I came across this blog posting a couple of weeks ago and thought it might encourage you. It was originally written for pastors so I have edited it to reflect volunteer leaders.
Spiritual Passion
To be successful in ministry, perhaps above all else, a leader must have an intense spiritual passion. A typical church attendee might assume that spiritual passion is a “given” for anyone in leadership. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Ministry is full of passion-killers. The short list could include:
- Education—Many schools, courses and workshops are excellent at educating while helping a student increase passion. Unfortunately, many aren’t.
- Failure—Can cause us to second-guess everything, wondering if we’re really hearing from God.
- Success—Surprising to some, success in ministry can distract one from his first love.
- Criticism—After taking bullets of criticism, some leaders start to wonder if it’s worth it to continue.
- Rejection—Similar to criticism, being rejected from group members (and others) can cause us to become guarded and lose spiritual vigor.
- Life—The normal routines of life (especially church life) can slowly drain away our spiritual passion.
Those who remain spiritually fruitful over decades learn to stoke the flames of passion. Here’s what works for the author of the original blog post:
- Developing friendships with non-Christians
- Staying in God’s word
- Living in an attitude of prayer
- Giving extravagantly
- Resting
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