Tag: encouragement

Quick Tip: Fold Laundry

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You probably read that title and said, “Wait…what? I thought this was a website for youth workers about ministry.” Trust me, it is. And this post is for youth workers too. Allow me to explain.

Folding laundry is healing and relaxing for me. I love to do things in order and sequence, and to see something accomplished. So often in ministry, the work is never ending and we don’t always see things come to completion. In many ways this can be frustrating or discouraging especially if you’re someone who likes to see things finalized and complete.

For many years the grind of ministry and the ever-pressing weight of what we are doing became a burden that felt crushing. I would faithfully work with students and challenge them to not make the same mistakes and yet they would. We’d find ourselves teaching the Gospel time and time again (not that it’s a bad thing). The seasonal rhythms were always the same. The same issues manifested throughout the years. One thing would be finished but then there’s the immediate item following. (I’m looking at you, fundraiser followed by summer trips.)

That type of format can be draining for some, but especially for those who have been in ministry for the long haul and those who like to see things accomplished and projects closed. But then it hit me: what helps us have that sense of completion when we don’t always get that from our job?

For me, it’s folding laundry, finishing a book, baking, completing a home project, or exercising. I love to see things accomplished. I’m a list person, and being able to check things off or accomplish specific tasks is something in which I find a lot of satisfaction.

We all know that we are fulfilling a calling God has placed on our lives and that there will always be different seasons in ministry. I’m not saying you should find your fulfillment in folding laundry or finishing a book. However, I do know that God designed us in His image and He is a God who sees His plan come to fruition. If that is true for Him and we are created in His image, shouldn’t we also find joy and satisfaction in seeing things accomplished? It may not always be in ministry, but that doesn’t mean it is lesser or not important.

Therefore, I believe we should take time to complete things outside of ministry. Finding what works for you and brings you joy when it is completed is subjective to you, and that is a good thing. Knowing yourself and what brings you joy and satisfaction allows you to engage and find ways to recharge and fill your soul. So, go and fold some laundry today or do whatever else brings a smile to your face and joy to your soul as you see things completed and accomplished.

Resource: Pastor Stays

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Have you ever needed a vacation? Of course you have; we all have. But let me ask a different question: Have you ever needed a vacation but couldn’t afford one?

Those of us in ministry are acutely aware of the reality that we didn’t go into this profession to get rich. We know that working for a nonprofit isn’t necessarily going to have us rolling in the dough, and there will be plenty of times when we may have pinch pennies (or nickels since pennies are not being made anymore) to get by.

In my years of serving in ministry and talking to other ministers and church workers, one of the places that typically gets pinched or cut early on is a vacation or time away.

This is honestly heartbreaking because not only does it devalue the work that pastors and church workers do, but it also doesn’t allow for them to recharge well. It keeps their families from being able to enjoy time away with their loved ones.

I’ve met countless pastors whose families have never taken a vacation unless someone else paid. I’ve talked to kids of pastors who have been made fun of because they never understood what it was like to take a vacation because all they did were staycations.

This should evoke much deeper conversations about compensation, care, and support for pastors, but that is a conversation for another time. What I want to talk about today is a resource to pastors that offers reduced and free stays at homes and retreat centers around the country. Essentially, think about staying in an Airbnb or Vrbo for free and being able to spend quality time with your family refreshing and recharging. Sound too good to be true? It’s not.

Let me introduce you to Pastor Stays. One of my good friends mentioned this to me when I was thinking about taking a vacation and trying to find a place to stay. When you head to their website, you’ll see a handful of the stays they have and be able to read up on the history and mission of the organization.

This is a ministry that came about during the 2020 pandemic from the vision of Troy and Jana Jones to bless other pastors and their families. Their heart truly radiates as you read through the website and see their desire to care for others.

In order to get access to their website, you need to create a profile and it is a little extensive. They want to get basic information but also to know who is applying. They ask for ministry history and your story. They will also ask for documentation like your ministry credentials to validate that you’re actively serving in ministry and truly a pastor.

