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7 Genuine Reasons I Have Never Quit Ministry

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My resignation letter was written.

And printed.

It was skillfully crafted and I was ready to show it to Dianne and tell her my well founded reasons for wanting to quit ministry.

As we sat in a beautiful seaside cafe I told her I was tired, discouraged and over it.

Then I showed her the letter. She read it and then put in her pocket.

I never saw it again.

Dianne told me that she wasn’t going anywhere and that there had to be another way.

Thankfully we found another way and I didn’t quit.

There have been other times when I’ve wanted to quit and walk away from being pastor.

What has kept me from quitting?

7 Reasons Why I Have Never Quit Ministry

quit scrabble photo

Photo by jeffdjevdet

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Life Changing Advice I’d Give My 35-Year-Old Self: Rod Waters, The Interview

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Rod Waters, with his wife Wendy, has planted two churches in over 30 years of ministry. They planted their first church over 30 plus years ago in the tropical far north of Western Australia, in Broome.

Rod was also a team pastor in our church for a few years, and over 20 years ago planted C3 Church Joondalup which he still pastors today. He’s also a business owner and an investor.

Rod Waters is a close friend and we even went to high school together.

John Finkelde:   What would you say to your 35-year-old self about organizing your week as a pastor and as a leader?

Rod Waters:       Organization was something which wasn’t my strength. I love my spontaneity.

However, it cost me dearly because I’d often didn’t use a calendar and just used my head. A lot of things got neglected and forgotten. Then there’d always be those midnight screamers, where you’d wake up with a fright thinking, “Oh no, I’ve forgotten something,” or, “I forgot to call that person.”

Inevitably, my sermon would boil down to the end of the week and I would start frantically listening to sermon tapes on Saturday afternoon, hoping that God might speak to me.

I’d neglect the family, and if I could have 35 again, I would say that Saturday is for your family.

After many, many years of frenetically preparing on Saturday, and even into Saturday nights, I started doing my sermons during the week.

I wish I had done that earlier.

35-year-old self

Ps Rod Waters preaching.

10 Reasons Why One Australian Pastor Continues To Walk In His Call To Pastoral Ministry

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Rob Buckingham has been a pastor for 30 years.

That alone says something powerful about the man.

He’s also a good friend, a fellow blogger and I recently asked him to write for my blog.

Rob and his wife Christie pastor Bayside Church in Melbourne which has enjoyed immense fruitfulness under their leadership for 24 years.

In this post Rob outlines 10 reasons why he continues to walk in the call to pastoral ministry which he received over 30 years ago.

Call To Pastoral Ministry

Rob Buckingham.

A number of years ago I was sitting around a dinner table enjoying a wonderful meal with a number of pastors.

One of the topics of conversation that came up that night centered around the question, “Why do you do what you do?”  It’s a great question, and one I gave some consideration to.

Over the next few weeks I wrote down 10 things that answer that question for me.  Here’s my list:

Three Ways For A Pastor To Have A Holiday At Home

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How on earth can you last for over 20 years in ministry?

I was recently talking to a friend of mine who planted his church 20 years ago and is still thriving in ministry.

We were discussing the complexities of ministry today.

Let’s face it, pastoring has never been easy.

Pastoring Is Complex

However, I think today’s ministry life make it even more difficult because of a few different factors:

  • mobile phones make pastors more readily accessible
  • member’s irregularity in their Sunday attendance
  • ‘never off’ online world
  • even committed people seem to take longer to become solid givers when they join a church

These are just a few of the things that make pastoral life complex and pressured.

Over the last 3 ½ years we’ve conducted nearly 70 consults in local churches ranging in size from 75 to 1000. Amongst the many things I’ve seen there’s been one key issue for me as I’ve talked with dozens of pastors.

Self-care.

holiday at home

Photo courtesy of © Ahmed Amir(CC Attribution)

Seven Benefits of Exercise for Pastors and Leaders

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The demands, complexity and stress of today’s church has a significant impact upon the physical well-being of pastors.

Added to this is the fact that a pastor’s workplace is sedentary and involves hours of sitting behind a desk, in a car or on couches in people’s homes.

This inactivity can be disastrous for a minister’s well-being, especially when it is coupled with the hospitality of well-meaning members or delicious desserts at cafés.

Weight gain and a lack of fitness can combine to create health problems that plague a minister’s effectiveness.

No amount of prayer, godliness or calling will make up for the neglect of your health.

Therefore, you need to pay close attention to your exercise regime, eating habits and time away from the workplace.

There are numerous options for developing a personal exercise regime. You can go to a gym, walk, jog, cycle, swim or choose a more intense option like cross fit or engaging a personal trainer.

Whatever you choose you will soon discover the benefits of exercise.

benefits of exercise

Photo courtesy of midiman(CC Attribution)

Mayo Clinic Outlines These 7 Benefits of Exercise

1. Exercise Helps Keep Your Weight Down

Regular exercise helps you fight off the flab. Try to find ways every day to increase your movement. Always park your car away from the front door of the shops so you can get walking. Take the stairs and give the lift a miss. Get out in the garden or do some work around the house.