Why do we who work in Christian ministry struggle to take proper rest from the work of ministry?
1. I think I don’t need to rest because I’m in Christian ministry. I think somehow that I don't live according to the ordinary laws of God's world i.e. "if you work without rest you will burn out". Perhaps I think the Spirit 'lifts me above' such basic, worldly things.
2. I am driven by an inner emptiness that needs to be filled by achievement and success. Ministry is my idol.
3. I think that God's provision of 24 hours in a day is not enough and that somehow God demands from me time that he has not given me.
4. While I'm superficially reformed, I'm practically arminian and think that everything depends upon me.
5. I like being seen as a martyr by others.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
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1 comments:
It's a big problem. Driscoll has some useful stuff about it on Resurgence website - how not to burn out in ministry.
Here's a couple more:
1. Ministers work some evenings - and probably don't rest or relax in lieu. So if you're leading a bible study one night, and charing a meeting another, you could easily end up working 2 x 13 hour days.
2. Why not take time off in the day? Because it might look bad... To the congregation who are paying the wages of the minister - or at least they are in small, evangelical congregations that receive no money from larger denominations. So, there's quite a pressure to be seen to be 'delivering value' - and it's one I'd imagine is very strong.
I've observed plenty of Anglican, parish ministers and I wonder what they fill their day with - but I know personally dozens of non-parish, missional ministers and, almost without exception, I would advise them to work less, not more.
p.s I'm glad I'm not a minister, partly for these very reasons!
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