I've noticed recently that there is this excessive desire by internet bloggers and the like to provide "easy lists" rather than to wax lyrical with long paragraphs. For example 10 easy ways to put the cat out, 5 hard ways to mow the lawn (gotta see that one) or 20 ways to oven cook chips. And so, I thought I'd have a go, and to do so covering a couple of topics I have been pondering on recently:
First: Pointers to the Baptist Family I belong to:
- Did we go far enough with the recent Baptist Union changes? Should we not have amalgamated with other church streams - Pentecostal and United Reformed being possible obvious choices, and particularly where similar struggles and challenges are being experienced, and haven't we got much that we can learn from one another?
- When is "the local" going to mean "the local church"?
- Isn't it time to join with most other Christian denominations and allow churches to advertise ministry vacancies online, particularly if the practice is already given over to Youth Workers and Regional Staff?
- What is the next national vision? And if there isn't to be one, can it be "the local"?
- If there is a now a code of values and practice for all Accredited Ministers, when will there be a code of practice for how churches are to act and behave?
Second, I thought I'd re-visit my "Ministry Truths" list which I produced 5 years ago, and consider any new additions, as well as smile and cringe at those I scribed back then.
So this is how it went, in no particular order, but 5 years on I have added and edited:
- You can never ever please everyone but you must defintely always please God.
- You can only minister where there is invitation.
- Never assume anything.
- Never think you've seen the worst situation, be unshockable.
- Beware of people in fluorescent jackets
- Everyone sees "it" differently and has an "agenda." See "it" God's way.
- Any and every situation is never "black and white".
- At the end of the day you can only do what you can do. Then you have to hand it over to God.
- Ministry is a thankless calling, where few appreciate you, rarely say thank you, never pay you enough, sometimes complain, sometimes get angry at you, think you don't have another life, sometimes don't say nice things and rarely appreciate "the real you". But that's ministry.
- Some people think you live at the church all the time.
- People often think that the only thing that you have to deal with is their problem and don't even consider everything else that you have to do.
- Conversely, if you sort/manage/service regularly the above group with "strokes" then ministry life tends to have less crisis points.
- The Kingdom of God is substantially bigger than you, your world, your life & your church.
- Some people like to play games.
- History always repeats itself & there's nothing new under the sun - God's seen it all before and left us with evidence. Unless God really does something extra ordinarily different, he does occasionally, be ready to see the difference and catch his wave.
- Demon possession is always, always the very last conclusion to reach. What else is going on?
- There's always a statement or question behind the statement or question. Ask yourself what it is and answer that one, not the smoke screen.
- People often get angry at you, even though it hurts, don't take it personally.
- Always put the family before the church.
- Your past can shape the way you are today. Be aware of it. Re-visit it, deal with it, let go of it. Use it.
- Don't panic.
- Keep a balance in all things.
- The Kingdom of God does not work to the principal of logic.
- Be kind to yourself.
- Spiritually and liturgicaly, be open to the new, do not forget the best of the past.
- Protect yourself, guard yourself.
- Keep going. Never give up. You're doing a good job.
- Ministry is not the whole picture. There is another life!
