Passion in our work and service is “an intense enthusiasm”,
excitement, zeal, energy and enjoyment in what we do? I think back many years
ago as a young, naïve Bible college student I was passionate about the church.
I was opinionated with what I saw was wrong with the church, what it needed and
a vision of what it could be? I had all the answers, the energy to charge
forward and belief I could be a world changer. Twenty plus years later I have
served the church in many roles from preschool teacher, janitor, youth leader,
Children’s Pastor, Family Pastor and now Lead Pastor in church plants and
congregations of all sizes. As I reflect upon this concept, “passion in
ministry”, I feel the weight of negative experiences, disappointments, faded
dreams, grinding work, unfulfilled expectations with little evidence of any harvest
from my efforts. I feel like a wobbling spinning top with only a few rotations
left.
Have you ever felt that way in ministry? I know that
emotional, physical and spiritual state cannot sustain the work, vision and
energy needed in this great calling of being a minister. Maybe during times
when ministry is growing beyond our expectation passion is self-sustaining, but
for those seasons of toil with little progress, passion can slip away like
water through our weary fingers.
Question: What is your current level of passion in your
ministry?
How much time in your ministry weekly schedule is passionate
work? What tasks or responsibilities do you look forward to with zeal and
enjoyment? What do you dread? How can you regain some lost passion in your
ministry?
My hope for you and myself is to take each step of this
ministry journey with an intense enthusiasm, excitement, zeal and enjoyment of
service to Christ within the church. Our present circumstances, perceived
harvest or lack thereof, and aspirations and dreams do not define our level of
passion, but in being the faithful servant we are called to be. I grasp onto
the hope that He desires to renew my energy, vision, joy and strength to keep
on spinning. Maybe, just maybe after my past failures, experiences, lack of
faith, and disappointments God still sees me as a world changer.
“The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders…people who not only have enormous amounts of energy, but who can energize those whom they lead.” – Jack Welch, former GE CEO
