Leaders Who Last Part 2

According to a recent survey by George Barna, 38% of pastors have considered quitting in the past year. It seems ministry is harder than it needs to be. However, leaving or running to another problem situation is not the answer. After all, if your church did not have problems, they wouldn’t need you.

After 31 years at the same church and 9 at my previous church, I believe there are 12 key elements to staying power (see previous article). They are divided into two areas:

1. The personal life of the pastor
2. The relationship to the congregation (see previous article)

The personal life of the pastor includes a calling to ministry.

Romans 1:1: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”

I Corinthians 1:1: “Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,”

Your calling to the ministry should be as clear and assured as your calling to salvation. Charles Spurgeon taught that if you can be happy doing anything outside the ministry, then do that. Chances are, if you can be happy or fulfilled at anything else, then you are not called to the ministry. When you have this call settled in your heart, quitting is off the table. It’s like your marriage. Divorce should never be considered. When you have settled your calling, you work through your problems rather than trying to escape them.

When I was 21, I was sensing the call to the ministry. I had preached several times, and I enjoyed it. That made me doubt my call. As I was growing up in church, I found that every called minister ran from the call and only “surrendered” because God finally “tackled” them. The Bible says, “And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.” Hebrews 5:4

One day, I went to my pastor and shared with him my feelings. He said that he knew me well and felt that God had called me, but I had just not received it. He challenged me to pray and receive the call and thank Him for it. Trusting my pastor, I bowed my head and thanked God. On my way home that evening, I suddenly knew it. An assurance filled my heart.  I was called. I felt and still feel as much assurance over that calling as I do my salvation. For me, it’s a lifetime call—no escape, no retreat. Have you settled God’s call in your life?

Next Lesson: A mission with that calling.