Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Statistics would indicate that most if not all full time ministers have seriously considered quitting even though they know they were called to what they were doing.

Main reasons indicated were loneliness, not feeling qualified, stress with many others.

Questions:

1. Have you ever "seriously" considered quitting?
2. Can you isolate the main compelling reason?
3. How did you get through it?

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

You just keep your head up. It may be that your assignment is finished. There is a difference.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

I only thought about quitting once, and I did. It was more about disillusionment and discouragement. The idealism that all Christians should behave as Christians was a stumbling block to me. I never felt unqualified, except to counsel [no point of reference/training].

The feelings I have today are that I should have trusted God more and not allowed others to dictate my course. I apologized to God for giving up in the heat of battle. I still battle but in a different way. Man's expectations for me and God's are in direct opposition. I no longer listen to man. I pray and God talks to me.

There will be a day that I again submit to Pastoral authority but it will be because a trust relationship is built and not the insecurity of a Pastor to demand I submit and obey with no history of Pastoral consistency and trust. A true leader has people that are loyal and follow because they trust His wisdom and judgement not because they recite their credentials and prompt a signed agreement to Trust, honor, and obey.

The Bible tells us to pray for the gifts of wisdom and knowledge, but it also says in all the getting to seek understanding. You can have all the knowledge and wisdom from studies, but lack understanding of people and situations which cause more strife and dissention than just letting the tares grow up with the wheat and letting God sort it out in His time.

If I am ever in full time ministry again - I will be more aware, submissive, and full of grace than I was as a young Pastor's wife. The primary enemy of my soul which sabotogued my ministry was disillusionment and discouragement. I did not trust God enough. My advice to you is to stop looking at man and what they say about you - but trust God and what He says about you.

Blessings, Rhoni

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

I work full time for a church. Are you referring only to those who preach or work in other capacities full time?

I know and have talked to many preachers who have felt like walking away from it all. I think everyone goes thru burnout

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Yeah, I find that it is important to have ways to recharge yourself and to always be sure that you are being ministered to as well.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

I guess I am talking to anyone who fits the bill. My question is from a statistical perspective. Statistics lack personal accounts and I am interested in what people are dealing with.

You make an interesting point of burnout. In my opinion there is no such thing as burnout in ministry. I think that Rhoni pointed out well that her quitting was based on putting too much confidence in man than God. IMO we only burn out when we are doing things apart from God, because God said that His grace is sufficient.

I heard a preacher once say that the Lord, "...arrested me in my tracks as I was walking out the door and said, 'you do so much for Me, but very little with Me." That has always stuck with me and I believe that is the source of burnout.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Powerful!!!

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

You just summed up everything I was going to post.

I did walk away from full time ministry, I burned out. There were a lot of issues at play, but my part in the whole mess was definitely this.

I didn't burn out from doing too much, going too many places, meeting too many needs, helping too much, being at church too much. I burned out from not taking the time to just be with God. I was still worshiping, I was still studying, I was still learning. But I was doing all those good things for others (I was on the platform during worship..so even that was partially for others). I wasn't taking time alone, in my secret place, to just be with God.

I know I'll probably end up in full time ministry again. But I'm not in any hurry to get there. I'm taking my sweet time to study for *me* and learn about God for *me* and get to know Him for *me*.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

This is so true...so busy doing Kingdom ministries that we forget who's kingdom we are working in. The best way to recharge is time away with God to pursue a personal relationship with Christ.

Good post NAHKOE :santathumb

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

I could say a lot about this. But... I won't. Talk too much now. But, yes, when I was an evangelist I thought about quitting. Note the word, WAS. I did quit. Haven't preached a sermon since 1987 and have no plans to do so in the future. The reasons for quitting are many and varied.

As an evangelist, I had many opportunities to pastor churches. My first pastorate was offered when I was 17. I declined becasue I felt I was too youg to pastor a church. Besides, I was not called to be a pastor. To be successful in whatever ministry one is called to, requires something the Lord taught me. 2Pe 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

1. You have to be called (CALLING). Having a desire, being asked, or just going isn't enough. You have to be called to the ministry. I think it was A.A. Allen who use to say, "Some are called, some are sent, and others just went." Pastor Johnny Cash (not THAT Johnny Cash, the other one) came to our church and preached, "So you think you are called to preach..." He did all he could do to discourage us. And he succeeded in discouraging some. He said, "Those who aren't discouraged, are called".

2. You have to know what you are called for. (Election) What area of ministry are you qualified for? I can't sing, so I'm not a Minister of Music. Alot of people are called to preach but never find the ministry office God has elected them to. Often they fail. By fail, I don't mean to imply they backslide, but rather, they fail to fulfill what God has elected for them to do.

Look at PastorKeith, for example. He was called, but, only recently (to my knowledge) has he beguin to fulfill his ministry office. His calling was sure, now his election is sure, and he is having good success. Remember: the word "success" appears only one time in the KJV and that is in conjunction with obeying the Lord. (Josh. 1:8) We cannot succeed in our lives and ministry unless we obey what He has called us to do. Successful preachers, pastors, evangelists or whatever the calling, are only successful to the extent that they are sure of both their calling and their election. And success isn't determined by the size of a church or ministry. Success is determined by the end results. The purpose of the minister is not necessarily to build mega-churches or to establish world wide ministries. The end result of a God called, and God ordained (ELECTED) ministry is....the people. (Eph 4:12-14). Whether its 10,000 people or 2, the successful end result is as Paul described.

