2 Thessalonians 1:4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
It was one of the worst days of my ministerial career. I was sitting in the Presbytery’s Clerk’s home and blubbering like a baby. I had only been in the parish ministry for three years, but I was ready to give it all up. I was at my wits’ end and thought that I would no longer be able to remain in the parish. I was absolutely gutted and inconsolable.What had caused this? Two elders. Two elders who constantly attacked, confronted and belittled everything I was trying to accomplish at the churches I served. Every time I put forward a new proposal to grow the church, strengthen the faith, and expand the mission, these two elders would put up stumbling blocks immediately and sometimes vindictively. I was trying to do my best not just for God, but for the survival of the church itself. These two men wanted the church to remain in the comfort zone that they had created. They thought that I had too many new ideas and ambitions that might have worked in the big city, but this was a town and country charge; they didn’t go in for that sort of thing.
They were wrong and I knew it both instinctively and spiritually; but they were beating me down remorselessly. And so I ended up crying into my teacup at the Presbytery Clerk’s home.
He was a very wise man. He was practically blind, but he could see the truth in all situations. He talked to me gently about the hardships of ministry and he knew the whole history of the church I served. He promised to support me and above all he reminded me that God had called me to serve that particular church. He finished up with that great passage from Romans 8 and recounted to me how the Presbyterian Reformers of the past had relied upon Paul’s words: “If God be for us, who or what can be against us?”
I went back to the parish determined to do the work that God had called me to accomplish.
Today, I’m reliving that experience because I’ve just heard of another young minister giving up the parish after less than two years. The statistics are appalling: 80% of first time ministers give up in the first five years.
I don’t know what the answer to the problem is, but this I do know – young ministers are amongst the greatest gifts that God gives to the church. If we keep burning them out in the first five years, we’re not going to have any real leaders for the next generation of Christians.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us when our churches fail to support our youngest leaders. Grant us the patience to be more open to their opinions, ideas, and innovations. Remind us that they have been initially called by You, and that we, who are older, should treat them as equals, as visionaries, and as ambassadors of Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about this message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is one John’s latest images of Christ. It’s called “Christ Icon” and is based upon the famous Sinai Icon of Christ. If you would like to view a larger image, please click on the following link:
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