When I filled it out, I realized that my ordination certificate was from the first church I pastored and I wasn’t sure if it would be approved. I reached out to their team and received a quick response stating that my ordination would be received without issue and once it was submitted my application would be reviewed.

Each submission is looked at by the Pastor Stays team to validate that a pastor is actually applying and seeking to appropriately utilize this resource. Once approved, you’ll have access to all the different homes and rooms available on the site.

The search function doesn’t always work well if you’re looking for something in a place where there aren’t available homes. However, all of the homes are listed on the home page. The list will ebb and flow as more homes become available.

When you click on the place you’d like to stay you’ll be met with photos, a description of the property, amenities and additional details. If this property works for you, you can submit a brief form requesting to book the property. Many of the properties are free but some do require a reduced payment.

One of the realities of utilizing this website is that these properties may require a bit of travel to get to. However, not having to pay or paying a reduced cost for your stay can make the cost of traveling a little more palatable and affordable. Overall this is an amazing blessing and opportunity for pastors and their families, and we would highly recommend taking advantage of this resource.

The Importance of a Personal Mentor

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Recently our church has been undergoing a big change. We are in the midst of a search for only our third senior pastor since the church was founded. When we heard the news, there was a piece of me that entertained the thought of applying for the position, but also a piece of me that strongly resisted applying.

As I processed with Elise, we both knew we felt similar tensions and that we needed the voice of trusted individuals and mentors in our lives to speak into this moment. So I reached out to some of them to hear their input and advice. They all resonated with the feelings and tensions we were feeling. After talking with them, we confirmed that we were not going to pursue the position (unless God made it clear that we should) and instead were content with where God had us.

I don’t know where you are in your ministry career or what you were taught about serving in ministry, but in my experience I was not encouraged to have a mentor until I had been in ministry for years. When I first started in a tiny church as their pastor, I didn’t have anyone who was shepherding and guiding me. No one was speaking into how I was leading, what could be improved or changed, how to navigate conflict, self care, and so many other vital aspects of ministry.

Looking back, I made a lot of mistakes as a young and naive twenty-something stepping into their first paid ministry position. I made decisions quickly, I was harsher than I should have been, and acted out of naivety and without thinking through how things would be received. If I had a mentor during that time, I know I wouldn’t have made all of the same decisions. I am not saying I wouldn’t have still messed up, but having someone guiding and challenging me would have helped to shape how I led, engaged, and reacted.

A personal mentor is one of the best things we can have in our lives. A personal mentor is someone that you trust and can go to with questions and doubts, and for encouragement. They are individuals who know you, can speak truth into your life, challenge and correct you, and also be a sounding board for choices and decisions you need to make.

A mentor is someone who cares about you and helps to form and shape you as you walk through ministry. This isn’t something just for young or new youth workers, but something we should incorporate throughout our careers. Even now, having been in ministry for over two decades, I’m so thankful for the mentors in my life who help to shape me. Whether it’s being encouraged during challenging times, being pushed to step out of my comfort zone, empowering me to lead well, or simply listening to me as I process. A mentor is something everyone should have in their lives.

A great place to start looking for a mentor is within your current context. Is there someone who has gone before you, a supervisor, a career volunteer, a friend? You can also connect with other established youth pastors who can help guide and shape you as you grow in your career. We are willing to be in your corner and to walk with you. There’s also professional coaching programs through a variety of organizations. The question is simply this: are you willing? Are you willing to have someone pour into you and walk with you as you lead in your context?

So, what’s stopping you from having a personal mentor in your life?

Quick Tip: Take Care of Your Team

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Have you ever had someone show up with coffee for you out of the blue? Has someone brought baked goods to your office before? Has someone treated you to breakfast? Have you ever received a hand-written note of encouragement?

I think we all have experienced this in some way, and we all know how it makes us feel. We feel seen, valued, loved, and affirmed. It is amazing how intentional and yet simple cup of coffee can be.

