*The following is a letter to myself to look at every 5 or so years throughout my life in vocational ministry. Having been involved in different ministries, I have seen things firsthand and heard stories of people forgetting the reason why they entered into ministry in the first place. I also know my own sinful and human tendencies, so I decided to write this as a reminder to my future self to stay on track.*
Dear Danielle,
Take a few moments to sit back and look at where you've been the last five years and what you're doing now. I'm just here to remind you of a few things just in case you may have gotten a little bit off track…
What is your ministry goal? What is the one thing that every little thing you do with your day is supposed to accomplish? The scary thing with ministry is that if you're not working towards a singular goal, then many things are done without purpose. And in ministry, there is no time to waste on things that don't have meaning behind them. So what's your mission? If you don't have one, create one now. Not tomorrow. Not when your next annual personal evaluation is due. Not when you decide your next year's budget. Now.
If you do have one, look at it. If the main point of the statement is "Jesus", then congratulations - you get to skip this next section! If it's not, read on. Danielle, I don't care what ministry you're in - church planting, administration, women's, youth, children's, pastoral - I don't care. If your ministry goal has to do with anything apart from pointing people to Jesus, then your time has been entirely wasted. Magnifying the name of Jesus is the reason you're in ministry. It is NOT to make yourself look like the best Christian. It is NOT to have big numbers, whether in attendance or readership or whatever numbers look like in your position. It is NOT just to pay your bills. It is NOT because it's what everyone says you should be doing or that it's what you're most gifted at. It's Jesus, only Jesus.
If your top mission is Jesus (and I very much so hope it is), then I'm thankful you've stayed on the right course. Now comes the next question - does everything you do in your ministry reflect that goal? Do your teachings, your events, your day-to-day tasks line up with that goal, or do they serve smaller, less meaningful purposes like the ones mentioned above? Throwing a party can be a great ministry tactic - but if it's just because you don't have "enough" going on in your ministry or because you have some extra money in the budget, then it's not a ministry tactic anymore. It's a personal pleasure. Whether you're writing or planning or brainstorming, make sure it all points to your goal.
(I would write a section at this point about making sure my vocational ministry doesn't push my family aside, but I'll write that one when I actually have a family of my own.)
Finally, there's that whole "money" thing. There are many different approaches to the use of money in ministry, and you've seen it, Danielle. You've seen people do less-effective ministry because of lack of monetary resources, and oftentimes that cannot be helped. There are approaches a church can take to change that, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. You've also seen people do less-effective ministry because, although they may have the money in their budget to spend, they want to take the cheap way out (note: this is a much less common problem).
However, the most common way you've seen people in ministry handle money is wastefully. Obviously, the future you is not still looking through the lenses of a broke college student, but the current you wants you to understand that being a broke college student puts a lot of things in perspective. I go to thrift stores. I don't buy what I can't afford. I come up with creative (and interesting) ways to pay for things like traveling, going to the movies, eating out, and decorating how I want. When I buy something, I try to use it as much, if not more, than it's worth. I'm not saying you have to be some ministry cheapskate, I'm just asking you to be wise.
Your budget is a very, very precious thing, not because it is smaller than you'd like it to be, but because it's compromised of the offerings of others. Unlike most other jobs, your budget and paycheck do not come from the sales of a product or the labor you produce. Your budget and paycheck come from the tithes of individuals in your congregation. Who are you to waste a penny of what they have prayerfully and sacrificially given back to God in thankfulness to who he is? Your budget is not a reflection of how great you are at your job. It is a reflection of the stewardship God has gifted you with. Not everything you use for your ministry needs to be brand new. Not everything you use for your ministry can only be used once. Not everything you use for your ministry needs to be the coolest or most convenient thing. Be wise with your money, because it's not yours.
If you're offended by this letter then chances are there are some things in your ministry you need to adjust. I know you, Danielle, so don't be too prideful to admit you've lost sight of what matters. Don't be too scared to let your boss know you want to change some things about your ministry, despite the fact that he/she may not agree with you. And don't be too arrogant to ask for help. Do good work, future self, and keep your eyes on Jesus.
