Ministry: A Long Yet Short Journey
Imagine becoming a pastor at age 25 and continuing your ministry until you retire around age 65. That's 40 years. Four decades. Some two thousand Sundays, which is way more than a month of Sundays.
I want to suggest that this is both a long time and a short time.
A Long Time
On one hand, forty years is a long time. It's ultramarathon territory, not sprint territory. It’s long enough that you will see trends come and go. You may perform the marriage ceremony of young couples, and later their children too. You’ll notice the context of ministry will change often, although ministry, at its heart, won’t change at all.
You'll need a plan to sustain your soul over those 40 years. This means building a solid foundation, spending the time you need to get the training you need for pastoral ministry. Don't rush this stage. You're going to need lots of time for the many decades of ministry ahead.
You'll need to withstand the temptations of the various stages of your ministry. In the early years, you'll need to resist the temptation of thinking that you know more than you really do. In the middle years, you'll need to guard against becoming cynical and bitter. In the later years, you'll need to guard against the temptation of coasting or becoming a grumpy old man.
Plan for the long haul. Pay attention to your life and doctrine. Focus on your godliness. Know where you need help. Find people who tell you the truth. Tackle your specific sin issues. Prepare for a lifetime of service to God.
A Short Time
I want to suggest that 40 years is a short time as well. It will be over before you know it. When you start out, you'll think that you have all the time in the world to preach through most of the Bible and do all the things you want to do. Before you know it, you'll be at the end, and it will have gone by quicker than you thought.
There are Bible books you haven't preached on, topics you haven't explored, themes you haven't discussed, and dreams you haven't realized. This should lead us to humility; no matter how long our ministries are, we'll never have time for all we want to do.
It should also lead us to careful planning so that we fit in what matters most. It should also lead us to cherish the time God has given us. There will be a Sunday when you don't stand up to preach; there will be a day when you're no longer the pastor of a church, and that's okay. Your identity is much more than that of pastor; you are a child of God.
Still, enjoy the time God has given you for this incredible gift. A lifetime of ministry is both a long time and a short time. Commit to being faithful for the long term, but remember how quickly time passes. Make the most of the brief ministry God has given you.
