The ministry can be a lonely place. I'm not just talking about those rare, precious moments of solitude and rest. I'm talking about the fact that literally no one else can possibly understand the exact mix of thoughts and emotions you feel at the top of the ladder. No one else sees everything you see. No one else "gets it" like you get it. Often, even if you were free to share what's on your mind, and even if the other person supported you and was sympathetic to your vision, it is not very likely that he or she will understand - at least not in the sense that you understand. So, before you click away from this post, please understand this: there is hope. This is one of my favorite things to repeat: There is always hope.
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Those who know me personally will find it ironic that I have a blog post on this topic. I have every size of clothing in storage containers in my garage in hopes that they will one day fit again. The lightest weight I have been in my adult life was in my freshman year of college in the low 180s. And that's all I'm going to say about that! This is not a post to guilt anyone into a commitment to become more physically fit. The goal of this post is to offer some biblical insights on the topic to encourage us to make time to take care of both our church bodies and our physical bodies. Personal Fitness as StewardshipWe would all agree that our bodies are given to us by God. We can destroy them; we can let them go. We can maintain them properly. Our genetics may be outside of our control, but much of our wellness is up to us to manage. We are indeed stewards of our bodies. The bottom line is that the better we take care of these bodies, the longer lives and healthier lives we will likely live - meaning, that we will have longer to minister to others, to win people for Christ, to disciple future leaders, and bear Kingdom fruit, if we get and stay in shape. Pastoral Ministry as Enemy to Personal FitnessWithout going so far as to use this as an excuse, it is a fact that pastoral ministry is one of the most stressful professions a person can have. Most pastors do not work a 40-hour workweek. Some pastors work double that. Most work north of 60 hours per week. Not good! We eat on the run. We eat out a fair amount. We eat at weird hours. We don't have the time or money or go buy healthy foods. We don't get enough exercise; many of us don't get any exercise. Add to all of this the stress that ministry inevitably brings, and you have a recipe for morbid obesity and possibly a lifespan cut tragically short. Heart attack incidence is greater among pastors than in the general population. We've got our work cut out for us! Take the Challenge!I first started typing the draft of this post in August 2019. I've heard that getting in shape is tougher with every decade of life - the 20s, the 30s, the 40s. I'm at 37 right now, and I do have to work harder to get results than I did the past several times I've been down this road. As I prepare to post this blog, it is December 1, 2019. I've begun working out daily, eating smart, and doing all the things I know to do. I've lost 35 lbs, and my body fat % is dropping. I'm heading in the right direction, and you can too. Consult your doctor about nutritional advice and before beginning an exercise regimen. But as ministry brothers, let's covenant together to optimize the bodies the Lord has given us for maximum kingdom potential!
Get in touch if you are interested in taking the pastoral fitness challenge! If you are already pastoring, you have no doubt worked out your own system for developing sermons. Maybe you are like me, and you are always on the lookout for helpful tips, time-saving ideas, and best practices that can help you perfect your craft. 1. Picking a Passage:Not to be Captain Obvious here, but the first step is obviously picking a passage. You may come from a tradition that uses the lectionary, so your passage has been picked already. As an expository preacher, I love to take my congregation through books of the Bible. As I write this post, we are wrapping up the Gospel of Mark and headed into one of the epistles - 1 Corinthians. As I plan series, I like to alternate types of literature and go back and forth between Old and New Testament. You can preach thematic series while still using an expositional approach to the text. If you are preparing a stand-alone message for a special event or something similar (and even if not!), give yourself to much prayer, and every time, you will find that God leads you right to the very passage you are to bring. 2. Getting Started:I purposely begin here with this blog, because this issue is fundamental to your entire ministry. I assume here that I am speaking to someone considering ministry as a profession and not a veteran pastor doubting the call. I want to post in the future for such a pastor, but this is not that post. This is such a great question, and because it has such a tremendous impact on your life and the kingdom, the fact that it can be elusive may worry you. Some have found it so troubling that they maintain a call is not necessary. So, what does the Bible say about a call, and how can you know if you are indeed called? |
AuthorPastor Billy Shaw is a full-time pastor, husband, and father with a passion for helping other pastors. Archives
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