Bringing Light: Perseverance and Support in Ministry
Summary
In this message, I share my heart for those who tirelessly serve others, often at the expense of their own spiritual well-being. As we enter the Advent season, a time when we focus on the light of Jesus coming into the darkness, I reflect on the inspiration behind my ministry, "Kicking at the Darkness." This name is drawn from a powerful lyric by Bruce Cockburn, popularized by U2, which speaks to the struggle and perseverance required to bring light into dark times. This resonates deeply with the challenges faced by church leaders and those who love and serve God's people.
I acknowledge the difficulties that many in ministry face today, such as depression, anxiety, anger, resentment, relational issues, and unmet expectations. These challenges can feel overwhelming, especially when compounded by the stress of ministry and dysfunctional systems. Yet, I am committed to standing alongside those in ministry, offering encouragement and practical support to help them navigate these trials. My goal is to help leaders cultivate resilience and thrive both personally and professionally.
As I embark on a new role working with a church staff to assess and enhance their ministry effectiveness, I emphasize the importance of being data-informed rather than data-driven. This approach allows us to understand the broader context of our ministry efforts and make informed decisions that align with our vision for the future. I am excited to engage with church leaders, offering one-on-one coaching and facilitating discussions that foster growth and clarity.
During this season of increasing darkness, I encourage you to seek the light and find hope, clarity, and strength. Whether you need encouragement, a listening ear, or guidance in planning for the future, I am here to support you. Together, we can kick at the darkness until it bleeds daylight, just as Christ did, bringing light and life to those around us.
Key Takeaways:
1. Perseverance in Darkness: In times of darkness and difficulty, it is essential to persevere and fight for the light. Just as the lyric "kick the darkness till it bleeds daylight" suggests, our efforts to bring light into dark situations are worthwhile and necessary. This perseverance is a reflection of Christ's own battle against darkness, offering us hope and strength. [04:35]
2. Challenges in Ministry: Ministry often involves facing significant challenges such as depression, anxiety, and relational issues. These struggles can lead to feelings of burnout and frustration. Recognizing these challenges is the first step towards addressing them and finding healthier ways to cope and thrive in ministry. [07:16]
3. Data-Informed Decision Making: In assessing church health and effectiveness, it is crucial to be data-informed rather than data-driven. This means understanding the context behind the numbers and making decisions that align with the church's vision and mission, rather than being solely focused on metrics like attendance and budgets. [13:14]
4. Seeking Clarity and Vision: During times of uncertainty, seeking clarity and vision for the future is vital. This involves asking the right questions, understanding the current state of affairs, and dreaming about what could be. Clarity helps in setting priorities and making informed decisions for growth and development. [16:51]
5. Support and Encouragement: Providing support and encouragement to those in ministry is essential. Whether it's through coaching, listening, or offering practical advice, being there for one another helps to build resilience and strength. This support is crucial for personal and professional growth, enabling leaders to thrive in their calling. [10:36]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Kicking at the Darkness
- [02:30] - Inspiration from U2 and Bruce Cockburn
- [04:35] - Perseverance in Ministry
- [06:00] - Challenges Faced by Church Leaders
- [07:16] - Addressing Depression and Anxiety
- [08:45] - Relational Issues and Unmet Expectations
- [10:36] - New Role and Church Health Assessment
- [12:30] - Data-Informed vs. Data-Driven
- [13:14] - Engaging with Church Community
- [14:45] - Planning and Vision for the Future
- [16:51] - Offering Support and Encouragement
- [18:30] - Conclusion and Invitation to Connect
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 1:5 - "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Observation Questions:
1. What does the phrase "kick the darkness till it bleeds daylight" mean in the context of the sermon? How does it relate to the challenges faced by church leaders? [04:35]
2. What are some of the specific challenges mentioned in the sermon that church leaders face today? [07:16]
3. How does the sermon describe the difference between being data-informed and data-driven in ministry? [13:14]
4. What role does the speaker see himself playing in supporting church leaders during difficult times? [10:36]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does John 1:5 relate to the idea of persevering in darkness as discussed in the sermon? What does it mean for the light to shine in the darkness? [04:35]