But here’s the thing: these moments shouldn’t just be for us, we should be utilizing these opportunities to bless and care well for our people. If we feel valued, seen, and loved when we receive those blessings, shouldn’t we be doing the same for others?

One of the best things you can do as a leader is to care well for your team(s). Now depending on your circumstance and financial structure, this may sound like something you cannot achieve. I get it; when budgets are tight or nonexistent, we default to thinking about the financial strain that comes with “caring for our leaders.”

But let me pause here and share this truth: lack of finances should not keep us from caring well for our team. That means we may need to reshape our thinking; the reality is that because we are a consumeristic culture we have allowed for that to determine how caring for people looks. But money isn’t the only thing that we can utilize to care for others.

What we need to understand is that we can care well by sitting and truly listening to others. We can care well by sending a card or a note to our teams. We can care well by publicly affirming them. We can care well by bringing them a homemade dessert or dinner.

Intentionally caring for our teams needs to be a priority because a well cared for team produces stability, consistency, longevity, community, and an environment where students flourish. Well cared for leaders care well for their students and allow for a discipleship-oriented ministry to prosper. A team that is loved, championed, and cared for is a team that will continue to run after and embrace the vision and passion of the ministry they serve and lead.

As the leader of a ministry, it is our job to love and care for our teams. It can be as simple as affirming them in public or private. A handwritten note encouraging them. A gift card, treating them to breakfast or coffee, remembering their birthday or anniversary, comforting and mourning with them during seasons of loss, or following up on important things within their lives.

Stopping and considering if your team feels loved and cared for is an important aspect of leading that each of us should be engaging with. Being intentional and walking with your team as you care for them is necessary and nonnegotiable. So, how are you caring well for your team?

Quick Tip: Be Willing to Ask for Help

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When it comes to asking for help, how would you rate yourself ? Are you really good at it? Are you someone who just goes at it alone and gets it done no matter the cost to you? Or do you ask others to jump in and help?

Asking for help is not something I’m naturally good at doing. I was raised with the mentality that you do everything on your own because you’re the only person you can rely on. We were the “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” type of family.

Now I could go on about how that’s a flawed type of system and how that very phrase is antithetical to what it means to be a Christ follower, but I won’t. Instead I want to encourage you to be willing to ask for help.

One of my favorite things we get to do in our ministry is host a Christmas party for our leaders. For years I took that responsibility upon myself to plan, decorate, and execute. I would spend countless hours and days and weeks preparing everything.

I’d handle decor, I’d build the schedule, prepare the gifts, purchase and provide the food, handle the emceeing, and of course I’d be the one cleaning up. Did you feel tired just reading that? Did it hit home for you?

When a ministry or job or an event hangs upon one person that’s a problem. What if that one person gets sick? Worse, what if they quit? This builds a culture of personality around a person, not an identity in Christ and that isn’t what we are meant to be doing.

Instead, we should seek help. We should bring others into the process, share the load, empower our people, and remind ourselves that the ministry doesn’t rest upon us but upon Christ.

Shortly after 2020-2021, we had to rethink how we hosted and ran our leader Christmas party. I knew I could no longer run it on my own and had to come to terms with letting go and allowing others to help.

A couple of parents had offered at different points to help, so I figured sending out a request for help would be a good first step. I wrote an email explaining what we had seen God doing over the last year in student ministry, all the ways our leaders had been serving, and outlined the needs and requests.

Our ask of parents was simple: would they provide desserts and appetizers for our leader Christmas party as way to encourage and bless our leaders? I was skeptical the first year we sent this out, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. We didn’t just have food for the party, but leftovers we sent home with our leader. Even more leftovers were repurposed for our student party the next week.

We have continued to utilize this approach with our families each year, and every year they bless our leaders in abundance. In doing so it alleviates a huge need for that event and allows our team to better engage with our leaders.

It also shows our leaders that our families do see and appreciate them by providing very real and tangible gifts for them. Many families even send cards and notes along that we share with our leaders.

