Building a Ministry or Nurturing a Family?
As we look around at ministries today we find many of our leaders (myself included) struggling to keep up with all the demands of modern day ministry. (budgets, buildings, relationships, developing leaders, while tending to personal spiritual growth) Staying on track to see and accomplish vision can be a struggle as it is, especially when the tyranny of the urgent is always seducing more unexpected time and energy. Very quickly, the God who is always “more than enough,” quickly becomes the God “who is a day late and a dollar short.” Our culture has become so super-sonic paced, it’s hard not to enter into that grind. God has a different economy!
In Genesis 33, Jacob has just wrestled with God, and now is about to meet his brother Esau face to face. Though initially fearful of Esau, Esau runs to Jacob, embraces him, and they began to weep together. (Genesis 33:4) Their reconciliation proved to be heart felt and long awaited. In the excitement of the moment, Esau begs Jacob to journey together with their families toward Seir. Yet, in all of the excitement and reconciliation, Jacob had a fatherly concern…his little ones!
Jacob tells Esau that his children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds were a care to him. If he drives hard for a day, the flocks will die. Gen.33:13 Jacob then encourages Esau to pass on ahead of him, so that he could lead on slowly at the pace of the children. Gen.33:14 What a father’s heart! He puts the pace of his children and flocks ahead of the desire to be with his reconciled brother at Seir.
In ministry, there is always a temptation to put purpose ahead of the people God has called us to father/mother. We meet many pastor’s kids, who are burned out because their father didn’t move at their pace. Instead, the demands of ministry and people quickly became the driving force of their energy and attention. Father, have mercy on us!
Fathers and mothers, (natural or spiritual) I encourage you to take personal inventory of your life and priorities today.
Are we in touch with the needs of our flocks?(natural or spiritual)
Is our pace congruent with what they need?
Are we able to control the tyrannies of the urgent by establishing healthy boundaries in our life so that our top priorities remain top priorities?(God, spouse, family, church, ect.)
Be reminded that God chose the church…a spiritual family…to be the means by which He advances His Kingdom. If God and the gospel is a family, the way we nurture our families must be congruent to the message we carry! A nurtured and healthy family will prove in the end to be more effective than any “ministry” we could could ever strive to build!
Blessings,
Ryan
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12 Responses to “Building a Ministry or Nurturing a Family?”
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Good stuff Ryan!
We are focusing on some of the same things, a book you might want to check out if you have time…..
http://urbanreformation.com/the-trellis-and-the-vine.htm
That’s good. Real good. I took a deep breath while I was reading it, slowing down is so hard. The ones who follow me are the ones who get the short end of the stick when business sets it. Lord help us. This is real good.
Thanks…I need to be reminded of that almost daily. I get easily caught up in the desire to “fix” everything and everyone around me, to the detriment of my own family. Even the struggle of “meetings” related to church family life have to balance with my meaningful and life-producing time with my natural family. I’ve not yet figured out how to “do it all”…
A life in divine order (God, family, etc) is a life full of the Joy of the Lord. Well said Ryan.
Great truth Ryan… thanks for sharing this! Such a needed reminder! Wouldn’t hurt to keep this one around and revisit it a couple times a week!
Great, great stuff!!! Balanced and healthy and God-glorifying. Thanks Ryan.
Good, Good, Good. I’d say I could stand to check my “who are you loving on” barometer a lot more often.
Ryan,
This is outstanding. If our enemy cannot hold us back, he encourages to sprint at breakneck speeds. Just at the right moment when we are tripping from overexertion, he pushes us from behind. We face plant in the dirt, and need hospitalized.
The kingdom mystery is that Jesus’ pace is most efficient, especially when it comes to abiding with Jesus and family.
I have made the mistake of moving too fast and brought hurt to both my natural and spiritual family. So I highly commend this wise advice to everyone.
Blessings,
Tim Johns
Awesome Ryan!
One of the most prevailing illusions of our day is that hurrying will buy
us more time. “Hurry is not of the devil; hurry is the devil,” -Carl Jung
wow great word!! I love how the OT backs up the Fathers heart. and how we find these awsome truths to still be the same thousands of years later. Gods word is good
<3 ya
Wow! Thanks for the reminder. Blessings- Ray and Emma
Thanks for your words Ryan I pray that the holly spirit will work in your hearts and in your minds and help the lords kingdon to grow in your town and citys and his Love Bless you in all that you do God Bless