K12 Staff Retreat

I wonder how often we actually answer this question honestly. “How are you doing?” It’s such a normal part of how we greet people that we don’t give the answer much thought. We’re often just, “fine” or “good.”

And then add that we are in ministry leadership. Can I afford to be anything other than “fine” or “good”? But, what if I’m not fine or good or okay? What if I’m tired and worried and overwhelmed?

So, first things first – Not only is it okay to not be okay, even in ministry leadership, when we don’t admit it to God and others, it holds us back. Honesty before God and others with how we are really doing not only helps bring healing to us as people but it sets us on the right path for greater KINGDOM impact. We have to know how to tend to our own souls in the midst of tending to everyone else’s soul.

Of course, we’ve given our lives away to helping others find Jesus. We’ve literally said yes to the mission of tending to the SOULS of others.

Eugene Peterson said like this in his book titled “Pastor.” – “I am a pastor. My work has to do with God and souls.” AMEN. One of my favorite quotes on pastoring.

The Apostle Paul says something similar but reveals that there is sacrifice involved in caring for the souls of others. He writes in 1 Thess 2:4-8, “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with any pretext for greed (this isn’t about us!) – God is witness – nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as Apostles of Christ (as K12 staff at THE 12Stone Church), we might have asserted our authority. BUT we proved to be gentle among young as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (could be a banner verse for Kids Ministry! Ha!). Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our very own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”

Whew. This is the call of ministry. We not only give people the gospel, but we give people US. Praise God for this amazing, holy, beautiful, fulfilling, joy bringing calling on our lives. But…it’s a lot. Ministry is hard. It’s tiresome, worrisome, heartbreaking, never ending, misunderstood, deep, exhausting, and sacrificial. We often feel frantic, busy, urgent, no margin, and nothing goes the way we thought it would.

(If you are a resident, DON’T RUN! I promise it’s all worth it. Ha!)

So, how you and I tend to our own souls before God and with God is essential in staying in the calling and work that God has called us too. That’s what I really want to talk about today. The Church NEEDS men and women who know how to stay healthy, strong, rested, joyful, refreshed, and replenished AS we move through the YEARS of ministry…And we have things we can do and should be doing REGUARLY that will ensure that is true of us.

Here’s an illustration that I hope helps - Oxygen on your face first when a plane start to go down (Our plane isn’t going down!!). What is the classic instruction on a plane when they show you how to use the oxygen mask? Put your mask on first! THEN you’ll have the ability to help others.

Now, that illustration breaks down and I think if I had my kid next to me on a plane, I’m putting his on first! BUT, it does communicate something. Mainly this – If you are suffocating in life and ministry, you won’t be able to help others. If the leaders of the church can’t breathe, we won’t be able to help others breathe.

So, let’s read through Psalm 1 and then I have some quick thoughts on how you tend to your own soul as you live out your call to ministry.

Psalm 1:1-3 –

Blessed is the person who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, And on His Law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Let me pray for us and then give you a couple of practical soul tending thoughts.

PRAY over them.

Alright. So, you already FEEL the first one, but let me be cliché and say the JESUS-Y thing for where you start in tending your soul.

1. The Spiritual Disciplines are like WATER to your soul.

Even now, we read a Psalm and prayed, and I feel more connected, encouraged, breath, and and peace RIGHT NOW after three verses and quick prayer.

This is how God designed our souls. We are intended to BE WITH HIM. You are made for intimacy and communion with Him. Our souls find life and rest IN HIM. This is a spiritual truth that we can’t escape.

Here’s the tension – in ministry we can EXCUSE our work AS time with God. Because we’re working on “God things” right? We need to write something for our Daymakers or we pray with people in care meetings or we practice a lesson for Sunday, or “fill in blank.” And we confuse our ministry work for personal soul care.

Get personal – When I was new in ministry, I would count sermon prep as personal time with God. I was a brand new student pastor (the super angsty, super spiritual, stand on glass and yell the gospel season…YOUNG RESTLESS AND REFORMED! Ha!)…and I would burn hours and hours each week on a 20 min sermon for 75 students. And don’t get me wrong, we should LABOR over our ministry and sometimes ministry time turns into personal God times… BUT…your soul needs a moment when it is BEING with God and not DOING for God.

We choose time to meditate on God and things of God. We delight in His word and His ways. This is what plants us near the water that keeps our leaves from withering. It’s God presence and power and truth and ways that keeps our soul healthy.

Bible. Prayer.

Worship.

Journaling.

These are the pathways, the “door” as PK said on Sunday, to the presence and Person of God. We need these circulating through our minds and souls and lives every day to stay whole and healthy.

2. The right people are like BREATH in your lungs.

The Psalm gives us the reverse of this point. Don’t sit with sinners or the wicked. The point here being, the people you spend time with help shape your soul. Your health is often determined by the presence of lack of presence of healthy people in your life.

Personal – Joshua’s Men in Snellville. Why keep doing it?? Campus Pastors are some of my closest friends.

Here’s the key – You need people who love Jesus and are EASY for you to be around. That’s it. Of course, we need our ministry circles that challenge us and we need our discipleship relationships where we pour out and all that…but for tending to your own soul, you need EASY HANGS.

- Laughter.

- Honest conversations.

- Quick texts that turn into a Super Bowl party.

- The people who can handle your crazy kids.

3. The pursuit of holiness is the foundation you stand on.

Don’t miss this one. If there is ANYTHING that will take someone out in ministry, it’s hidden habitual sin. The rest of Psalm 1 goes on to say,

“The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord [e]knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.

I’ve seen busy minded people called to ministry who miss time with God recover and find renewal in life and ministry. I’ve seen people lonely in ministry and life, find friends who give them new life and help them keep going.

I have NEVER seen someone who is hiding habitual sin survive and continue their call in ministry. God doesn’t let His church experience such mocking for long.

And of course, there are some sins that are disqualifying and certainly some that ARENT because we are ALL sinners and in constant need of grace. So, let me take the disqualifying sins off the table for second – If you are in a disqualifying sin, that is a convo I pray you would have but that’s not the point of this talk.

Where I want to land is here – There are quiet, subtle, sins that we excuse in our life over and over again and they are stealing life from us.

- From anger with our kids, to white lies to gain influence, to laziness, to ???

**And one more thought. Kind of extra credit.

You have to be the best at preaching WHY we do this to yourself. If what you do is ONLY a job, your soul will get tired. You have to preach NEXT GENERATION GREAT COMMISSION to yourself. You have to see DISCIPLESHIP in your Daymakers. You have to see SUPPORT of tired parents in your Sundays.

We have to be the best in looking around and finding the VISION under the activity. If you don’t see the vision taking place in your activity, you will burn out.

CLOSING –

Prayer – Water. Breath. Foundation. YEAR of ministry ahead.

- “Like a tree…firmly planted. Producing fruit. Leaves that don’t wither. Propering in life and ministry.” I pray this over each person here.