So at the end of the day it isn’t just about asking for food. It is understanding that by asking for help, we can alleviate the pressure we often feel as ministry leaders, bless others by asking for help, and allow other people to have ownership.

Asking for help can at times be difficult, but it is necessary for the longevity of yourself, your ministry, and the church. Bring others in, allow people to utilize their skills and gifts, and build the church and your ministry around Christ. If you do this you will see yourself, your ministry, and your church grow for the better.

Staying Healthy While Leading

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It’s quickly becoming cold and flu season. With students back in school, the change in weather, and youth group running consistently, illnesses pop and spread quickly. In our community, the first week of school saw a high number of students who became sick and that trend has continued through the year with students, families, and leaders.

We all know that illnesses can spread quickly among a youth group. Whether it’s the common cold, norovirus, Covid, sore throats, or a stomach bug, these illnesses do not pick and choose who they grow attached to, and that person may be you. But there are cautionary steps we can take to try and avoid those illnesses as much as possible.

Exercise.

Part of staying healthy is taking proactive steps before you become sick. Taking time to exercise and help your body grow stronger will help you stay healthy especially during those peak seasons of illness.

This isn’t about overdoing it, but exercising within your limits and abilities at a frequency you can maintain. Incorporating this rhythm into your routine will help your body in being able to fight off some of the common illnesses you will see at youth group.

Drink plenty of fluids.

A good doctor will always tell you that part of staying healthy and helping to get rid of things like the common cold is to drink plenty of fluids. That doesn’t mean soda and energy drinks but lots of water, electrolytes, natural fruit juice, and fluids like different teas that have immunity-boosting qualities. The more you hydrate the better your body will be at negotiating times of illness and you will also find that your voice has greater longevity when you’re speaking more often.

Don’t share food.

This seems like a no-brainer to me, but I get it. In youth group, finishing a slice of pizza at the end of the night seems like a good idea. Until you consider how many hands have been on it and how many people have breathed (and maybe sneezed) on it.

Those types of things should stop us from sharing food at youth events because it allows for germs to spread quickly. Instead of grabbing at the leftovers or sharing a soda with a fellow youth leader, consider an alternative to help protect your body from getting sick.

Wash your hands well and be mindful of what you touch.

Let’s be honest: students can be kind of gross. Many of them don’t wash their hands, they’re touching things without good hygiene, they want to be close to caring adults, and have been in a variety of settings where germs are being frequently spread.

In light of that, you must make sure to wash your hands well, and often, and to be aware of what you are touching. Don’t put food, or your fingers, in your mouth without washing your hands. Watch to make sure people aren’t grabbing at the food with unwashed hands. These types of steps help you to be proactive in preventing the potential spread of germs and illnesses.

Stay away from caffeinated drinks when teaching and talking a lot.

If you’re feeling under the weather but not necessarily sick, and you continue to lead and teach, you will find yourself often reaching for something with caffeine to give you that boost to make it through. But caffeine can actually hamper your vocal cords which then leads to you putting additional stress on them and yourself to try to push through.

This leads to depletion and opens you up to getting even sicker. So instead of grabbing coffee or an energy drink, get good rest, drink decaf tea with honey, take throat drops, and consider taking time off to allow your body to heal.

Get a good amount of rest.

Rest is extremely underrated in ministry circles. Humanity is incredibly bad at resting and in ministry we almost see rest as a sin and are willing to push ourselves to exhaustion because it’s “ministry” and “our calling.”

But God tells us to rest, He models it for us, and He even builds it into a rhythm so we slow down and rest in Him. If we aren’t resting and taking time to breathe and be refreshed we will end up becoming more and more ineffective and depleted which will lead to a lower immune system and more time being sick. So instead of simply pushing through, take time to rest, recover, and refresh so you can do what God has called you to do.

Take preventative supplements.

