July 12, 2024 -- Eric Grant
As my youth years were quickly expiring and I was approaching my forties, I was blindsided by God’s call to pursue ministry. My life had been one blessing after another as of late, but by far the biggest was Christ grasping my heart and setting in me a desire for the knowledge of Himself. God made it clear to me that my desire for knowledge, it seems, is not meant to be hidden in my heart but to be used to draw others to His kingdom. I could not ask for a greater, more honorable task than this. However, this took me by surprise, and I wasn’t sure where to go. Thankfully, others could see God's calling for me even when I could not. This has led me to take up residence under church leaders that are equipping me for ministry. Maybe you find yourself in a similar situation.
Interning in your mid-thirties comes with a unique set of challenges. Long gone are the days where your only care was gas for your car and what mom was cooking for dinner. Anybody with a hint of independence in their bones knows that you now have car payments, mortgages, kids to feed, bills to pay, and a wife who deserves a lot of attention. Stopping work for a nine month sabbatical is just not feasible. One would think that is enough responsibility for any man, yet the Lord calls us to more. If you take up a pastoral residency you have added reading fifty plus books, meetings, discipling, special projects, and other ministry tasks to your already busy life.
Wow, those responsbilities sure build up quick! Thus, I am writing this article to answer how someone can manage all this. I meditated on this and came up with three areas of consideration: support, work ethic, and faith.
Support
The first consideration is support. Without the blessing of my wonderful wife, I could not accomplish this undertaking. She sees the overall vision, even if I do not, and had a firm understanding that this sacrifice would only be for a season. Along with her, I had many saints talk me through the process and encourage me along the way. They would drop off meals, give constructive criticism, and always focus my eyes back on Christ. Also, the elders of my church gave me tremendous support by always lending an ear and sharing their knowledge. Your experience may be different, but without a solid support system a residency will be a very difficult task.
Work Ethic
The second area you need to consider is work ethic (and it’s sister, time management). Do you see yourself as a hard worker, and would others agree? Being honest with ourselves is very important before committing to something like this. Ministry is hard work and will always be hard, so don’t fool yourselves. It probably won’t show immediate results, so don’t get discouraged either. I was blessed with a great boss who worked with my schedule to allow me to pursue this adventure, but many of us won’t be afforded this opportunity. This means late nights and early mornings, foregoing weekend fun, and setting aside many distractions that seem to fill up our time. If you are not all in then this is going to be a rough experience for you.
Faith
The last but most important consideration is faith. Always remember that Christ is enough. He will not let you fall away. To be in Christ means not giving up your private devotions or neglecting corporate worship. This is what renews us and keeps our eyes on what is important. Prayer plays a tremendous role too as we come to our Savior with all our burdens. Remember you are weak yet He is strong, and He will see the good work He started in you come to completion.
Brothers, ministry is a glorious task that you are striving after, and we should treat it as such. We should look at a residency or internship as preparing us for the hard work many brothers undertake everyday. There are passionate men who work diligently for the Lord while juggling other responsibilities such as jobs, families, and sicknesses. Why should we think we cannot do the same? We need to ask ourselves if we are serious about this and faithfully seek guidance from God. I hope this has given you encouragement in your decision. You can do this brothers, and I look forward to serving by your side for the glory of God found in Christ Jesus.
Eric Grant was a Pastoral Resident at Christ Church in 2024. He is married to Ashley, and together they have a young daughter, Elsie. He's an Army veteran and enjoys hunting and cutting down trees.
Comentários