Ministry Generalist or Preaching Specialist? Know Your Call
Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
Jesus did a lot of things.
He healed.
He taught.
He performed miracles.
He preached.
He lived by example.
He prayed.
His purpose? To reveal God and save humanity.
To fulfill his purpose—his call—Jesus needed to be a ministry generalist.
He needed to reveal many aspects of God to draw in many to be saved.
In other words, Jesus knew his “lane” and stayed in it.
He stayed in it even when he was tempted to go outside of it as he must have been at times.
I imagine he was at times sorely tempted by “shiny new objects” like kicking out the Romans, or dreamed like Tevya in “Fiddler on the Roof” that he would “discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.”
Or, he might have been tempted not by a shiny new object, but to focus on one of his own considerable gifts.
For example, Jesus was really good at composing memorable parables that hit too close to home. Did he ever want to travel a little less to stay home and write more?
He was also an exceptional healer who healed diseases of the body (leprosy), mind (the Geresene demoniac), and soul (Zaccheus the tax collector). Did Jesus ever feel annoyed that the time he spent teaching was getting in his way of healing more people?
We’ll never know the answers to those questions, but we do know that Jesus ministered to many people in many different ways, and didn’t deviate from ministering as a generalist. That’s what was needed to fulfill his call.
But it did come at a price.
Not as many people were healed as could have been.
Not as many parables were crafted as could have been.
Not as many people were fed.
And the Romans still ruled the day and the people.
That’s OK. That’s the price that was required to do what God was asking him to do.
Know Your Lane
What is God asking you to do?
Are you a ministry generalist like Jesus? Do you attend to many aspects of parish ministry, preaching being one of them?
Or are you a ministry specialist who focuses on one thing, like preaching, with less time devoted to other ministry opportunities?
Both are good, right, and holy.
The importance is to know and accept the differences and prices paid.
The Minister Who Preaches
Benefits
You enjoy a wide variety of contacts and visibility with the congregation and wider community
With so many choices and many things to attend to, you don’t get bored
Many receive the benefits of your time and expertise
Price Paid
Like a regular diet of “meat and potatoes,” your sermons are definitely good enough to last until the next mealtime—but they aren’t likely to draw in newcomers and won’t usually keep people talking or thinking after the service.
Where preachers get into trouble is expecting their preaching to be the same caliber as the preaching specialist.
When pride takes over to meet a certain preaching standard (yours or someone else’s) in addition to other ministry obligations, personal time gets diverted from family, friends, prayer, and renewal to sermon prep.
Need I say that’s not sustainable without suffering significant consequences?
The Preacher Who Ministers
Benefits
More consistently preach “mic drop” sermons
Potential to draw and keep newcomers
Price Paid
Many aspects of ministry won’t receive your attention or happen at all
You’ll field complaints that your lane isn’t wide enough when people don’t see you involved in their favorite projects
If you spend more time on your preaching in weekly sermon prep, intentional practice and reflection, and continuing education and coaching, your efforts will show.
Your preaching will leap off the tongue and you’ll preach with your whole being.
People will talk about your sermons, and they will shape the character and mission of the congregation.
And since sermons are the most common reason a newcomer comes back a second time, better preaching aids directly in evangelism.
However, with time and energy devoted here, you’ll need to relinquish responsibility for many ministries.
You’ll probably have time for worship, pastoral care, and administration, but not much else.
Few will appreciate that the time spent on high-quality sermons can only be done at the expense of other ministry choices. Managing the time and energy for the complaints is to be expected.
The discernment process
Discern with God, self, loved ones, and congregational leaders what you are called to do to fulfill the mission of the congregation.
Some hard questions and decision-making has to go into mutual discernment.
Many preachers’ spouses and kids deeply resent the time their spouse or parent spends on sermon prep at the expense of time with them, and the stress on the household to be quiet while the sermon is in progress.
In addition, parishioners’ demands to be “all things to all people” work for them when we respond and try to meet those demands.
Help them figure out what God is calling all of you to do together.
While these conversations need to happen, it’s a difficult subject.
Plus, life and ministry needs shift over time.
And yet, discerning the priorities God has called you to will help all—family, parishioners, leadership, you—set proper expectations for your time, preaching, and ministry involvement.
Backstory Preaching gladly supports generalists and specialists, providing the resources you need to help you make the most of the time you’re called to give to your sermon prep.
Wouldn’t it be great to have someone discern with you?
The BsP Mentorship helps both ministers who preach and preachers who minister. And if you’ve never considered which one you are, this would be an excellent opportunity to explore those possibilities and see where God is calling your attention.
Either way, you’ll develop tools and skills to make you more effective and efficient—a benefit no matter your context.
Sign up to receive our Mentorship brochure with all the details of dates, commitment, program structure, and investment PLUS testimonials from several participants in our current class.
You’ll also be notified when applications open in June.