This Month's Coaching Focus:
When to Say Yes to a Ministry
Because each one of us is already over-committed, it is very important that we set healthy boundaries for ourselves in ministry. Of course, we say yes to short-term ministry obligations when there is a great need, but these tips are targeted at long-term ministry commitments. These are the types of tips a Life Purpose Coach® would use with you:
Say yes when...
1. You have done an honest appraisal of the time commitment.
2. Your skills/talents/abilities match the task.
3. You will be operating in your spiritual giftedness.
4. You know that it is the correct season of your life to serve in this capacity.
5. You have pure motives for serving in this area.
6. You have been affirmed by other mature Christians.
7. You will have a support system.
8. You have some semblance of balance in your life.
9. You believe there will be noticeable fruit of changed lives.
10. You know that the ministry's methodogy works or can be tweaked.
11. You can surrender it all to God.
12. You sense that you "can't not" do it.
13. You have prayerfully sought God's will and have a green light to proceed.
vs. Opportunity knocks and you walk through the door out of guilt, duty, or an impure motive!
BLOG with me on this topic! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
God bless,
Katieb
14 comments:
the "support" system you mention, is important and yet sometimes hard to cultivate.
What if there doesn't seem to be one, do we hold off?
It would definitely depend on how many of the other 13 items are in place! Perhaps you are called to cultivate that support system. Perhaps not. To delve deeper, I would investigate "your motives for serving," if I were the Coach. Since we are dealing with the ideal vs. reality, it would be important to talk the situation through.
As a new Christian, I frequently stepped out into ministry out of duty or wrong motives. Needless to say, the Lord did not bless those efforts. As the Lord has matured me, I've learned to wait upon the His leading and the Lord has blessed! Glory to God!!! - Roxanne
I really appreciate this "check list", which is good for the heart as well as the mind! Lately I've found that as ministry opportunities open up, I seem to be stepping into many new areas, with my "support team" telling me I would be good at them due to life experience. Since leaving a secular job of 20 years, many ministry options are new; I find myself saying: "As long as you understand how little experience I think I have!" And I have found the Lord faithful, and His Holy Spirit dependable! Tom B
I LOVE the ministry opportunities check list! It's great to stop, drop, and pray when opportunity knocks. I like to ask someone that knows me well if they see me doing what I am about to venture into. Many times my husband or best friend have insight I can trust. I like to word "balance". I lived some of my life w/o it and the lack of it can rob a person of fulfillment. PJB
Sometimes in the middle of working with an individual, I've found myself "running down" in my motivation...I began to question if I had gotten into something that really WASN'T God's calling.
Just burying my face in a chair, and talking to the Lord about exactly how I felt, was of great help. Shortly I had a confirmation from an individual connected to my client that what things seemed on target, and my energy level was up again. It's just too easy to start doing this ministry "on our own" sometimes; we have to "check up and check in" with the Lord in a serious way... I need a humility meter!
In my experience, one of the most difficult items is checking my motive; especially when I'm trying to decide among ministry opportunites (trying to pick the best over good). The problem is that my heart always has the capacity to deceive me unless I'm in tune with God. -Sam
A wise pastor once told me each time I say "yes" to something I am saying "no" to something else. I was overcommitted at the time, out of balance and stressed! My walk was full of "good" things" but not God's best! What freedom came in stepping back and seeking His best! Now before I enter in to service I consider if I say "yes" am I saying"no" to precious time with my God, husband, children, friends or neighbors.
Thanks for the reminder about NEIGHBORS being part of our ministry. We are so connected with church friends, work friends, and now a growing number of internet friends, we really can pass by our street neighbors... Recently our subdivision had a yard sale, and it was one of the best "connection" events in our 8 years here!! It's a little hard to live your faith before folks, if they don't know you!
i loved the list for when to say Yes to ministry...although my calling lately(actually for the past 2 years) seems to be professional plate spinning...you see we are church planting...we are trying to bring other people in to serve but on any given Sunday I go from cleaning the nursery to get it ready for the little ones,setting up chairs, cleaning up the rented firehall, playing guitar in the worship band, teaching children's church or nursery,going back to play final song...or occasionally taking a turn on the teaching team...during the week- well i won't bore you but i go from counseling to coaching to leadership training...are you out of breathe yet...me too-LOL...
we have decided as we are really trying to build balance into our own lives-my husband is the pastor- and the lives of our leaders and growing flock of Christ followers most of whom come from the ranks of unchurched-yeah! that there has to be a special definition of balance for church planting- or maybe not...This has been the dilemma of my life for the past few years though and what i have been working through with my Life coach..how to turn things over to others- what to turn over and how ...praying for those to come alongside and help...anybody out there in Northeastern Pennsylvania interested in being a part of a great plate-spinning bunch of leaders learning to live balanced lives..LOL...terry
Thanks for posting on how to sort through ministry opportunitites. I am very excited about launching my coaching business and frightened as well. This has helped me really think through some of the issues surrounding who, how much time I can work on it and the what (what I want to focus on with potential clients and speaking audiences). Melanie Gibson
Thanks for the list on when to say yes to a ministry. It will be a big help in my Coaching ministry.
THANK YOU for the "When to Say Yest to a Ministry" list. I was just presented with an opportunity to participate in a leadership role for a very good ministry. As I went down the list it made me be more prayerful and focused on hearing what God wants me to do in this season of my life and not be a people pleaser or feel guilty for not saying "yes" - Robin Hebbel
I really needed to see and consider this checklist right now..God is always, always just on time. I had thought I would delay participation in Life Coach training for a variety of reasons and then found the opportunity to apply for the upcoming class and this article at almost the same time. What a great confirmation that NOW really is the right time.
I am especially grateful to be able to say YES to #8 regarding a semblance of balance thanks to some hard work in "Praying for Purpose"!!!!
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