In this series of postings, I’m slowly working my way through Charles Bridges’ classic book Christian Ministry.
In Chapters 4-5 Bridges stresses the importance of a “realistic perspective” for those who lead God’s people.
A “realistic perspective” involves a realistic understanding of the trials and difficulties faced in ministry (Chapter 4) as well as the sustaining resources God provides (Chapter 5).
This posting summarizes the “trials and difficulties” leaders face.
Christian Ministry (Charles Bridges) – Chapter 4
Bridges discusses the “trials and difficulties” faced by those who lead God’s people in Chapter 4. These are part and parcel of their calling. Unless leaders are aware of this in advance, they will not be prepared to face the powerful temptation to give up that comes when they face these problems.
These trials and difficulties are due to the restless and subtle activity of the tempter, Satan. We meet them in three primarily arenas – in the world around us, in the churches we lead, and within ourselves. Satan’s aim is to reduce our effectiveness as servants of God. He succeeds when he gets us to divert our focus our time and energy on things (often good things) other than what God has called us to, or by paralyzing us through unbelief and causing us to stop trusting God and his Word.
A) Trials and Difficulties faced “in the world”
“If they persecuted me,” Jesus reminded his “leaders in training,” they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Ministry done in Jesus’ name provokes a reaction from non-believers. When we tell people the truth, Bridges warns, we can quickly become “the enemy instead of the friend.” This opens us up to the temptation to be unfaithful to our master. Resisting this temptation demands much prayer and faith.
B) Trials and Difficulties faced “in the church”
Bridges explains this trial vividly,
It is not easy to oversee a congregation of volunteers, to feed their souls, to win their children and neighbors, and do it with patience. It is not easy to “watch and pray” over them and to value them as those God has purchased with his blood, remembering all the while that we will be judged for the quality of our service. To do so, we will need to be prepared to suffer, just as our Lord suffering in his ministry. This requires creativity, diligence, discernment and a large portion of the “gentleness and meekness of Christ.
All of this causes a person to sink into despondency unless a high estimation of the Church, the constraining influence of Jesus’ love, and the upholding prop of God’s grace bears us up. We end up, Bridges writes, exclaiming, “Who is adequate for these things!”
C) Trials and Difficulties from within
Finally, those who lead God’s people face trials and difficulties from within. The greatest difficulties faced by leaders come from within, due to our corrupt nature. When things go well in our service, we face the danger of becoming proud and self-confident, attributing our success to ourselves. When things don’t go well, we face the opposite danger of becoming become impatient or despondent. We can easily end up “going through the motions,” but “loosing our zeal our work, excusing ourselves from ministry that is difficult and requires sacrifice, and eventually falling into depression.”
Bridges address God’s more than adequate provision of sustaining resources for those who lead God’s people in Chapter 5. I’ll summarize these in a posting next week.