I’m no doctor so please hear me when I say that before taking anything you should always consult with a doctor to make sure you can take it and that it’s helpful for you. Taking things like Emergen-C, Airborne, or other Vitamin C-boosted products can be extremely helpful during peak illness times and on trips. It helps give your body a natural boost to prepare against the illnesses and germs that will be around.

At the end of the day, we cannot stop ourselves from getting sick. We are human and part of being human means our bodies are temporary and subject to illnesses. While we cannot stop illnesses, we can be proactive and take steps to keep ourselves healthy and ready to lead. These steps are not a fix-all nor are they guaranteed, but they are proactive habits that will help you avoid getting sick and hopefully help you grow as a leader.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun with Your Students

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One of my eighth grade guys loves to rub my head. It’s become a running joke that he will try to sneak up on me and rub or pat my head before I notice him.

Many of my other students love to joke about my gray hair and my “advanced” age. Still others will laugh about my weak ankles and knees. And there’s a handful of students who love to point out that my clothing choices tend to repeat themselves.

There are two responses I could have in these situations. One, I could get frustrated with the joking and shut it down. Or two, I could laugh and have fun with my students.

At the end of the day, their joking doesn’t bother me much and it highlights their comfortability with me and our program. I could choose to be a stick-in-the-mud and respond in an authoritarian way, but I know that will not make our program into what we want it to be: a safe place for our students to be themselves and know Jesus.

In our ministry we are clear on boundaries and rules, especially when it comes to how we engage with and treat one another. This means that when things get pushed too far and we respond to it, our students understand that they stepped over the line.

But here’s the thing: we can still have fun within those boundaries. We can still laugh at what our students say and do when they’re trying to be funny. We can chuckle at the immaturity and lack of self awareness. We can be relaxed and laugh at ourselves along with our students. The other side of the coin is that we could take things personally and try to shape the program and interactions in a way that keeps those moments at bay.

I would recommend the former over the latter because it creates a place where students can be authentic and simply be kids. We were all immature in middle school and high school, we all made jokes, we probably all said something a little out of pocket at some point.

As adults, we should remember how we acted and instead of crying foul and trying to just shut things down, we should instead take a moment to laugh and show students how mature adults can engage, have fun, and respond.

When we can have fun alongside of our students, we are showing them that we see them as more than a number or a child to be watched. We are showing them that we truly value and desire intergenerational discipleship relationships. We are highlighting that we can have fun and engage with them while valuing them and not dismissing them because of their age.

These types of moments create safe and healthy environments for students to be themselves, connect with safe adults, and be shepherded towards Jesus as we all take time to have fun together.

Here is my encouragement to you:

1. Allow your students to be students even if it means a little immaturity, random comments, and lack of self awareness.

2. Laugh along with (and sometimes at – of course not in front of them) your students and what they say or do.

3. Don’t take yourself too seriously and be willing to have fun and take a joke or two.

4. Create an environment that values fun and joy for everyone involved.

By incorporating these elements I cannot guarantee that your program will be perfect but that there will be a lot more joy, laughter, and community within your ministry.

Help! I Don’t Know How to Lead Students

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Sometimes in church life we may find ourselves in a role we never dreamed we’d fill. There may be no one else available, or we may feel God pulling us into a space outside our comfort zone. And sometimes, that may be serving in student ministry.

If this is you, or someone you know, let us encourage you/them. Students are amazing and, in our possibly biased opinion, one of the best groups in the church. While working with them may feel overwhelming, we want to encourage you that if you have a heart for students, you can do it.

The reality is that students crave genuine relationships and connection with others. You don’t need to be the cool leader, you just need to be the leader that genuinely cares, shows up, and listens. The best thing you can do is invest consistently in your students by being present, hearing and seeing them, and fostering a safe place for them to be themselves.

So what are some ways you can do this? Take a look at these tips we hope will get you started and help as you continue in this important ministry.

1. Commit to being present.

This doesn’t just mean showing up to every student ministry event, while that is extremely important. Students do need to see you physically present. It also means being mentally present with your students.

