Reflecting Further On Ministry

One of the biggest challenges in ministry is working out what to do. There is always more that could be done. Equally, it is often possible to avoid things that ought to be done. When given the opportunity, I have always urged those entering ministry to take and enjoy space when it arises, and not feel guilty. It won’t happen that often, at least not for those, the vast majority, with a proper commitment to ministry. It is important that we think about priorities, giving some weight to what ought to be done and what actually ought to be left.

Stephen Cottrell (in On Priesthood: Servants, Shepherds, Messengers, Sentinels and Stewards) explores this point. He writes: “Of course, as ordained ministers, we do things. Of course, there is an awful lot to do! But let us not delude ourselves. The things that you actually have to do to as a priest are not so many. Once you have led the services on Sunday, chaired the PCC, and buried the dead, there is not such a huge list of stuff that absolutely has to be done. What you could do is limitless and never ending. One of the hardest home truths for clergy to face is that when we are too busy and our diary too full, it is not because of all the things we had to do, but the things we chose to do. Indeed, the greatest and most practical wisdom that every priest must acquire in order for their ministry to be fruitful is the gift of discernment about what to do – what to pick up, and what to put down, and how to lead and build a church where ministry is the work of everyone. Many clergy never achieve this. They often end up washed out or burned up. It is a desperately sad sight. They will also complain: about the congregation, with whom they would share ministry if they weren’t such a dull bunch; about the diocese – all its red tape and bureaucracy are really to blame. But never themselves. This is essentially a spiritual issue. It is about seeking a life that is lived in community with God. The important question is this: Is the love of God and the love of the gospel the motivation behind all that I do? And is prayer and the nurturing of the spiritual life the wellspring of my ministry? The life of prayer, and nurturing the life of prayer, is the heart of ministry. It will express itself in many different ways.”

I do think the point about taking responsibility for our diaries is important. Having held a senior leadership role (as a URC Synod Moderator) for well over a decade now, I have often been asked about the pressure on ministers. I can advise and support, and often I have, but I can’t enforce colleagues to work (or take appropriate time) in particular ways. Ministry doesn’t work like that.

Cottrell sums up what is essential concisely and accurately when he quotes Derek Allen, one-time Principal of St Stephen’s House, and the person who led his ordination retreat. “Derek Allen concluded his final retreat address with the words: ‘Find enough time to sleep, find enough time to pray, and then do what you can.’”

That is wisdom indeed.