Model for Gospel Workers

Why would anyone aspire to enter full-time gospel ministry?  There are probably a number of reasons, but there is something that what will hinder people from considering ministry as a vocation in life: a negative example of ministry.  Suppose all you see and hear is that ministry is tough.  Ministry involves long hours, minimal pay, massive sacrifices of time and energy, disgruntled church members, and a few breaks.  You probably will choose another path for your vocation in life.

In my late teens I saw a positive model of ministry.  Pastor Chuck frequently visited my mother during a very difficult time in her life.  But I never heard him complain.  I once asked him, "How can you keep going, Sunday after Sunday, preaching the good news of Jesus, and you have so much else to do?"   He simply told, "God has never failed me yet!   He always supplies what I need."   That left an indelible impression on my life, and inspired me to devote my life to serving in the local church.  Later as I studied for the ministry I continued to see positive models of ministry - men and women who were committed to Christ and his church, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the cost.

For the past few articles I have been writing about what we as a denomination and churches need to do if we are going to raise up the next generation of gospel workers.¹   In addition to praying, teaching, training, and mentoring, we need to be modelling positive examples of ministry.   We see this modelling in the teachings of the apostle Paul.  Gospel ministry for Paul was tough.   He speaks of the sacrifices of ministry, including troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleepless nights, and hunger.  (see 2 Corinthians 4:4-5)   But in the midst of all these sacrifices, Paul speaks about his "great endurance... through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown, dying, and yet living on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)  And so Paul continued to labour and strive, because, as he writes, "we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all people." (1 Timothy 4:10)  He left himself as an example to follow, as he wrote to the church of Philippi:  "Whatever you have heard or seen, put it into practice." (Philippians 4:9)

People will aspire to ministry when they see positive models of ministry, even if, like the apostle Paul, that model involves enormous sacrifice.   Church leaders, and especially pastors, need to model love, commitment, joy, passion, evangelism, and enthusiasm.  The people in the pew need to see their leaders as people who will not quit when the going gets tough, who are always rejoicing, who have put their hope in the living God.   If pastors model ministry as a life that makes you weary, cynical, study-bound, and/or unappreciated, then few will aspire to it.

If we as churches are serious about ensuring that our pastors (and other church leaders) remain positive models of ministry, then as churches we need to encourage and strengthen our pastors so that they thrive in ministry.   This begins by making sure that pastors continue to develop their personal relationship with Christ.   As John Stott writes, "Fundamental to all Christian leadership and ministry is a humble, personal relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, devotion to him expressed in daily prayer, and love for him expressed in daily obedience.  Without this, Christian ministry is impossible."  (Calling Christian Leaders, p. 116) 

In addition, for pastors to have zeal for a lifetime of gospel ministry, here are some others things they should attend to.  They need adequate sleep.   Hard work for Jesus and his church is a good thing, but when we burn both sides of the candle, we are not trusting that it is ultimately God who is at work.  (Read Psalm 127)  God might not need sleep, but pastors do!

Pastors also need adequate Sabbath rests so that they can be renewed inwardly.  Churches would do a huge service to the cause of Christ if they ensure their pastors are disciplined to take a weekly day off.   Our gracious God has set the pattern:  six days of work and one day of rest.   And on that day one must not work.  (Exodus 20:8-9)

And finally, if joy is to mark gospel ministry, as Christopher Ash wisely put it, "then joy must be rooted in something outside of the fruits of our work....  When our joy comes from our gifts and our success, we will always be under pressure.  For we are only as good as the last sermon, the last youth talk, the last spiritual conversation, the last few months of Christian service, the last success....  The remedy is the glory much in grace."  (Zeal Without Burnout, pp. 104-06)  As Jesus reminded his followers, "Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)   Pastors are to rejoice in grace, not in their gifts; their salvation, not their success.

As a pastor, are you a positive model of ministry to those around you?   If you are a church attender, do you see a positive model of ministry in your pastor and other church leaders?  If we are to raise up the next generation of gospel workers, we need to have positive models of ministry.  This calls for both pastors and churches to ensure that what people see and hear are models of ministry that many will aspire to.

 ¹ Check out the previous articles on praying, teaching, training and mentoring, all part of the sixfold strategy to raise up gospel workers.