Thoughts on Ministry Meltdown

On Sunday, March 28, John Piper announced that he is taking an 8-month hiatus from all things ministry related except a few overseas conferences. His purpose is to re-direct his entire focus toward his wife, and family, and other areas of his personal life where, by his own admission, there have been deficits. This got me thinking about ministry meltdown, and I hope by thinking and writing, I may be able to negotiate around the pitfalls and potholes that are in everyone's road.

In spite of what may seem like a gross oversimplification, I think those who allow their personal responsibilities to become run over by the passion of productivity on the job fall into one of three categories.

First, we have the man who is certain that both his gifts and position have been given to him by God. Further, he believes that he is being held accountable by God to use every ounce of his energy, and every moment possible, to use those gifts and position to bring God's influence to those in his world. He is driven by noble purposes, sees himself as the servant who received 10 talents, and earnestly believes that God is demanding that he sacrifice the things others may enjoy in order to fulfill his calling. These kinds of men have looked around and realized that they have been given far more ability, influence, and opportunity than most others. As a result, they feel the weight of ministerial responsibility in a much more significant way, and grow more and more passionate to "fulfill the work they've been given" as the years go by. I would put Piper in this category. His work ethic has been driven by the awe he has gained in his own study, and from the corresponding responsibility he has felt to pursue God's glory, even at the expense of personal concerns.

Having said that, it is actually not noble to put one area of ministry above another, especially if the area that is slighted is that of family. While honorable, the passion to extend the Kingdom turns out to be misplaced if it saps all the fuel from the minister and leaves his family gasping for the air of companionship and spiritual nurture. I applaud John Piper for realizing this, and even more for taking steps to rectify the situation. Unlike Charles Stanley, who pressed on with his ministry even after his wife divorced him, Piper wisely considers that his ministry to and with his family necessarily provides the platform for ministry everywhere else. The first place a man is qualified is in his home; apart from that, he has no valid message.

The second type of minister who is highly susceptible to ministerial meltdown is the one who is always trying to prove his significance, and is driven to be constantly validating his work in the eyes of others. At the core, these ministers aren't really sure of their worth, their ability, or their significance. Coupled with that is the very real truth that most people have no idea what a pastor does all week. Together, feelings of inadequacy, and the belief that they always have to be telling the world that they really do work, make the life of these pastors into a formidable performance treadmill. Run, run, run, and make sure everyone knows you're running, and exhausted, and then, just to be sure, run some more. These kinds of men, and the ministries that applaud them, create the perfect recipe for ministry meltdown.

The basic problem here is that these guys have largely forgotten who they work for. Unlike the first category of guys, these men are fueled by the way people think of them, rather than by a somber accountability to God. Their main accountability is to man, and their own sense of inadequacy makes this accountability into a never-ending search for validity, which they find, not in the extension of the Kingdom, but in the expenditure of all their energy and time in ministry.

A third category of pastors who seem primed for ministerial meltdown are those who struggle to find appreciation in any arena other than work. Their homes are places of marital conflict, though not open warfare. They aren't quite disqualified, but they certainly do not see home as a place of rest and companionship. Perhaps their wives, hoping to keep them humble, are quick to remind them of their inadequacies, their mistakes, and most of all, seldom, if ever, compliment them, or express appreciation for their pastoral ability. Whatever the reason, these guys find most of their "strokes" at work. At work, they matter. And so they are drawn to longer hours, more meetings, additional assignments, and greater challenges. Their motives are mixed at best. They do want to see Christ exalted and honored, but they're even more addicted to feelings of personal significance, and work is the drug that brings the feeling.

Many of these men have simply quite trying to have a balanced life. In fact, most rationalize their overwork using the language of "the call" and "sacrificial commitment." But - deep down - they long for personal recognition, and they are increasingly drawn to the one place they find it: their pastoral work!

In all three categories there is great risk. But, in all three, the solution is the same: a balanced and biblical view of the ministerial call. God never intended His servants to be anything other than faithful servants, and they are to demonstrate that faithfulness in every arena of life. Most importantly, they are to shepherd their homes, their wives, and their children, for it is in the home that a man's first calling is demonstrated, and his ministerial ability consistently validated.

Hope this helps,

David