12 First “Sometimes” Happenings in Ministry

I’m still learning about pastoring, even after 40 years of doing ministry full-time. In fact, I still experience some “firsts” in ministry almost every week. Here are some of the first “sometimes” realities that caught me off guard (either positively or negatively) the first time I experienced them: 

1. The members who bug you the most sometimes also have the best ideas. Their creative energy can be both exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. 
2. Sometimes the most out-of-control kids grow up to become effective pastors and missionaries. I am thinking of a few of them even as I write this post. 
3. What we thought was a really bad sermon was sometimes better than we concluded. Our members often view our sermons in a much better light than we do ourselves. 
4. Sometimes people leave the church in what they believe is a God-honoring way—but they leave without having honest conversations with anyone. In their desire not to create waves, they also fail to help the church via their honesty. 
5. People in leadership positions are sometimes still baby believers not spiritually prepared for the role. Honestly, “sometimes” in this statement perhaps should be “a lot of times” in North American churches.
6. Sometimes the church that stresses overseas missions does little evangelism locally. There’s more excitement—and less pressure—in going overseas on a short-term trip than there is in walking across the street to evangelize a neighbor. 
7. Those perceived to be the strongest prayer warriors are sometimes also the biggest gossips. They simply conflate the two, couching their gossip in the language of prayer requests. I’ve not seen it happen often, but it does happen. 
8. Sometimes God still works through an ill-conceived idea carried out by unprepared leaders. I thank God He does since we’ve all been there, but I also realize His gracious blessings don’t give us permission to give less than our best. 
9. What we think to be the most God-centered, healthy marriages sometimes fall apart. I still remember grieving when I first learned that lesson. 
10. Sometimes disgruntled church members who complain about something aren’t willing to be part of the solution. Complaining is simply easier than doing something to correct a problem—and they never intended to do anything more than complain.  
11. The person you most directly and deeply disciple sometimes walks away from the faith. Again, I hurt as I remember the first time. It was a needed reminder that I’m not the one who saves. 
12. Sometimes the same people who complain about a problem don’t like the way you choose to resolve it. That reality seriously caught me off guard when dealing with a sin issue in a church. 

Despite all the “sometimes” events, here’s what I’ve also learned, however: I can say with the psalmist, “I have not seen the righteous abandoned” (Psa 37:25). God is ALWAYS faithful!