For Term 4

Why do I do ministry?

I do ministry for Term 4

Ministry can be really hard.  It can be such a term 1.  Lots of admin, lots of organisation, lots of asking people to do this or that and have them say no and thinking "For once I wish I could say no- but I can't because I'm paid to do this".  New relationship where you can't tell if people are shy or if they actually don't want to talk to you!  All that careful planning and you still find yourself saying "Why didn't I do this task before the madness of the year began!"

But I do ministry for Term 4

Ministry can be really crazy.  It can be such a Term 2.  Seeing an event you were going to run sneaking up on the calender, and having to decide that its just not going to happen. Exhaustion as everyone Else's long weekend is your busy time.  A whirl wind of emotions, as one week you see Teenagers get so excited about God, and the next week someone suggests that there is something wrong with the way you are leading Bible study.  And all the prep for a big ministry event- with the fruit still along way off.

But I do Ministry for Term 4

Ministry can be really exhausting.  It can be such a Term 3.  And amazing week of Kids Club- but with no time to recover before it's back to work again.  All the events that all ended up in the same month, despite your supposed careful planning of the church calendar.  All the people who suddenly want to meet, learn, grow, find out about Jesus, who you are so excited about- and yet how do you fit them in?  All the personal drama's that always seems to come up  right on the day of a talk your giving, a Bible study your leading, or a kids talk you are doing.  And all you can do is dry your eyes, pray like crazy, and do your job.

But I do Ministry for Term 4

Term 4!  The relationships that after a year are deep enough so that people actually come to you to talk about things of God.  The kids who go from seeming to get nothing from your teaching- to all of a suddenly showing they were listening all along.  Parents who start to think that maybe taking kids to church is a priority.  Women who shyly tell you they have started meeting with someone to read the Bible and they'd like some advice.  People who become Christians.  People who get Baptised.  People who grow.  People who change.  Term 4 is where the rubber hits the road, when you SEE and don't just know- that no work you do for the Lord is ever in vain.

I write this because ministry is hard.  It is sometimes a Term 1, 2, and 3 and at those times I forget the big picture.  But Term 4 doesn't happen without the hard slog through the others.

And I do ministry for Term 4
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