2. In what ways might the challenges of depression, anxiety, and relational issues impact a church leader's ability to serve effectively? [07:16]
3. Why might it be important for church leaders to focus on being data-informed rather than data-driven? How can this approach benefit their ministry? [13:14]
4. How can the support and encouragement of others help church leaders overcome feelings of burnout and frustration? [10:36]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like you were "kicking at the darkness" in your own life. What helped you persevere, and how can you apply that experience to current challenges? [04:35]
2. If you are involved in ministry, what specific challenges do you face that align with those mentioned in the sermon? How can you address these challenges in a healthy way? [07:16]
3. Consider your own decision-making processes. How can you ensure that you are data-informed rather than data-driven in your personal or professional life? [13:14]
4. Identify someone in your life who might need encouragement and support. What practical steps can you take this week to offer them the help they need? [10:36]
5. During this Advent season, how can you focus on bringing light into the darkness around you? What specific actions can you take to reflect the light of Christ in your community? [04:35]
6. Think about a time when you felt unsupported in your role or responsibilities. How did that affect you, and what can you do to ensure others around you feel supported? [10:36]
7. What steps can you take to cultivate resilience in your spiritual life, especially during times of increased stress or uncertainty? [07:16]
Devotional
Day 1: Perseverance in the Face of Darkness
In times of darkness and difficulty, it is essential to persevere and fight for the light. This perseverance is a reflection of Christ's own battle against darkness, offering us hope and strength. The lyric "kick the darkness till it bleeds daylight" suggests that our efforts to bring light into dark situations are worthwhile and necessary. This is not just a call to action but a reminder that the struggle itself is part of our spiritual journey. As we face challenges, we are invited to lean into the strength that comes from Christ, who has already overcome the darkness. [04:35]
"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness." (1 Thessalonians 5:5, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel overwhelmed by darkness? How can you actively seek Christ's light in that situation today?
Day 2: Navigating Challenges in Ministry
Ministry often involves facing significant challenges such as depression, anxiety, and relational issues. These struggles can lead to feelings of burnout and frustration. Recognizing these challenges is the first step towards addressing them and finding healthier ways to cope and thrive in ministry. It is important to acknowledge that these difficulties are not signs of failure but opportunities for growth and reliance on God's strength. By facing these challenges head-on, we can develop resilience and find new ways to serve effectively. [07:16]
"Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22, ESV)
Reflection: What specific challenge in your ministry or personal life can you bring before God today, asking for His guidance and strength?
Day 3: Embracing Data-Informed Decision Making
In assessing church health and effectiveness, it is crucial to be data-informed rather than data-driven. This means understanding the context behind the numbers and making decisions that align with the church's vision and mission, rather than being solely focused on metrics like attendance and budgets. By being data-informed, we can make more holistic and meaningful decisions that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of our community. This approach encourages us to look beyond the surface and seek deeper insights that can guide our ministry efforts. [13:14]
"Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." (Proverbs 11:14, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate a more data-informed approach in your personal or ministry decisions this week? What specific data or feedback can you seek out to gain better insights?
Day 4: Seeking Clarity and Vision for the Future
During times of uncertainty, seeking clarity and vision for the future is vital. This involves asking the right questions, understanding the current state of affairs, and dreaming about what could be. Clarity helps in setting priorities and making informed decisions for growth and development. By seeking God's guidance and wisdom, we can navigate the unknown with confidence and hope, trusting that He has a plan for our future. [16:51]
"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life or ministry where you need clarity? How can you seek God's vision and guidance in this area today?
