20 Encouragements for Struggling Church Leaders

O ministry, where is your sting? Ouch. Right there! And there!

I don’t know what struggle you are facing right now. I’m not sure what your context is. I don’t know how frustrating or how encouraging your elders or board members are. I’m not sure how supportive your family is of the work you do.

But I do know what you know: Ministry can be an enormous blessing and it can be an enormous source of pain and heartache.

People you thought were in it for the long haul have left. Leaders you thought were solid and God-honoring have turned on you and the church. Families have opted to invest their Sunday mornings on the soccer field during their kids’ most faith-formative years. You’ve counseled married couples through their problems only to see their family be torn apart by divorce.

You and your leaders have helped families in financial need only to see them leave a couple weeks later because of their own pride and shame. You’ve preached with everything you’ve got and more only to be criticized a few hours later through an email, or worse—an anonymous note sitting on your office desk.

But what you do is worth it. In spite of all the heartache, in spite of all the pain, you are being used by God and I pray that what follows encourages you to keep stepping forward.

20 Encouragements for Struggling Church Leaders

1. 1. God used your last sermon or teaching lesson to impact someone’s life no matter how you think it went.
   2. Many people don’t tell you this, but they are thankful for your sacrifice and your dedication.
   3. The storm you’re in isn’t in the forecast forever. It will pass, the sun will come out, and things will turn around.
   4. God has called you to be faithful, not “successful.” Don’t let your worth be tied to whatever level of success you think you do or don’t have. Give ministry your all, but let God handle the results.
   5. For every loudmouth critic, there are exponentially more people who support you and trust you.
   6. Conflict is the passageway to relational breakthrough. You can navigate conflict—be quick to listen and slow to anger. Lead with mercy. And in no time, you’ll have an advocate rather than a perceived enemy.
   7. God isn’t done with you yet. He’s just getting started. Keep growing. Keep learning. Plod ahead.