Have you ever had someone quit ministry (paid or volunteer) because they became so disillusioned or discouraged they couldn’t continue on? Ministry isn’t always easy. Sometimes people do disappoint us. We’re serving with people who, like us, still have their human nature and may not always walk in the Spirit. Likewise, the people we serve may not even know the Lord, albeit walk close with the Lord. If we and our church staff are going to persevere, we need to learn to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Eph. 6:10). It’s hard to deal with people by relying on our own wisdom and abilities. When it comes to ministry, we’re also dealing with a spiritual dimension that wars against the good God wants to bring. That takes divine power.
How to Encourage Staff to Be Strong in the Lord
Let’s learn from Jesus who took time to encourage His disciples. We can pull some suggestions from John 16:33 for how we might encourage church staff to face hard times in ministry. Like Jesus, we need to encourage staff to find strength in Him.
1) Be Realistic with Staff
Just as Jesus told His disciples, “In this world you will have trouble”, so we need to be real with both volunteer and paid staff. It’s easy when recruiting people to paint a rosy picture of what serving will be like. We may not be upfront about how much time and energy it might require. If people go into ministry with certain expectations, they’ll be quick to become disillusioned. They may either quit, or continue serving begrudgingly, failing to give it their all.
- We need to paint a realistic picture of what serving will be like. Ministry is not always easy. Sometimes people disappoint or fail us. Things won’t always go as we’d hoped.
2) Be Clear in Communicating Your Purpose for Such a Realistic Approach
Just prior, Jesus had predicted His arrest and crucifixion, and how the disciples would react to this troubling turn of events. He then laid out His purpose for telling the disciples to expect trouble, saying, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace” (Jn. 16:33). Knowing to expect possible problems, even their own failures, they’d be in a much better position to handle their inward struggles to cope.
- In being realistic with people, we must help them understand that we’re telling them these things, not to discourage them but rather to encourage them. People around them may disappoint. They may even disappoint themselves. But, in the Lord we can find the peace we need to rise above.
3) Be Sure to Point People to Their Source of Strength
Jesus knew that if the disciples were to find that peace in the midst of hard times, it wouldn’t come by relying on themselves or one another. Notice how He told them these things so they could have peace “in Him”. After telling them to expect trouble, He also encouraged them by saying, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus’ death would seemingly turn their world upside down but that wasn’t the end. Jesus would be raised, overcoming death, sin, and the devil. They could be encouraged because they knew the Overcomer.
- We must go far enough in taking a realistic approach with staff. Though times may get tough, it’s not up to them to hurdle the obstacles on their own. Ministry is a spiritual battle for souls, requiring spiritual weaponry that has “divine power to demolish strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3-4). Only our Lord has the power to overcome. We therefore encourage people to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Eph. 6:10).
For More on These Topics:
All Posts about Staffing:
- Church Staff Expectations
- Communicating Expectations to Church Staff
- Church Staff: Expect Alignment with Church Purpose
- Church Staff: Expect Adherence to Body Life Principles
- Church Staff: Expect Pursuit of God’s Mission
- Church Staff: Expect Christ-like Character & Integrity
- Church Staff: Expect Reliance on God’s Power
- Church Staff: Expect a Partnership Mentality
- Encourage Church Staff to Grow in Grace
- Encourage Church Staff to Walk by the Spirit
- Encourage Church Staff to Use Their Spiritual Gifts
- Spiritual Gifts Best Suited for Staffing Ministry
- Encourage Church Staff to Pray Without Ceasing
- Encourage Church Staff to Regularly Feast on God’s Word
- Lead Staff by Shepherding
- Encourage Church Staff to Be Strong in the Lord
- Encourage Staff to Do Everything in His Name
- Encourage Staff to Set Their Hearts & Minds on Things Above