When I first went into ministry (twenty-plus years ago), we weren’t met with the same response that many leaders are today. We were not put in the pulpit right away. (If we saw a pulpit within a year, we were lucky.) Instead, we saw bathroom stalls that needed cleaning, church closets full of cleaning supplies, and a nursery or Sunday school class full of children who needed monitoring and education. We were part of altar work, childcare, and maintenance of the church. Our “call,” at that point, was for basic work. These things reminded us that ministry, whether we like it or not, is more than just an hour or so of preaching on Sunday morning.
This helped us develop the practical side of ministry: the aspects of ministerial work that don’t get us on television or swapping pulpits with ministry friends. We did basic, everyday work; things we probably did every day when we were home. Just as Scripture speaks of the church as a “house,” there are many things we do in ministry that work to put that house in proper order. First things were first: we put ourselves in order.
Do you feel called to ministry? Here we will discuss some key things involved in taking those first initial steps toward answering the Christian call to serve in leadership.
It’s not all spiritual training
About ten years ago, I drafted the manuscript that became one of my all-time best sellers, Ministry School Boot Camp: Training For Ministry, Appointments, and Beyond. It wasn’t a book I planned to write. In fact, the whole reason I wrote it was to help train the daughter of a woman I covered in the ministry. In the process, I discovered all ministers need a “boot camp” experience prior to “first papers” ordination (when someone becomes a minister with basic credentials). If one is called to a higher leadership position, they need not just additional training, but training more advanced and specialized for their work.
I’ve met – and worked with – many ministers who are extremely unprepared for the level of work they claim for their own. Many are extremely spiritual. They have numerous gifts and abilities, and there’s no question they are sincere and deeply spiritual people. The problem, however, is that not everything we do in ministry is spiritual.
Get disciplined!
We are often quick to talk about spiritual preparations for ministry, such as consecration, prayer, and spiritual warfare. These are essential, but we aren’t doing justice to ministry if our only focus is spiritual matters. In military life, not every battle preparation is connected to combat or physical war. Some basic principles include teamwork, group unity, physical fitness, alertness, and listening to authority. Military personnel work in offices, kitchens, mail rooms, hospitals, and training sessions – not just on battlefields. Even though these things aren’t about hand-to-hand combat, they are just as much about how to accomplish the main goal as anything else.
Proverbs 10:17 tells us: Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. (NIV) As a minister, you find your place in ministry not through great anticipation, but through the disciplines of ministry life. It’s not the peaks or the valleys, but the trek in between the two that tells you where you belong.
Good leadership
I know I’ve already mentioned leadership in other posts. A good leader is vital to your ministry journey (especially if you are just starting out). While most of us start out as members of congregations, we may find that, as we advance in our journey, a local pastor doesn’t offer the training needed for ministry preparations. Different offices have different requirements and different training styles, and the best leadership development will come from a leader who is properly equipped, experienced, and trained to work with others. It’s important we connect with solid leadership and develop relationship beyond the superficial.
A heads up: I don’t know any ministers who are willing to ordain someone who is not part of their ministerial association. Why? Because like anything else, ministers like to know the people they ordain. Ordination is a validation of one’s ministry, which means a minister “signs off” on the work one seeks to do for God. This can’t happen without some sort of spiritual deposit, which only comes through relationship. Hebrews 13:17 says: Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. (NIV) As you trust your leader, your leader will learn what you can and can’t handle so they can best give you the chance you desire.
Things leaders notice
It’s bad form to “demand” a place in ministry, whether literal or implied. Before you immediately think you’d never do this, there are many ways we express bad attitude through improper conduct and form. This becomes especially true when we are ready to burst on the scene and our leaders make us wait. You love your abilities. Your leader is monitoring how well your abilities can produce spiritual fruit (both in you and in others).
Leaders don’t just notice how great a speaker you are or your eagerness to do spiritual things (like lead an altar call or pray with someone in front of everyone), but your willingness to do things that relate to the structure of ministry. How well do you get along with others? Are you eager to help others out? Do you handle your personal life well? Can you follow directions? What about your place within the structure and order? If you aren’t handling your immediate tasks well, there’s no way a leader can give you more to do.
Leaders also pay attention to things like:
- Service attendance
- Punctuality
- Participation in special events (conferences, convocations, special services)
- Activity in helps ministries
- Giving
- Participation in training
- General attitude
- Responsiveness to correction
In other words: Don’t show up with the expectation of receiving a church position when you consistently miss service. If you aren’t working in helps, expect such an assignment first. Be faithful with tithes and offerings. Be part of your church community. Oh, and don’t protest when it’s time for ministry training!
Get your basic training!
James 3:1 issues a warning: Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (NIV) The Apostle James isn’t trying to discourage potential teachers. Rather, he points out the responsibility that comes with leadership. Nobody wants to get up in front of the church and wrongly mislead others (or, at least they shouldn’t). We resolve this issue with ministry training.
Ministry training is different from attending church every week. It is also essential for aspiring ministers. While training does vary by association, organization, and denomination, everyone requires some type of instruction for its ministers. As leaders, our study of Scripture is more detailed. Aspiring leaders must learn the proper handling of Scripture so they can teach others. Leaders also need teaching on conflict-resolution, church etiquette, nonprofit business skills, attire, and pastoral care. Training equips! Let’s get excited about learning the ins and outs of leadership, because it will make us better leaders!
Covering these basics
There’s no one cover-all formula for everyone’s ministry experience. I can say with assurance, however, that if you cover the basics above, it will greatly enhance your work. We all desire to run the ministry race to the best of our ability. Making sure you cover the basics to ensure you have a solid start to last in the spiritual race. Never forget the words of Zechariah 4:10: Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin… (NLT)
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In