Day 5: Offering Support and Encouragement
Providing support and encouragement to those in ministry is essential. Whether it's through coaching, listening, or offering practical advice, being there for one another helps to build resilience and strength. This support is crucial for personal and professional growth, enabling leaders to thrive in their calling. By fostering a community of encouragement, we can uplift each other and create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. [10:36]
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life or ministry could use encouragement today? How can you reach out to them and offer your support in a meaningful way?
Quotes
Hello friends, I am Michael Felker, I am the pastoral coach and church consultant for Kicking at the Darkness, a ministry that is designed to bring hope, clarity, and strength to church leaders, to their families, church teams, really just anybody that is trying to thrive both personally and professionally in an environment, in a world where sometimes that can be difficult, right? We're giving ourselves out to others, and sometimes we're not receiving, we're not taking time to care for our own spiritual well-being. [00:00:19]
And Advent is the season where we are focusing on the light of Jesus coming into the darkness. And for a ministry called Kicking at the Darkness, I couldn't help but want to give you a little bit of background of why that is so meaningful to me. Why did I name this organization, this ministry, Kicking at the Darkness? Well, many of you know that I am a big fan of the band U2. [00:00:57]
And when I think about those of us that are ministering to God's people, that may be the day and age, the time that you feel like you're living in, right? When we're lovers of God, when we're lovers of the church, sometimes we're made to feel like that love is a crime, or that it's a waste, or we've poured so much of ourselves out, we've not received anything back, and we can be burned out, or ready to blow up, or ready to break down. [00:02:49]
And so I know that in ministry, when I set out to create this organization to serve church leaders, to help them work through some of the most difficult things that they've faced, I've noticed a handful of patterns that seem to be facing almost every minister, every church leader out there today. Things like depression and anxiety, learning how to emotionally understand. [00:05:11]
Anger and resentment. Anger against when things aren't working out the way that you thought. Resentment when there are other people that are undermining what you believe God is calling you to do. Or resentment against people who aren't as faithful as you, but it looks like their life is more fruitful than you. That can cause some anger and resentment. Relational issues. [00:05:39]
Unmet needs and unmet expectations, maybe even unrealistic expectations. We thought ministry was going to be this and now we find ourselves, it looks more like this. And so helping ministers work through unmet needs and unrealistic expectations. [00:07:00]
And then a lack of encouragement. You may hear, hey, great sermon. You might hear, hey, that was really good, or I'm enjoying this ministry. But more often than not, we're hearing the criticisms. We're hearing the things that aren't going well, or we're hearing the things that aren't meeting the needs of other people. [00:07:16]
And so here on this first day of Advent, I want to come alongside of you, bring you some encouragement, and point you to the light. You don't have to be stuck in that depression and anxiety, the anger, the resentment. You don't have to be stuck in those relational issues. You don't have to worry and be on your own about raising your kids and your family. You don't have to worry about those unmet needs or unrealistic expectations. [00:08:30]
So John 1 .5 says this, the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. I think the very first person to kick at the darkness was Christ. He kicked at the darkness of people who didn't know him. He kicked at the darkness of the people that thought that they were religious and doing the right thing, but they were ignoring the people right in front of them. [00:09:52]
And now what we really have, we have access to the light. The darkness has not overcome it because of Christ. So that's why I'm here. That's why I want to help you. [00:10:25]
I love one-on-one coaching. I love getting with small groups of leaders to help work through issues or, you know, just kind of be a catalyst for thinking and for change and for encouragement, but I'm getting to work alongside a full church staff for the foreseeable few months to be able to work with them on somewhat of an overall church health assessment, to be able to analyze maybe what ministries are doing well, what ministries could have some changes and some tweaking in order to be more effective. [00:11:01]
So clarity is the key here for this first month. I want to understand where we are so that we can understand where we want to go. And so this again is not numbers as far as budgets and buildings and butts, butts in the seats. I'm not so much interested in that, although I'll be asking some of those questions, but I want to get behind some of those data points. [00:12:17]
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