Sat
May
06
2006
A week in ministry can be a long time
It’s been a manic week.
We hadn’t been back an hour after the two week break, when people were lining up to speak to me while I was still unpacking the car.
We came home to two major pastoral issues this week, one of which was a case of someone suffering from a mental illness.
Mental illness seems to be one of the hardest things for people to deal with – ministers included.
Most people in ministry tend to want to fix things for others. It’s not always a healthy tendency, but most of us have it to some degree or another. But dealing with mental illness often renders that ‘fix it’ tendency pretty useless.
Someone suffering from depression, schizophrenia, or other emotional or mental disorder is in a particularly vulnerable situation, and one that we ‘helpers’ are often help-less in. Or at least it feels that way.
As I sat in the admissions area of the local mental health facility this week with a member of my church, I had the chance to observe a young man who came in in handcuffs with two large policemen. He seemed perfectly normal (whatever that means) for the first hour or so. Even the policemen were heard saying to staff that they didn’t know why he was here. But as time wore on, he started speaking about more and more strange things, and by the time he was admitted, it was clear that things were seriously astray with that young man.
And I felt totally helpless.
With someone suffering a physical illness, I would usually speak of the gospel to them. Explain to them how much God loves them and how they can know forgiveness through Jesus, open the Bible to them, and so on. But that is meaningless to people who’s experience of reality and rational thought is seriously disrupted.
What do I do? Pray? Sure, that is a good thing to do. But what else? Offer words of comfort, speak positive things to encourage those who are feeling detached, disoriented, deserted and often very distressed.
But I also came to a very important conclusion: It was perhaps a good thing that I felt helpless. Because that then throws me back onto God to do things that I can’t do. It confronts me with a truth that I need confronting with: That my weak attempts to ‘help’ people are so inadequate, whereas God can and does comfort and transform peoples lives in ways that I could never do.
So my job this week has been to be a faithful friend to my church member with a mental illness. To do my best to be Jesus to him – as inadequate as that effort is. My job this week has not to be a Bible teacher, a ministry trainer, and all the other hats I wear, but just to be a fellow traveller to my friend.
It’s frustrating still, and just as tiring as doing the other stuff, and
I knew all that stuff somewhere in my head of course, but it’s been good to be reminded of it again.
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I really appreciate your words. My wife and I are praying through what we believe could be God’s call to full-time ministry. I’ve never been so scared and so excited…mostly scared. Your comments come at a good time and open my eyes to see what responsibilities and challenges lie ahead. I feel helpless just reading it. I can’t imagine walking into the fire like that without the Holy Spirit beside me, in me, guiding and empowering me. How did you know that God was calling you to full-time church ministry? What was your first leap of faith like?
— John Thomas · May 9, 12:49 PM · #
Thanks for your words John!
You are quite right to be both excited and scared, but be encouraged to remember that God doesn’t put people in ministry roles without equipping them with what they need for that role. I think we humans will sometimes make that mistake, but not God!
My ‘going into ministry story’ is quite a long one, but you’ve encouraged me to blog about it properly shortly, so stay tuned. But in the meantime let me say: I never, ever saw myself doing some of the things I’ve done in recent years when I was contemplating Christian ministry. But somehow, you just push on through the fear, praying that God will just use you to bring glory to Him. Sounds a bit simplistic, but I think it’s fundamentally true.
In the meantime, as you contemplate this move in your life, have you sought the opinion of trusted and mature Christian friends? Especially those already in ministry.
One of the great features of many churches here in Oz these days is a ministry apprenticeship called MTS which gives (mainly young) people two years of hand-on, down and dirty ministry experience under the tutelage an experienced ministry trainer. This means that people can really test the waters effectively to see if ministry is for them.
A great approach!
May God bless you both and reveal his will to you in the near future. I never claim to know the will of God, but the fact you are scared I think is a very good sign! ;-)
— NeilA · May 9, 02:45 PM · #
Thank you for your response. We have been seeking wise counsel and so far I’ve only received positive feedback. In fact, today I met with an associate pastor of a large church that is starting a branch in our small town of Arlington, just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. Turns out they also have a passion for training ministers from within their own church. The pastor I spoke with is about five years into the training. He and I really connected. My wife and I prayed about it and we sense that God is moving the pieces on this chess board. It’s almost surreal.
You know when you stand in the ocean and then a wave comes along and picks you up off or your feet? There’s an exhileration as you are carried forward without control. It feels safe and dangerous all at once.
It’s sort of like that.
— John Thomas · May 10, 01:29 PM · #
Sounds like you guys are on the right track – but hang on tight, I’m sure it will be something of a bumpy ride! ;-)
— NeilA · May 11, 04:01 AM · #