Encouragement for the Discouraged

The first session at the 2016 Fall Meeting of the Baptist Bible Fellowship in Cape Cod was fantastic.

Great music! And the speakers started the week with a heartfelt message – ministry can be tough. You can read a short bio at the end of this post.

Even though this conference is geared toward pastors and those in church leadership, I think the messages tonight will help anyone dealing with discouragement, burnout, and self pity.

Great Perspective on Success & Failure

Steve Van Winkle was extremely personal about his ‘failures’ in ministry. The last national meeting he spoke at was in 2002 (14 years ago). Back then his church was growing and his family was young. But now, his children are older and his ministry has changed.

Today his church is smaller, he has no church building, he has had 3 church splits, and a fire. In 2002 he thought he was something. But in 2016 he is not the person he thought he was nor the person he thought he would be.

Psalm 37:4 says that if we delight in God, He will give us ‘the desires of our heart.’ Yet, Steve openly felt betrayed by God, almost mocked. Very little of the things he desired in ministry were accomplished. But as he unpacked his recent journey, it all became clearer.

Desires of the heart are deeper and more intentional than just generic desires. If a genie gave you three wishes, your wishes would reveal your heart’s desires.

This past summer his daughter was married. As he anticipated giving her away and performing the wedding, he was hit in the face with a realization. In the midst of resenting the Lord for not giving him the desires of his heart, he needed to realize that the Lord did give him the desires of his heart.

These were his 3 main heart desires in 2002 & 2016:

1. My family will never experience the sight of their dad abandoning them.
2. My desire was to effect people with the gospel.
3. To be able to exhaust my life for something meaningful and eternal.

These have nothing to do with books, attendance, buildings, accolades or fame. In the things that matter most to, he is unbelievably successful.

“In resenting the things the Lord had not given me, I had not thanked Him for what He did give me.”

To “delight in the Lord” is to live a life that keeps going in the face of so many obstacles because it believes walking with god is better than anything else. Nothing this earth can give compares with walking with God. So. delighting in the Lord is the only place on earth where dreams really do come true.

55 Years of Wisdom

Gordon MacDonald has been in pastoral ministry for 55 years. Like Steve, he was very candid and open about what he learned throughout his ministry.

Gordon shared a time when he and some of his seminary colleagues were criticizing the church. A professor pointed out Acts 20:28, especially the idea that the church was ‘purchased by the blood of Christ.’ The church is precious. If it is so precious to Christ, to serve the church is the greatest privilege.

Throughout his ministry he has learned some valuable lessons:

1. Learned from the rebuke of a mentor.
2. Learned not to quit when discouraged.
3. Learned that hatred and revenge are dangerous in personal conflict. Learn to forgive.
4. Learned to take care of his soul, in spite of the busyness of ministry.
5. Learned to keep trusting the Lord in spite of disappointments.
6. Learned how to embrace pain from a terrible circumstance.

In John 3:27, we find some insights into the heart of John the Baptist as Christ’s ministry was overshadowing his own ministry:

1. This was never my work to begin with. It is God’s work. It’s okay.
2. No matter how successful I am, I’m not Christ.
3. I simply introduce the bride and groom. The attention is not on me, but the Son of God.
4. I know who I am. I know what I’m doing. I know who He is. So, I must decrease and He must increase. We must focus people’s attention on Christ.

Three great questions to reflect:

1. Who am I?
2. Who is Jesus?
3. What am I supposed to do?

Steve Van Winkle is the pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Bozeman, Montana and has recently authored a book, Happy Endings to Hard Days. Website: www.fbc-mt.org

Gordon MacDonald has led congregations in New York City, Southern Illinois, Kansas and Massachusetts. He has authored 20 books and writes for Leadership Journal. His father was a Baptist preacher, he was ordained as a Baptist pastor, and went to a Baptist seminary.

You can about the other sessions: BBFI in Cape Cod 2016.