You can be mentally present by putting work and life stressors on the back burner and trying not to bring them with you to youth group. You can also make sure to spend your time with the students, not hanging out with other leaders or playing on your phone.

One of the best ways you can show students how important they are is by giving them your undivided attention when you are with them.

2. Actively listen to your students.

Listening is another way to be present. And while we are to guide and shepherd our students, the first thing they need to learn about us is that we are listening to them. This is how we show them that we genuinely care.

Practice active listening by seeking to understand what your students are saying and why, and by asking thoughtful follow-up questions that continue to foster the conversation. Don’t worry about handing out advice and instruction right away, and don’t listen just to give a response. Show students you are someone who will hear them and wants to know what they have to say.

3. Be yourself and don’t fake it.

Students can spot a fake a mile away, they’re naturally good at it. So do yourself a favor and don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Bring your authentic self to youth group and let that person shine.

The reality is not every single student will click with you, and that’s okay. You’re not there to be everyone’s best friend. But students should be able to see and know the real you, that is one of the best ways you can show them that they matter to you. Give students the respect they deserve by being real with them.

4. Have fun.

If you haven’t been around student ministry before, one thing you need to know about students is that they love to have fun. Whether it’s playing 9 Square, hanging out with their friends, playing sports or music at school, getting crafty and creative, or whatever else they enjoy, students are always up for having a good time.

Since your students like to have fun (and because we serve a God who created a world for us to enjoy), we can also have fun with them. It doesn’t mean you have to do all the things, but you can engage and have fun with them. Laugh, enjoy your time with them, play as you are able, and celebrate with them.

Having fun shows your students that you’re relatable, willing to meet them where they are at, and someone who desires to share life with them. And it can show them that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

If you want to dig a little deeper into leading students, we invite you to check out more of our blog posts! Here are a few to get you started:

Leading Students Well in Chaotic Times

Quick Tip: Giving Students Ownership

Leading Small Groups: Self-Guided Discussion

8 Keys to Building a Successful Student Ministry

Are You Asking the Right Questions?

Healthy Ways to Disconnect

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Let me ask you a question: when was the last time you took a break? How about a true weekend without work? When was the last time you took a vacation and truly felt relaxed, at peace, and didn’t think about work?

Please understand that I am not trying to cast condemnation or criticism here. I’m in the same boat. For years, I always had my phone next to me and was ready for the next issue to arise. Every time it buzzed I feared what was happening.

It took a good couple of days to breathe and truly enjoy being on vacations. Weekends were rough because I was always thinking about what was to come. It was always hard to shut off my mind after a standard work day let alone after youth group.

Feel like you’re in the same boat? I think for a lot of us in ministry we feel that weight. We feel the complexity of working hard at our jobs and ministering to students, families, and the church, but also the added weight of a deeply personal call to shepherd and care for the people of God.

When you put all those things together they can feel heavy; they are heavy. And if you don’t put appropriate breaks, rhythms, refreshment, and space between those things and your own personal life and spiritual development, you will burn out. You will struggle with anxiety, depression, resentment, bitterness, and more. You will find distance growing between you and your family. Your family will struggle with loving the church because of what they see it doing to you.

And ultimately you will find yourself serving the church of God and not God, Himself; you will create an idol. And yes, even good things can become idols because they are not meant to be the ultimate thing in our lives.

If all of that is true—and believe me it is because I’m proof of it—what do we need to be doing differently? Today, I want to share a handful of practices I have begun to implement in my life that have been extremely helpful in disconnecting.

Bring others in.

If you’re feeling overworked, resentful, burnt out, or if the joy is gone, you need to bring people in. We are crafted for community and so often we go through life alone. Instead, we need to bring others into our lives and share honestly about what is happening.

The sooner you bring people in and are transparent with things, the better equipped you’ll be to heal and disconnect well. By bringing others in, it allows you to have accountability and a network to help you disconnect and establish boundaries.

Be honest about what you’re feeling.

