This is a sensitive subject, but let’s give it a whirl!
How do you know when it’s time to step aside from a ministry that you’re involved in?
Before I answer that question, let me say that if you’re involved in ministry, you love it… at least you should (if you don’t then what the heck are you doing it for?)!
Because you love the ministry you put your heart, soul, mind, and strength into it. You “leave it all on the field” every time you serve! Thank you!
As more and new people come into the church and the ministry responsibility gets bigger and more complex we should all be asking ourselves, “When is it time to quit and move on to a new ministry?”
Let me give you three ways to know it’s time to quit, it’s called the CPR Principle.
Here’s the question, “When do you quit giving someone CPR?”
- When they die.
- When you get too tired to continue.
- When someone who can do it better comes along.
Now take this situation and apply it to the local church…
- When do you quit doing a ministry? When it is no longer accomplishing it’s purpose!
- When do you quit doing a ministry? When you are worn out and your family is taking a hit because of your commitment to ministry. (BONUS: your family should not have to compete with the church for your attention.)
- When do you quit doing a ministry? When someone better comes along… someone who can do what you’re doing, and wants to do it, and will do it better than you… step aside.
Now, if we’re talking CPR here… we’d all agree… right? But we’re talking something WAY more important than CPR… we’re talking eternal destinies here! The effectiveness of a ministry will ultimately determine whether people end up in Heaven or Hell!
So why wouldn’t we step aside if…
- The ministry is no longer effective? Stop letting it consume resources (Human, Financial, Spacial, etc.)
- You’re burned out? Burned out people burn people! If you’re wiped out… step out… then step back in! The best gift you can give away is a well-rested, fully surrendered self, but that may mean that it’s time to step out for a season!
- Someone better comes along? If you’ve given your best, celebrate what has been accomplished! You brought the ministry up to a point where someone else looked at it and saw potential! Celebrate what you’ve done then step aside and hand it over!
So, when you step out of a ministry, does that mean you are “useless” in the church? NO WAY!!! NO WAY!!!
Let me give you three ideas to consider as you move out of a ministry…
- Take a break and get set for the next phase of ministry! Enjoy your family for a while. Pray. Read some books on leadership or ministry. Visit some other churches to get ministry ideas.
- Spend some time in prayer asking God where He wants you to invest your time and talents next. Keep your eyes and ears open to the needs in the church.
- Talk to your pastor(s) and see where the church needs help the most! You might just find a whole new ministry adventure awaits you!
At the end of the day check out these words from St. Paul,
“…my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (1 Corinthians 15:58 NLT).
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Paul;
Your CPR analogy is only partially correct. (I’ve been an Instructor for the American Red Cross for some time.)
Actually, you discontinue CPR when:
1. The scene becomes unsafe.
2. The patient is revived.
3. You’re exhausted and unable to continue.
4. Another person of equal or superior training relieves you.
I understand your point however.
nothing to do with this post but I just saw the churchcommunicationspro.com post! Congrats to Justin!
Paul,
I can’t tell you how timely this post was for me! I’m being taught some serious lessons right now, and God just used you, through this blog post, to help reinforce some things for me. Thank you so much!
Nathan
Paul,
Echo on Nathan’s comments! Thanks. You are an encouragement beyond the walls of your office!
I appreciate the additional comments regarding the CPR analogy too Kevin!
I think they strengthen rather than weaken your argument/statement Paul. I think that the UNSAFE danger in ministry may be physical, spiritual, financial, etc. There are some points at which we may need to decide, “This is no longer healthy for me, the church, our family, etc.”
I love throwing the unless the patient is revived comment! After all, as we apply CPR to a ministry that is no longer breathing, there is a good chance that it may revive and breathe again! Resurrecting vision and ministry strength must be much less taxing than raising a dead man to life. I believe that God is able to handle this!
Keep breathing life into the gasping ministers!
Mike
Not to be antagonistic here, but there is also the decision whether or not to even begin CPR. I used to work in EMS full time, and there were situations where the patient didn’t even “meet the qualifications” for receiving CPR. For instance, you would not perform CPR if a body is crushed beyond recognition, if the person has been dead for a period of time (longer than the standards stated in your protocals), or if the injury negates your efforts (such as decapitation, a severed artery through which the blood freely flows out of the body, etc.)
Oh, and out of all the times I have performed CPR it has only been successfull one time.
But anyhow….I agree with you all the way. Having grown up in a family that was heavily involved in ministry, I have had plenty of oportunities to view how others needed to apply the CPR rule and didn’t. If you do not follow the basic rules of knowing when to say “enough is enough,” it can be very costly to not only you, but your family and entire ministry as well. My point in saying what I did earlier was to convey that there are those instances where you should not even get involved. While there is always the hope of reviving a struggling ministry that is not always a reality.
Technicalities aside…you make great points here, Paul.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.