Spiritual Disciplines to Maintain Your Ministry
Years ago, one of my mentors, Jim Wideman, asked me an all important question.
“Are you closer to Jesus right now than you’ve been? If you’re answer is no, who’s fault is that?”
It was a wake-up call for me. And has become a driver of everything I do in my spiritual life. It is too easy to do the work of the ministry, serving God week in and week out, and forget about our own relationship with Him.
3 Boundaries to Sustain Your Ministry
Ministry is tough. It can take all of you. I would argue working in ministry is extra hard compared to other professions. Ministry intertwines both our professional and personal lives.
So, what do you do? How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance while also living out your calling?
3 Summer Priorities for Pastors
t was my first summer as a full-time kids’ pastor. I was so excited to have time and the budget to do all the things I’d been dreaming about but couldn’t do. I took my Junior Bible Quiz team to Nationals in Orlando (with a stop at Disney), then took my kids to camp for a week. Then, I spent a week getting ready for VBS. Followed by a week of VBS. Oh, and a Father’s Day Car Show in between.
By the time June was over I was exhausted.
Stretch and Release: Finding a Sustainable Pace in Ministry
It feels like the end of things, but at the same time, it can be one of the busiest seasons of the year. I’ve seen it multiple times in Facebook Groups. Hard-working dedicated kids’ pastors are ready to tap out. They have so much work to do and are exhausted. Their only solution for relief is to quit.
5 Steps to Managing Your Time this Summer
It’s summertime and for many in NextGen ministries this is not a time to kick back and relax, but the busiest time of the year. You have more and bigger events over the three summer months than you have for the rest of the year. Add to that you have vacations, volunteer turnover, absences, and overall lower attendance, it can be exhausting and overwhelming.
So, what do you do? How do you juggle all the things and still grow the ministry or at least survive the summer?
Five Ways to Strengthen Your Time Management Skills
Working in a smaller church as a kids’ pastor can be really tough. Yes, I have fewer kids than most of the larger churches, but I also wear a lot of “hats” in addition to children’s ministry director. These responsibilities can include building maintenance, pastoral care, event production—the list could go on and on. With all these other responsibilities, focusing on children’s ministry can be difficult. I’ve heard many first-year children’s pastors ask the question, “When do I actually get to work with kids?”
