As  leaders in faith based communities and churches, we are often given a specific title for how we serve or our role in the ministry. Titles are great AND they can also put us in a box.

Ministry is a 365 days, 24/7 a day job that is both a privilege and at times it may feel restrictive Being “on call” all the time comes at a cost. A cost to family, your self care and the energy you have to serve your congregation. 

The sad truth is that when pastors or other leaders in ministry are in service ALL THE TIME, their own personal life gets wrapped up in their title and sometimes they forget who they truly are. 

Serving in ministry comes at a cost. 

Let’s look at the impact it may have on you or someone in leadership that you know of. 

You have a story!! You have a story that needs to be told. 

As a pastor or a leader in faith, I am called to tell God’s story and the story of faith. We are educated and trained to share the message of the bible and God’s teachings however we forget to share our humanity side into our teaching. 

It is our responsibility to share not only God’s story but share our story through our walk in faith. We are talking to people about God and we have to share how He interacts with other people which is why it’s so important to share our personal walks. 

Where God is in my life… is where God can be in their life. 

Let’s look at how important our stories really are. 

As women in ministry there were many times I was the only woman in a leadership position and many times it was challenging to lead other male church leaders who were not used to having a woman in this type of role. Sometimes it was something “too new” for them, sometimes they had their own issues with a woman in that role and other times it just created more work and moments to maneuver through. 

Listening is the greatest opportunity you have when dealing with male leaders who are experiencing these challenges. As you listen to them, listen to the challenges that are coming up for them. Listen for the fears they may talk about. As you listen you will be able to identify the things they are truly on their mind and find ways to work through it with them. 

Let’s talk about other ways to navigate women leading men. 

Ministry is such a magnificent profession. 

You are with people, lovely people, sometimes with challenging people but you are with people. You have a congregation full of people to connect with and talk to and yet there are time that being in ministry can be one of the loneliest professions. 

We as clergy have the responsibility to serve which many times entailes hearing and guiding our members through some of their most difficult times. We are used as a sounding board, a healing tool and a way for them to process through whatever the challenge is that they are facing and seeking counsel on. Many times, we are not at liberty to share what we heard or have seen and we are left to process ourselves through the experience. 

Not being able to share or discuss our own emotions with someone else many times leads to depression or disconnections. 

Let’s talk about the conversation that nobody is having. 

Loneliness in ministry. 

Are we “too busy” to really support and grow together with other women? There will always be “another”... another meeting, another appointment, another responsibility. Are we really too busy to make time for others?

We need to be able to lean on each other instead of toughing it out like a lone ranger. Heck, even the lone ranger had someone else there with him. We as women in ministry are used to having to do it all… be all for everyone that we don’t give ourselves time. We usually put ourselves last on the things we need. 

When women in leadership connect and intentionally support one another we have a unique opportunity to get stronger together, learn from one another, share our stories and get REAL SUPPORT from one another. 

Let’s talk about what this can look like and truly support one another. 

Being new to a congregation is not always easy and takes time and care to get adjusted and make necessary adjustments for your new leadership. 

It becomes even more difficult when previous pastors are still connected to the congregation and sharing their opinion of the new leadership and their ways of leading. Many times the input from former leaders about the current leadership creates division, chaos and ends up leading the congregation off the path of the new leadership. 

The best thing to do when leaving a congregation is to actually LEAVE. Even when you have attachments, connections it is still important to sunset your time there and allow the new experience and pastoral care to take place. 

Is your “Welcome” sign really welcoming to everyone or are there conditions to who is welcomed through your church doors? 

There is a difference between saying you are welcoming vs truly showing that you are welcoming. Welcome to all types, different races, nationalities, families with challenges or other appearances of being different or out of the norm. I have seen too often where there are more criticisms than there are truly welcoming guests into the house of the God. 

The sad truth is that many times we are not welcoming because we are comfortable with them. No matter what the reason is. It may also be due to us not truly understanding the situation or the people. Our lack of understanding holds us back from making that connection and serving the guests. 

In this episode, I share how even Jesus was a guest, refuge and was mocked for being “different”. He fought to be accepted much like many of the people who are seeking answers from us as faith leaders. 

We need to learn to be more accepting! 

In this episode, I don’t hold back. I even talk about our welcoming of LGBTQI+ community and others who some run from serving. This episode will have you truly looking at how you are being a deacon of His Message.

Change is important. Change is necessary if the church and ministry is going to stay alive! 

The problem is the church is not always open to adjusting to change. Change is important in our ministry to keep fresh and maintain the LIVELINESS of the congregation. 

Sometimes we have to step outside of our comfort zone and routines so that we can get more connected to ourselves and how we as a church serve those we are called to. It also allows us to see and hear from others about their experience of church and get true feedback on their faith journeys. 

Going outside what most faith leaders were normally doing gave me the opportunity to see and learn how to approach people, how to truly listen to what others are experiencing and how to continue my education and work through my perspective. 

Are you willing to continue to grow?

Are you willing to step outside of your normal or comfort levels to open yourself to something new?

Don’t underestimate the power of seeing something from a different point of view. 

It would be nice to think that our journeys would be smooth, no bumps in the road but it just doesn’t happen that way. Starting in 8th grade I was called to ministry but had no idea of my female role that I felt fit ME. There were the standard female roles but it did not feel like what I was being called to. It wasn’t until I got into college that I became aware that women were now allowed to become pastors. It was new and many others had not yet accepted or embraced this new change. 

In college I received a call that would change my life, my perspective and impacted my drive to serve and lead others through ministry. That call was going to take me on a journey that I wasn’t even sure I was ready for and there were many complications with it. 

The news that I received on that call had me questioning life, my purpose of existence and left me with many more questions than answers. 

It was the people that were in my sphere of influence that gave me hope, that kept me connected to my faith. I had many conversations with God and asked many questions and I discovered that GOD IS BIG ENOUGH to handle all my questions, concerns and quite honestly my anger. 

This conversation is more than just moving from being meek to being deeply grounded in my faith and I share with you some hope you can have for your journey. Even when you find yourself in the difficulties of life.