from TW via myspace as well. (Look in the forums section under prayer requests) She asked me to pray for her and said she loves me. HUGE!!!!!!! I was afraid that either myself or the group as a whole had scared her off completely.

Yesterday morning when I walked into that room and only saw the one - admittedly I was frustrated and disappointed. What was our lesson to have been on? In the spirit of Thanksgiving. Last week’s lesson ended with the following two challenges: 1) Give thanks for things this week that are not easy; 2) Trust in God with something this week that you didn’t last week. Today I’ve been taught a few lessons and am thankful.

Boe -

I agree the that the behavior in the church is more often than not what we ouht to have to put up with. Yes there is gossiping and failure to come through on what was promised, politics in the church regularly exceeds anything in the secular world. There are over 400,000 churches in the USA, there are going to a number of “klinkers” in the bunch.

My question is why are we surpised? We are flooded with sinners. With all that has been written about the church why are shocked to find politics in the church. Pastoral salaries have been low for a long time. We all knew that coming in. No one ought to be stunned at this. Aggravating, yes. Frustrating, yes. Shocking, no. And if we are lonely, aren’t we also responsible to do something about that? I have had to find those I can trust as friends and meet with them, pray with them, and yes I made a few mistakes about that ,but there are people out there and God is faithful he will send us what we need.

Ministry is not easy, but it is amazing. For those who have been crushed by serving Jesus my heart goes out for them and I am angry on their behalf. We stand together hopefully and prayerfully.