Ministry & Marriage

Youth Pastor friends of mine are getting married this weekend. In honor of this life-event, I thought it would be good to share a great thought I heard yesterday during the radio broadcast of  sermon.

He was speaking on marriage and reiterated an often made statement, that with regards to ministry it's important to major on the majors. However, in marriage, the importance shifts to majoring on the minors.

Eternity is beyond belief. The kingdom of God is beyond description. The body of Christ is large; the depths of Scripture are like treasures buried in the tunnels of rabbit holes. And we could severely miss the miraculous of the Bible, the profound wisdom of His Word and the complexity of His character by focusing on the minor points of faith rather than the fullness of the Gospel.

Thus, in ministry, there's needs to be a focus on the things that matter most.

Conversely, there's marriage... which is full of difficulty without the pressure and responsibility of ministry. Yes, it's important to be on the same page on the major issues. Agreement and unity contribute to one's success and longevity. It's not that you'll always agree, nor feel united, but you're committed to getting through the process.

Meanwhile, there's daily living. And just like our personal relationship with God, it's the little things that contribute to the richness of the relationship. The time in conversation. The time in fellowship. The time in prayer and activity. These are not "big ticket" items. Yet, when they are lacking, the sense of richness is gone. And the door is left open for feelings of inadequacy and worthlessness.

This is when people start looking for an exit... both in the human relationship and their relationship with God.

And once again, the kids are watching.
At home and at church.
At the marriage of their parents.
At the marriage of their pastors.
At the marriage between the church and Christ.

Let's pray this #youthPastorWednesday. Pray for this marriage of my friends; that God would help them as they walk through life in marriage and grant them wisdom as the lead in ministry. Pray for the youth, who will sit under their ministry and watch their marriage. May they understand the depths and richness of a genuine relationship with God and a realistic comprehension of Godly and God-centered marriage. Pray for the homes of pastors and church leadership that may be experiencing difficulties; and the kids are indeed watching and learning about relationships at both a physical and spiritual level. May God work the miraculous in such circumstances; that healing and restoration would occur, and that grace and forgiveness would abound.

As a three-strand cord is not easily broken,
May the marriages of those in ministry be fortified
And ministry all the more effective,
As they operate from a place of health
Because their leadership lives and moves in health.
For the glory of God.
And the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC

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