# How to endure hardship as a ministry

Like believers, ministries *need* [hardship](hardship.md) to grow.

Because we don't usually like discomfort or risk, the non-persecuted Church is often at risk for complacency.

- In countries with almost no persecution, most congregations are filled with moralistic non-believers.
- God lets conveniences occasionally fail to help His Body remember why they gather.
- A healthy ministry should make non-believers feel a distinct type of discomfort (John 13:35).

## Needs vs. wants

Draw a clear line between needs and conveniences.

Needs are whatever Scripture commands and necessary for the Church to operate.

- Music that sings praise to the Lord ([Psalm 33:1-13](https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/33.htm)).
- In-reach - Teaching or [discipleship](spiritual-discipleship.md) through preaching and [Bible study](bible-study.md) ([Titus 2:7-8](https://biblehub.com/bsb/titus/2.htm)).
- Outreach - Opportunities for [evangelism](evangelism.md) and other ministries, sending missionaries and ministers, and minister elections.
  - In most conventional churches, this is the public weekly congregation.
- Communion/ Eucharist, public baptisms, marriages, and funerals.
- [Prayer](spiritual-exercises-prayer.md) to God, whether organization-run or with the core group.
  - Since prayer is a private experience, Scripture doesn't outline anything on prayer groups, but should always come as an overflow of desire.
- A [communication network](people-conversation.md), which could be formal (e.g., newsletter) or informal (e.g., sewing circle).

Conveniences have benefits but can sometimes impede the ministry's [purpose](purpose.md).

- Some conveniences simplify ministry operations:
  - Rooms for nursing mothers
  - Grade school and college ministries, separate Bible studies for specific age groups or demographics.
  - Contact cards and data collection.
  - Consistent weekly location in the same venue.
  - [Technology](technology.md) to show worship music, videos or ice-breaker content.
  - Advertisements about where and when everyone meets, a website as a hub of information, and signage that indicates locations.
- Some conveniences make the experience more pleasant:
  - Climate-controlled room, comfortable seats, interior design, and decoration.
  - Musical instruments and audio amplification [technology](technology.md).
  - Slideshow for lyrics and announcements, elaborate lighting.
- Some practices try to speed up conversions to Christianity and fellowship:
  - A few minutes to greet neighboring attendees or someone at the door greeting everyone.
  - Altar calls or in-service evangelistic efforts.
    - The original persecuted Church in Acts couldn't afford to let non-believers join their worship services.

## Leadership needs

More than anything, the most significant risk to the Church is leaven, or religiosity ([Matthew 16:11](https://biblehub.com/matthew/16-11.htm)).

- Religious thinking is a type of inward [bureaucracy](bureaucracy.md) that separates our [image](image.md) from [reality](reality.md).
- Without that authentic connection to reality around us, we have no hope of connecting our unseen [souls](humanity-christian.md) to an unseen [God](god.md).

It's far too common for members of a ministry community to fall into an unhealthy group pattern:

1. They're a volunteer or part-time worker for the group.
2. They fail at whatever external workplace environment they were in.
3. After a lapse in gainful employment, they find some sort of meaning out of a form of a religiousness.
4. They eventually come to believe that their other failures are because God is calling them to professional ministry.
5. They pursue a [Bible college degree](education.md), then become a sub-leader within a ministry capacity.
6. When other believers depend on them, they won't have [integrated their shadow](personality.md) far enough to provide spiritual guidance to them.
   - On occasion, they'll build a [church plant](mgmt-church-plant.md), but it'll look the same as its parent church because they're simply following what other people did instead of legitimately consulting God for help.

Poorly appointing leaders can create *tremendous* problems:

- If someone has a poor public reputation in a [specialization](jobs-specialization.md) beyond their church, they're in direct violation of Titus 1.
  - Formal leaders are [symbols](symbols.md) of their organization's [values](values.md), and they're *far* more responsible to represent the eternal virtues of Christ than anyone else.
- While it may seem unkind, it can protect them from a harsher punishment ([James 3:1](https://biblehub.com/james/3-1.htm)).
  - It also protects everyone *else* who would otherwise have been harmed by their mismanagement of the truth.
- In short, not saying "no" to bad leadership candidates is a sin by enabling the Pharisees' leaven.

To find a good leader, look for qualities that define [*any* good leader](mgmt-1_why.md), combined with spiritual strength:

- They have experience with [direct hardship](hardship.md).
- They have joy and peace about [unknown possibilities](unknown.md).
- Even when under duress, they're at least *somewhat* [loving](people-love.md) and compassionate.

For any leader, ask God what He wants you to do.

- He won't mislead, and will make it *abundantly* clear who to appoint.
- If He doesn't say, it may be wise to rethink whether that leadership position is even [part of His plan](god-will.md) anymore.

Each leader needs plenty of [one-on-one time](spiritual-discipleship.md).

- The complexities of [teaching](education.md) a new leader can't be scaled to a classroom.
- Without that personal time, most new leaders will learn to "fake it 'til you make it", which creates religiousness and harms the Body worse than if they hadn't been taught.

## Financial struggles

Financial problems remind us of our limits, and the need for us to trust others.

