Ten Realities of Ministry with a Church

Jim Martin    by Jim Martin

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1.  Over-functioning is very tiring and usually results in other people under-functioning.

2.  I have often worried too much about others and some imaginary future crisis.  Each day has enough challenges.

3.  Sometimes I have felt too responsible for another’s life instead of focusing on the responsibilities that I really do have.

4.  It is critical that I pay attention to my own spiritual formation.  Authentic ministry flows out of who I am in Christ.

The problem is often not the real problem.

5.  One of the healthiest things I can do with any person or group is to be fully present at the moment.

6.  Public ministry and events are no substitute for regularly practicing the discipline of prayer.

7.  A minister can place far too much weight on how well someone else functions.  Doing so can often leave one feeling resentful at having to clean up another’s mess.

8.  The problem is often not the real problem.  A person’s anger may be rooted in anxiety, guilt, or fear connected to a completely unrelated situation.

A person’s spiritual energy must come from a source that does not depend on what someone else might say.

9.  There is no substitute for personal integrity.  A seemingly effective public ministry does not give one an allowance for private immorality.

10. Encouragement from others is a wonderful gift.  However, some will rarely, if ever, provide this gift. A person’s spiritual energy must come from a source that does not depend on what someone else might say.

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