The Romance Of Ministry

My husband and I both went to Bible College.

There are ALL types of people who go to Bible College. There are those who aren’t saved, their parents make them attend, they are already serving in ministry and want/need a degree, they are looking for a spouse (no joke), those who aren’t sure why they are there, and then there are young students who are so hungry to serve it hurts.

I remember classmates that “couldn’t wait to get into ministry”. All they wanted was to get their degree and become a pastor, or worship leader or what have you.

They were the students who took ANY serving opportunity no matter how crappy it was. Students would find out that the pastor was stealing money from the church. Maybe the pastor was having marriage problems. Some even realized that working for the kingdom wasn’t enough and that money really is a necessity to life.

THANKFULLY, my husband and I were protected from this, and our first experience in ministry together was fantastic as well as his first job in ministry.

There is something romantic about serving. God calls us to serve. It’s Biblical. However, I think there is a point when we lose focus about what serving and ministry is. Ministry can be making Americano’s at 4am to put yourself through school. Ministry can be cleaning the dishes after dinner so your husband can get some homework done. Ministry is everywhere. Everything we do should reflect the Glory of God in our lives. Our lives need to point back to Christ in EVERYTHING we do. Even in the mundane and boring.

Ministry is hard. Which is really the whole point of this blog, so I don’t feel the need to explain my reasoning.

Ministry is everywhere. Full Time Ministry can wait.

Just because you know you’re “called” to ministry. Doesn’t mean that every opportunity or job that arises is from God. Seek wisdom and listen to those who have gone through it.

In the beginning

Every thing has to have a start. This is my start.

My husband is a Pastor. A youth pastor, but a pastor never-the-less. (For whatever reason our culture sees youth pastors as the “pee-on” pastor.) We are both in our mid twenties, we’ve done a lot of growing up in our short stint in ministry and have way more growing to do.

The first year (ish) that my husband was at our church – like all good humans- he made a mistake.  He didn’t show up to a fundraiser (because of another engagement) and had asked his leadership team (me included) to go handle it without him. It was a car wash. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things or a huge money maker.

I, being a new bride and feeling a little self righteous was slightly annoyed. Annoyed to the point of saying something to some ladies at a baby shower that afternoon. (Mind you when I say ladies I mean they are in their   30’s.)

AfterI explained my frustration of my husband not being at this *lame* carwash, one woman looked me in the eye and said (with a whole lot more attitude than necessary)

“I would be careful who I said that around, because if I was anyone else, I’d have your husband fired.”
– Also throw in some crazy eyes into that statement. The ones chicks get when they are trying to make a point.

…..

Um excuse me, what? It was one of those black out moments. You know. You end up looking like a dog with a blank stare and your head cocked slightly to the side.

From that moment on I knew ministry would be a long road. Nobody is ever satisfied or happy. Not every one agrees to the decisions you make. And all the negative feed back pastors get take a tole that people don’t realize. I plan to never reveal too much information about myself, my husband or the church he works at. I do this, because I want to be real, and honest.People in ministry are never honest about their feelings in or to the ministry because their paycheck hangs in the balance. Sad, but reality.

If you stumble along one late night and find this. I hope you find some encouragement, that you’re not alone. Or you’re at least able to say “yaaassss hunny”

Ministry is real, raw, and painful.  But it’s also beautiful.
-R