Check your heart to make sure *you're* not [sinning or disobeying God](morality-sins.md).

- You might be reaping past sins or choices.
- Even if you can't find any sins, you might be too independent or conceited.

If the group is financially struggling for no apparent reason, check whether anyone in the group is sinning.

- God only provides for us when we obey Him.
- God wants us to be dependent on Him and interdependent with each other, *not* autonomous.

Make God more important than things.

- Materialism creeps in slowly.
- Observe whether you're more concerned with meeting needs or learning what God wants to teach you.
- Stay grateful and content for God's provision.
- Heaven's treasures are our relationships and what God teaches us.

Live by faith, not presumption.

- Stay in touch with God's presence and power.
- Observe how you're [faithful](understanding-certainty.md) with small things.
  - God gives us the responsibility for small things before big things.
- Give any [fears](mind-feelings-fear.md) about the [future](imagination.md) to Him.
- Ask God to supply your needs, even the smallest ones.
  - Look at God, not people, to answer those needs.

Since borrowing isn't ideal, only borrow with wisdom.

- Only borrow what you can reasonably expect to repay.
- Get items that have legitimate resale value to pay back your debt if you can't meet your obligations.

Consistently and regularly tithe your money.

- Don't tithe where it indirectly helps your ministry.
- Generously give beyond your tithing.

## Honor *all* the motivational gifts

A ministry won't function if the leaders don't respect the congregation's talents and [motivational gifts](spiritual-gifts.md).

Little or no teaching makes the ministry theologically vague:

- The ministry will dismiss strong doctrine as unloving or no longer relevant.
- Poor teachers won't give structure for members to [change](people-changes.md) and will foster complacency.
- Thoroughly study Scripture and provoke leaders to [study their Bible](bible-study.md) in-depth.

Little or no prophecy/declaration shifts the focus to good feelings and happiness:

- [Love](people-love.md) will only communicate as sentimental affection without considering others' long-term best interests.
- The ministry will often [look](image.md) loving, but none of the members will [change](people-changes.md) much, even while they're increasing [understanding](understanding.md).
- While the Church will do good works, the community won't notice because it lacks Christ's boldness and audacity.
- Invite more bold speakers to teach the congregation and discuss controversial issues.

Little or no encouragement/exhortation makes a ministry legalistic:

- The community will compel people to religious action and not consider God's grace.
- The ministry will become overly systematic and rigid to gain God's approval.
- Teach *much* more about God's grace and love and show by example with [authentic interpersonal skills](people-3_boundaries.md).

Little or no ruling/administration creates a chaotic mess of people that barely resembles a ministry:

- The community will fail to form a cohesive structure and won't organize well.
- Expect plenty of passion with little to no action.
- Give more responsibility to organizationally-minded people and consider more full-time staff positions.

Little or no serving fills a ministry with plenty of leaders and few volunteers:

- Most of the leaders will be overworked and dread plans, ideas, strategies, and [prayer meetings](spiritual-exercises-prayer.md).
- While the ministry will have many programs, they'll be constantly begging for volunteers.
- Emphasize the importance of serving and start ministry-wide volunteer events.

Little or no giving creates a ministry with a constant resource shortage:

- Because very few people will give freely, the ministry will constantly ask for money and donations.
- Over time, ministries without enough donors will become stingy about new programs and resistant to the Holy Spirit's prompts to serve.
- Inform the entire congregation about *specific* needs for *specific* people or circumstances.

Little or no mercy will make a harsh, callous ministry:

- The unloving community will reject first-time attendees and people in positions of weakness.
- Because of its disconnect with strangers, the group will stop growing.
- Expose the congregation to extreme suffering in the surrounding region.

Little or no faith will make a ministry reluctant to hear God's will:

- New programs will become rare because new ideas get assaulted by benefit-cost analysis and risk assessments.
- The only growth will come through attracting non-believers who like the comfortable atmosphere.
- [Pray](spiritual-exercises-prayer.md) for guidance and assume new risks that might backfire if God doesn't provide.

If the ministry has more than two of the above issues from deficient motivational gifts, it might not have enough hardship.

- Hardship brings out character and hope for groups *and* individuals ([Romans 5:3-5](https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/5.htm)).
- In the absence of hardship, every ministry becomes a [dysfunctional system](mgmt-badsystems.md).
- Pray for God to bring hardship for spiritual growth and ask trustworthy leaders to do the same.

Watch for how believers' constant sin condition affects the group:

- If you want to address problems, be specific and avoid vague statements that apply to nobody.
- The Church should transform the world more than the world can change it.
- Magnify Christ more than condemning the world's actions.
  - Condemning trends without a legitimate moral cause will shut off opportunities for the Gospel.
- Focusing on the [end times](jesus-returns.md) and the geopolitical circumstances has no spiritual gain.
  - When you bring up the world, show how our lives should differ from its culture.
  - The purpose of prophecy is to inspire us, not create present anxiety ([Revelation 22:16-17](https://biblehub.com/bsb/revelation/22.htm)).
  - Focus steadfastly on [what's coming long-term](https://theologos.site/millennium/).