(Minister Well Newsletter, September 2018)
It is incredibly common and easy for ministry leaders notto receive the same level of spiritual nourishment that they so dutifully provide for their congregants. Ministry leaders give, they care, they pour out for others. And it is their calling to do so. But, all too often they miss out on the sustenance found in personal worship and real fellowship. Given that we are all sheep in the Good Shepherd’s flock it is important to remember to be nourished…even when you have been called to a shepherd position. How often have you confessed (or heard from another ministry leader) that serving “the church” has somehow interfered in your personal faith nourishment? This simply cannot be God’s design! Instead it looks and smells a lot like Satan’s attack on those who dare to step forward boldly as leaders in God’s army. So, let’s be intentional about feeding our essential sheep-nature, even as we are called to be shepherds. Have your relationships with Jesus and with others in the church become more about duty than delight? Here are a few healthy changes you can implement this week in your thought life, your behaviors, and your spiritual walk to stay nourished for your sake and for the sake of the flock in your care.
Mind
To acknowledge your place in the flock means not always being in charge. There is great comfort in knowing that God is in control and He is the Good Shepherd. But in your church and in your calling, you are also a shepherd. Therefore, it can be easy to assume that role or accept that role more than is healthy or necessary. Additionally, you can be so busy serving that self-neglect leads to spiritual, relational, mental, and even physical emaciation. I don’t think this self-neglect usually has to do with ministry leaders striking out on their own path or pride, as much as wandering away from the flock. Here are two ways we wander. 1) We separate off from the flock in order to lead the way for them. We spend more time connecting with other leaders than in mutual nourishment within our own flock. So we can easily miss out on the support, love, and grace of the community that we are privileged to help build. 2) We forget to graze on scripture. Grazing is a drawn out activity, it happens a little bit at a time. As leaders crunching to prep the next lesson we can easily fall into the habit of gorging (consuming massive quantities quickly). In order to find peace in either of these activities – spending time in fellowship and spending time grazing in scripture – we will have to value them as much as we value leading. In order to do that, we need to remind ourselves daily that God called us first and foremost to a relationship with Him, then to a position in ministry.
Body
We have established that sheep follow and they graze. And I mentioned that following doesn’t come easily to born leaders. But there is something entirely refreshing about not leading. In the most literal sense of the word we need to take time to follow. Join a bible study or fitness class, attend a church event or small group gathering, and have nothing to do with leading or organizing it. Just be one of the people. Listen to sermons for the sake of growing in your own faith, not for prepping for your next sermon or to analyze various aspects of the tech involved. Simply sit at His feet in prayer. Enjoy a book without teaching from it. Be greedy about hearing from the Word of God personally, not only to teach others. Take turns leading staff devotions. It may take practice to figure out how to just participate, so try it a few times.
Now, let’s address the literal grazing aspect of sheep-hood. While we are busy taking care of others are we taking care of our own bodies? In addition to grazing on the Word of God, it is vital to be intentional about what we take into our bodies for nutrition. Quite often there is an inverse relationship between how busy we are and the quality of our nutrition. And if you work in children’s or youth ministry, then you eat pizza with the frequency of a college student. Are we actually blaming God and His calling for our physical self-neglect? I can hear you now, “Oh, that was a low blow, Heather.” Well, take it up with God on a personal level and see what He has to say about your value, your body as His temple, and your stewardship of all He has given to you (including your health).
Spirit
I have always loved the Acts 2:42-47 description of the early Christian church. Nevertheless, I just now noticed something that I have previously overlooked. The passage makes no distinction between the actions of the pastor/leader and the fellowship of believers. And here’s the best part…while they were fellowshipping and worshiping and eating and praying TOGETHER “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). Don’t miss that by being separate from the flock.
Clearly, John 10 is one passage that is front-and-center in our minds when we talk about our sheep nature. Let me just highlight verse 10b in which Jesus says “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Dear ministry leaders, know this – God did not call you into ministry to deplete you. Rather, He extends to you the same richness and everlasting blessing that he extends to all of His sheep. Oh please do not forget or forsake your blessed sheep-hood in His flock.
Challenge
-Be part of the flock mentally and behaviorally
-Graze on the Word of God and physical nourishment
-Do not forget or forsake the riches of being His sheep
Wishing you good health – mind, body, and spirit.
In Him,
Heather Clark, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist, PY 7620
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