Life (and ministry) is tough
Here is an article of the life and ministry struggles of a man who was pastor of the church I attended during my college years, First Baptist Church of Lakeland, Florida (now The Church at the Mall).
This man was an amazing pastor and preacher who loved everyone. After I graduated from college, I moved to New Orleans to begin my graduate studies. He encouraged me in my journey. As I was nearing the end of my first semester of Seminary, I contacted my pastor about a summer position with the church’s summer camp program. He put me in contact with the Children’s Minister at that time, and I was hired as the Summer Day Camp Director. It was an amazing summer of experience and learning and ministering to school-age kids. After that summer I returned to New Orleans and completed my graduate degree a year and half later. My graduate studies and my next children’s ministry positions were strengthened by my experiences that summer.
Not long after that summer position, he left the church in Lakeland and moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. I lost contact with him for much of this time, although, was aware that he returned to Florida to minister in Brandon at the same time that I resided in Tampa. However, it was too far of a commute to Brandon from my location to attend church and invest in people and ministry.
Just a few months ago I re-connected with him on Facebook through a mutual friend (gotta love social networking) and yes, he remembered me well, and my parents, who were also active members of First Baptist Lakeland. I was puzzled when reading his profile page and saw what looked like recent struggles with his family and personal life. Now he is ministering in a new church in the Brandon, Florida, area. It looked like things were going well but I was concerned about what happened with the first Brandon church plant and what happened to his family that I knew in Lakeland.
This article is interesting and explains how many ministers are burdened and pressured and suffer from challenges and struggles yet have little to no place to turn for help. We need to be friends with ministers in the church and treat them as real people. After all, they are real people and have real, everyday challenges. Take them to lunch. Invite them over. Spend time with them. Don’t expect them to do all the “ministering.” They need to be ministered to as well.
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment