You are you. I am me. Your Ministry is yours … my Ministry is mine.
I just passed the milestone of my first anniversary as an ordained minister. Lately I’ve found myself trying to define and articulate the answer to the question … exactly what is my ministry? Ministry is second nature for some. I am a third generation minister. I saw Dad, Granddad, and my Dempsey grandfather minister to a diverse variety of people. There was pulpit ministry, but outside of the Sunday go to meeting setting, spontaneous shifting of gears to relate to individuals of all ages and walks of life was what really connected and ministered to people.
I connect too. It’s not a thing where you see some poor soul who needs to be shown the light and you flashbulb the heck out of them. What happens is, you see their light, then enjoy, appreciate, and learn from it. Your genuine, often unspoken, approval validates them. They feel good about themselves. Ministry took place.
For myself, I don’t need to define and articulate my ministry. I know it when I see it. I grok* it. So why do I struggle with a definition? Exactly what is my ministry? I struggle because some others have definite ideas about what my ministry should be and is not. They freely share their concerns with me. I don’t feel validated, or all that good about myself. I imagine responses unbecoming a minister.
So exactly what is my ministry? To decide and nail that down, would really limit the opportunity for growth. I am very open to growth. I have seen a lot of opportunities and growth that has happened over the last couple years. Be patient … maybe someday you’ll see it.
*Grok: understand at a mystical level
The Epistles of Harry 
November 15, 2023 at 3:17 pm |
Hey friend. Strangely, I find myself in a similar position trying to define ministry and how it relates to the plan and purpose.
November 15, 2023 at 3:36 pm |
Yep … it wouldn’t be any fun if it was easy.
November 16, 2023 at 8:43 pm |
Love this line: It’s not a thing where you see some poor soul who needs to be shown the light and you flashbulb the heck out of them……I think that just leaves them seeing spots….
Ministry comes in all shapes and sizes and it sounds like you’re figuring out where you fit. You’re not alone. Theologian Howard Thurman said, ”Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” I heard that at a pastor’s retreat a few years ago and keep returning to it. I think there’s a lot of wisdom there. It’s what I’m striving for.
November 22, 2023 at 2:41 pm |
Perfectly stated, Harry. Our fault is believing there is a predefined mold we must fit into. There isn’t. Let God mold you and you will be the minister God wants. You have ministered to me. Thank you.