When a minister, or a saint, for that matter, makes his or her CALLING and ELECTION sure, they will NEVER FAIL.

See? I talk too much.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Well, now you went and got me to thinkin about this thread. And..when I think...I talk.

Early in my ministry, the Lord began to deal with me. He said, "Go...separate yourself from among men and I will teach you your ministry". I went into the NC mountains and spent 10 days in fasting and prayer. The Lord took me through the Books of 1 and 2 Tim and Titus and taught me what it means to "do the work of an evangelist". I learned much, I call that 10 days my Bible School Crash Course. One thing the Lord dealt with me was this: "Never preach what you believe. Preach what you feel". I can't preach "hermenetics" and "soberieolgy" or however they are spelled, because, to be honest, I don't know what those are. When I post here, I don't post what I believe so much as I do what I feel, because, beliefs, well, they change. Beliefs are often referred to in the Bible as "wind"-(Every wind of doctrine" etc.). But when we feel, or experience what we preach or post, that does not change. Thomas walked with Jesus for a long time. He saw the miracles, he believed in what Jesus was saying. But, until he FELT those wounds, his belief was subject to change or falter.

I guess thats why its important to live what you preach. I've seen it on here... people post what they believe is right, yet, somewhere along the line, an inconsistency is noted, because they are merely saying what they believe (what they have been taught). Consistency between ones walk and his talk comes from the experience of the one doing the talking. I can't prove there is a God, though I believe He exists. So my faith in God's existence can't be based on what I believe. It has to be based on what I have experienced from God.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Good post, and true!

You are reminding me of a time, years ago, when I was soooooo busy working in the church. I thought I was doing everything right and I was totally exhausted.

I hadn't planned on going to a Ladies retreat, but a friend in church pressed me to go. On the very last day and the very last message - I could feel my spirit building and knew that God was going to speak to me - the speaker spoke on Martha and Mary.

God, used her message to allow me to know that I was doing the work of Martha and I needed to slow down, sit at His feet, and become Mary for a while. It totally changed my thinking that day and I will never forgot that we can get too busy and not really listening. The hard part is, when you are Martha, you think you are doing BOTH - but God has a way of getting our attention!

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

OA,
That's one part of ministry that makes you feel - lonely. When you preach what you feel, as directed, you don't always know it is reaching anyone. Some will share that you preached to them, but some do not. You have to go on faith. You can feel empty at times when your words seem to fall at your feet and you've poured out your heart and soul.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Sometimes leaving is succeeding. It just depends on what you are doing and what God has asked you to do.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

:santathumb Exactly.

Blessings, Rhoni

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

True, very true. Sometimes I post here and it seems it is not noticed. Other times, well, other times, people seem to appreciate what I post. Either way, its all good. The best compliment I have ever gotten on AFF is when a preacher asked me for permission to use my thought in a sermon. I said, "Sure, just send me a copy". He never did. The dirty rat! (LOL).

They tell me Johnny Appleseed went all over the country sowing apple seeds. I'd say alot of his seeds didn't germinate. Many did. But, I doubt he saw all of the results of his labor. I preached one time what I thought was the worst message I ever preached. I was all over the map and seemed I couldn't spleak splain without slputtering. But, half-heartedly, I gave an altar call anyway. 5 people came to the Lord that night. One said, "I went to the altar because you were speaking TO me, not preaching AT me." So... the END RESULT. Thats all that really matters!


Think of Jesus: Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat 11:28 Not one person came forward that day. But just think of how many have come unto Him since that day!

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

Amen! Good post!

I remember a missionary talking about a service he had overseas. He was trying to preach - what he called - from his "anointed notes"! He was joking on that.

The bathrooms were behind him and people kept getting up and going to the bathroom. A man was outside yelling - "Oranges, Oranges!!!"

He said he wanted to stop the service and ask, "Does anyone want to buy oranges?" LOL!

Anyway, long story short - at the end of the service when he thought it was all over a woman came up to him with her crippled daughter. She wanted prayer. He prayed a simple pray, set the child down and the girl walked across the sanctuary - totally healed.

It's so funny how these things work.

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

OA don't stop posting how you "feel"!!!!!!!!!

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

You are so right and this last point you made illustrates the power of deception

Re: Question for those in full time Ministry
 

I don't agree with this outlook, and I see it as a way to weed out people from the "top", if you will, of a hierarchial, professional-class of ministers in Christianity.

He who desires the office of a bishop or deacon desires a good thing, and we should encourage that. I can't think of a thing that should discourage anyone from the ministry, even the long list of character traits in 1 Timothy 3, 1 Peter 5 and Titus 1 aren't meant to discourage, but towards an admonishing of these good traits.
We need as many men as possible to be ministers, whether they be elders, deacons, evangelists, apostles, ect... There are a ton of people lost, and there are a ton of assemblies that could use the blessing of a plurality of elders and deacons.

-Bro. Alex