Ministry is an “all-in” activity.
You can’t just sit back and not be involved. It requires you to give, serve, love, mend, relate, invest, listen, be patient, dream, grieve, work, and rest.
Being involved in ministry requires maintaining a solid spiritual root system that will sustain you as you serve others.
How do you expect to feed others without being fed yourself?
Here are 4 ways to spiritually grow as a leader who serves others.
1. Enjoy God for who He is, not for what He can help you with.
It happens to every leader. Our spiritual life becomes more about our role as ministers than it does as simple disciples. Remember, you are a disciple first before anything (Matthew 28:19-20). Spend time enjoying God. Talk to Him, not about your ministry but just about your life. Everything you do as a minister flows out of a simple relationship with God. Don’t read Scripture just to prepare for your message; read it just to read it. Don’t pray just for your ministry; talk to God like a friend. It’s a subtle yet powerful shift that will have you developing your relationship with Jesus outside of your service to Him.
2. Be a learner.
Leaders are learners. Learners are curious (Proverbs 4:7). Learners don’t need to be the ones who speak and do the tasks all the time. If you’re a learner, you will remove yourself from the front and participate like the others. If you can, put yourself in the learner position. Get others to lead the Bible Study. Have others pray. Have others share. Your ability to be a learner will help you grow in your spiritual life as you learn from those you minister to.
3. Stretch yourself.
It’s easy to get into a pattern of ministry: we show up, we set up, we speak up, we go home. Every week is the same thing. Instead of doing what you’ve always done, stretch yourself each week to try something new (Isaiah 43:19). Share something new. Have someone else share. Learn something new. Change up the format. Change up the snack. Just do something that will require you to think a little differently, prepare a little differently, and execute something different and new. Stretching yourself helps you work different ministry muscles that get dormant from time to time. Stretching also enables you to dream a little more for the ministry God has called you to and could inspire others to dream as well.
4. Pray.
Prayer is communion with God. You need to have a 2-way constant conversation with God about everything going on in your life and ministry. Praying in a conversational way keeps you connected to the Vine (John 15:5) and allows you the opportunity to offload whatever is burdening you at the moment. Prayer is the engine that drives ministry. Staying connected to God through conversational prayer will help your spiritual growth as a leader.
So, what about you? What are other ways you grow spiritually as you lead?
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