3. There has to be a delineation between being a professional Christian and a Christian.
5. Criticism is inevitable, and it takes great courage to continue to put myself out there after hurts come.
6. As the pastor's wife, I have significant influence on the spiritual and relational environment of the church.
7. Everyone wants our family and marriage to be vibrant and healthy, but my husband and I are the only ones who will fight for our family.
8. People usually think they are the exception to the rule.
9. I have to work extremely hard to express grace to other women because most people assume that my response will be to withhold it from them.
10. There are two ways of quitting ministry: my husband leaving the position or me quitting in my heart.
11. God is real.
12. If I think ministry will make me famous, liked, respected (or anything other than a servant), I'll be miserable.
13. Most people don't know what a pastor does other than preach.
14. Ministry works best when I release my death grip on control.
15. I have to know my gifts and use them, even if it means doing things differently than other people.
16. I am a huge indicator of my husband's perseverance in ministry.
18. Most people assume that the pastor and his wife don't know about the real world when, in fact, they know the realities of sin more than anyone else.
20. It is better to give than to receive.
21. Spiritual warfare is real and often extremely subtle.
22. Being a pastor's wife is easiest when I embrace it as a gift and opportunity.
23. No one is immune from sin.
25. Everyone wants to belong. And everyone needs grace.
26. The more vulnerable I am, the more comfortable and vulnerable others will be with me.
28. Rest is vitally important. God wasn't making a suggestion when He instituted the Sabbath. He made us with limits and gives us a way to live well within those limits.
29. Burnout is real.
35. When I need help, I should ask for it.
36. I must not forget to thank God when I see Him move or act.
37. God sees. I must trust Him to deal with people who have hurt me, not take it into my own hands.
38. God is not to be used for my own purposes.
40. It isn't healthy for me to know everything that is happening in the church.
41. My husband and I must be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
42. Sin isn't worth it. It destroys everything.
43. Ministry looks different in different seasons of life and that's OK.
48. Date nights keep me sane.
49. God loves people.
50. God is faithful.
Here are 35 more lessons I've learned.
What have you learned in ministry that you would add to the list?
Here are 35 more lessons I've learned.
What have you learned in ministry that you would add to the list?
11 comments:
Oh my goodness! I just found this blog and my excitement knows no bounds!! My husband has been in ministry for 19 years but we've just moved to a new city to plant a church. I can't wait to read what all you (and contributors) have to say about this. My life seems a bit daunting right now!
*I've learned that it really isn't so bad afterall that I can't play the piano or carry a tune.
* It's better to be the real me with people even when they might be expecting (or even if it's just in my head that they're expecting) a more "super-sized saintly me"
*It's okay to laugh at church
*satan is real and I see patterns in his attacks - I have learned to never approach leading a women's study without entering it with much prayer with our ministry team leaders.
*praying for my husband is one of the most powerful ministries I can have
*I/we will be misunderstood at times but we must let God be our defender in His time and not stew or worry about what others are thinking in the meantime.
*We get it wrong sometimes and to apologize is the right thing.
*God does not need my husband, me or our church to do His work - but we do need God to do His work through us.
*God always provides even when I can't see how
*I've learned that it's a high calling to lead the Body of Christ. It's hard work that not many can completely understand. It's lonely at times. And frightening (especially early church planting days) BUT it's one of the greatest joys in life.......to lead others to Christ and to walk with them on this journey.
Well said, Melody!
Yay! Welcome to the blog, Julie, and to the wonderful world of church planting!
Agreed, Melody! Well said. I appreciate that you said "sometimes we get it wrong..." I noticed apologizing was absent from the list.
Christine - I'm very interested in your material on discipleship....I'm having a hard time accessing your email through your blog. I'm pretty sure it's on my end because I have a very old computer. Wondering if you might email me at bowlofwedgies@yahoo.com when you have time . I'm specifically interested in the forms that you referenced in your posts on Discipleship. I read them all last night and they have come on the heels of the Lord really speaking to me about this topic. I've been more sporadic discpleship girl with not a real specific plan in place. Thanks.
What a fabulous list ... and I LOVE that your #1 is something I have to tell myself ALL THE TIME! It's not about me!
I have also learnt that there is life after resignation or termination. We resigned from out last church and felt like ministry was over ... but God ... and now we are back with a church plant.
I Julie - I am new(ish) here too and we just moved about a year ago and unexpectedly did a church plant. We have also been in ministry about 19 yes -- pray things go well for you.
Love your list (and Melody's additions!). So many resonated with me as things I wish I had known earlier, but am so glad God has begun to reveal to me. In response to the lessons regarding the reality of spiritual warfare, another lesson I've learned is - Just as missionaries are called to raise up an army of prayer warriors, my family, my marriage, my husband and ministry need the same protection in prayer. We need to create and continually inform a base of prayer supporters to lift not just the church and ministry up in prayer, but to provide a covering for our family. We 4 years into church planting and did this before the first year, but let it slip away and have only recently begun to rebuild our personal prayer support team. I wish we had invested more in this sooner....our family needs prayer!
What a great list! Thanks for the encouragement.
This is such a great list. I am printing it off and will be reading it often. I (mostly) love the life we have - it is what we prayed for and what God has been preparing us for. I think I would add to the list:
*Don't read into what people say
*Have a mentor outside of your church (objectivity is hugely helpful)
*Take your fears and frustration to the Lord first, not your spouse
*When all else fails have a good laugh
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