I think when you work in ministry it is easy to mask how you’re feeling and to pretend like you have everything under control. That type of mentality can easily lead to isolation, frustration, and hurt which often times leads us to go through life and ministry alone.

That way of living will not allow you to disconnect because you are tying your personal life and work together in an unhealthy pattern. Instead, we need to be honest with others and ourselves about how we are doing. When we are honest we can begin to move toward growth, healing, and the ability to disconnect more because we are untying our personal and work lives.

Utilize “no phone” policies.

A great way to disconnect is to quite literally disconnect your phone. Turn on do not disturb, turn off notifications, stay off social media, and don’t check emails. If that doesn’t work, then literally turn off of your phone or put it in a different room.

Look, I get it. We need to be available but at the same time there is such a thing as work-life balance and phones don’t always allow us to maintain the proper balance. So practice healthy phone use to keep yourself from being inundated with work.

Take extra days at the beginning and end of your vacation.

Have you ever felt stressed leading up to a vacation as you are trying to button up everything at work? Have you felt like coming home from vacation feels overwhelming as you need to catch up on laundry and food shopping as well as all the emails? Me too!

That’s why Elise and I started to add additional days off to prep for vacation before we go and we have a day or two at home at the back end to readjust to normalcy. Giving yourself breathing room at the front and backend of a vacation allows you to truly rest and relax while you’re away because everything has been handled and can be handled when you return.

Be clear about your boundaries.

This one is key to being able to disconnect. The more transparent you are about your boundaries and the more willing you are to hold to them the more you’ll be able to disconnect.

This isn’t easy in the beginning but I can promise you that it is worth it. Talk about how your days off are actually days off. Be willing to tell people you aren’t checking emails or handling work-related tasks when you aren’t working. The more you talk about and model clear boundaries the more people will begin to respect them and you will be able to disconnect in healthier ways.

I’m not going to say I have mastered this. In fact there are still days and weeks that I feel the weight of ministry. But I can promise you that by putting these habits and rhythms into place you will find yourself in a much better place. Simply taking the initiative and beginning to build these into your life will help you relax and breathe better.

Quick Tip: Go to Sunday Service

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Have you ever felt like Sundays are just incredibly busy and you’re running around trying to get everything done? Have you hit your step goal on a Sunday morning before the services are done? Is Sunday morning time to catch up on emails and last-minute prep for your message?

Has Sunday become just another work day? When was the last time you sat in a worship service as a participant and worshipper? Do you get stopped multiple times before you even open your office?

Me too! I get it. Part of working or serving at a church means that Sundays will often include work in various capacities. But that doesn’t mean we should forego our own spiritual health and inflow, nor should we give up on fellowship with the body. Yes, there will be Sundays when we are pulled in a hundred different directions and don’t get into a service. But that should be the exception not the norm.

We are called to be an active participant of the church and to continue to meet together and care for one another. This command doesn’t simply apply to church members, but also to those of us who serve on staff at the church. The book of Acts is all about the fellowship of believers and being a part of the local church. It is easy to say we are a part of the church as we serve the body, but are you actually participating with the body of Christ and being poured into?

As employees within the church it is a default of ours to serve the church, but it is something we often do at our own detriment as we don’t participate with our fellow believers in the corporate gathering. If we continue to treat Sunday as simply a day of work instead of worshipping with others, I can promise you five things:

  1. You’ll find yourself trying to lead from nothing as you are not being poured into.
  2. You’ll become frustrated, resentful, angry, and bitter toward the church because you will see the church as keeping you from worshipping and growing.
  3. It will lead to fracturing and frustration in your family if you don’t worship together.
  4. You will lose the joy that you had in ministry.
  5. You will struggle in your walk with Jesus.

At the end of the day, there will be Sundays that you don’t make it into the service. Those Sundays should not be the norm, but instead the exception. Even if you need to talk with your supervisor about your schedule, commit to being in the service (with your family if applicable) and worshipping with your fellow believers. I can promise you that this is necessary and will ultimately be better for you, your family, those you lead, and your church.