Life in Relationship: Ministry Talks - When Ministry Needs a Resurrection: Waiting, Rest, and A Fresh Start

Ministry Talks - When Ministry Needs a Resurrection: Waiting, Rest, and A Fresh Start

Aug 1, 2018

Ministry Talks 8 - When Ministry Needs a Resurrection: Waiting, Rest, and A Fresh Start

Go through 1 OT account of resurrection, 2 NT account of resurrection, and I’ll give you a few psalms to consider and take with you to contemplate. All have unique insights for when ministry just really needs new, fresh, and something more, a resurrection.

4 sections to today’s study:

Admitting when all is not well

Connecting the pieces of Grace, freedom, and joy

Easter Saturday Ministry

Rest and RESToration

1) Admitting when all is not well

2 Kings 4:18-37

when “everything is alright” is your mantra - v. 23, 26
admitting it is the hardest part, first step, satan wants to keep you in isolation
sometimes admitting just means saying, “this isn’t what I thought it would look like”
considering unsafe people v safe people - v. 27

2) Connecting the pieces of Grace, freedom, and joy

John 19:38-20:3

grace comes in and with it there is a new freedom to these disciples
Jesus’ body is cared for by people, this is the work of the church
let people care and bring healing to you
disciples running to the tomb, Jesus love is just that big that we don’t even think and I think sometimes we lose the awe of that
often in ministry we lose the awe, effects our hope, that what God is doing is bigger than this world David Paul Tripp - http://amzn.to/2HyxGyU
lose the ability to be playful - look at disciples trying to outrun each other
Brene Brown, Daring Greatly, foreboding joy; waiting for shoe to drop - http://amzn.to/2FGxdKp
back to disciples running - running together, this is a clue, when ministry needs a resurrection we need running partners now more than ever

3) Easter Saturday Ministry

- ministry in the waiting, unsure where you’re going, Ben Rector Sailboat (God knows)

waiting can feel as devastating as the mocking
feels a touch sad, a touch lonely, a touch set aside, devalued, humiliating
God is not uninterested
vinegar and oil prayers (Present Over Perfect) -http://amzn.to/2FQS551

4) Rest and RESToration

There are 3 Days in the “Holy Weekend” account - 1 = Sabbath

seems significant
God values rest and what it accomplishes, even when we don’t fully understand it

4 principles of rest in Vantage Point: A New View of Rest, Rhythm, and the Work of God by Brenda Jank - http://amzn.to/2pbtMVT

Psalm 119:105-112 - concept of inclination in rest

Psalm 51 - create, restore, and joy

Psalm 126 - weeping and thanksgiving, how does God daily, weekly, yearly, eternally restore joy?

- sleep, day off elsewhere, vacation, sabbatical, something new

Ideas from the trenches

Sleep

Day off elsewhere

Day trip

Vacation

Sabbatical

Something new

long walks

daily Scripture reading

prayer

specific prayer: Help me see them as You see them, Lord.

talking with a friend in ministry life

reading new resources and ideas

journaling

grumbling to God

Repeating to self- it doesn't have to happen right now

a women's or men's Bible study group

connecting with friends long distance intentionally

praying for humility

exercise

using oils with prayers

connecting with a mentor

finding an organization that has ministry insight

work outside of church for ministry spouses

talking to your mom

sitting in or getting some sunshine

“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.”

For when ministry just really needs new, fresh, and something more, a resurrection.

4 sections to today’s study:

Admitting when all is not well

Connecting the pieces of Grace, freedom, and joy

Easter Saturday Ministry

Rest and RESToration

1 - Admitting when all is not well

2 Kings 4:18-37

admitting it is the hardest part, first step, satan wants to keep you in isolation

sometimes admitting just means saying, “this isn’t what I thought it would look like”

considering unsafe people v safe people - v. 27

2 - Connecting the pieces of Grace, freedom, and joy

John 19:38-20:3

Jesus’ body is cared for by people, this is the work of the church - caring for one another

When we lose our awe

losing the ability to be playful and foreboding joy

3 -Easter Saturday Ministry

waiting can feel as devastating as the mocking

feels a touch sad, a touch lonely, a touch set aside, devalued, humiliating

God is not uninterested

vinegar and oil prayers

4- Rest and RESToration