In light of the IN CASE OF FIRE series that the church is currently in, it got me thinking, sure we need to know what to do if there's a physical fire but there's a fire that I want to have.. that I want to BURN!
The natural tendency of fire is to burn out. To keep a fire going, you have to fuel the flame. Ministry is the same way. You have to fuel your ministry if you want it to stay fired up. Here are 5 ways to keep your ministry on fire.
Share the stories of life change. When you get together, take time to share the stories of people who have been impacted. Every Tuesday when our staff gets together we take time to do this. We leave fired up about what God is doing. God is at work in your ministry. Make sure you take time to celebrate and reflect on the victories.
Constantly bring in new volunteers. New volunteers bring new energy, excitement, and passion. Do you have long term volunteers who are losing momentum? One of the best things you can do to encourage them is to place a new volunteer by their side. Every time we have new volunteers walk into our ministry, I can sense the ministry fire being fueled.
Guard unity. Unity is a deciding factor for keeping your ministry on fire. Nothing will put out a ministry fire quicker than disunity. If you've ever been through a church split, you know what I'm talking about. Unity doesn't mean you totally agree on everything. But what it does mean is there is open, direct, loving, mature communication when issues or disagreements arise. And once a decision is made, everyone locks arms and moves forward. Don't tolerate divisiveness, gossip, or bad attitudes. When there is unity, the fire of God's Spirit will rest upon your ministry.
Be a thermostat instead of a thermometer. As the leader, you must set the spiritual temperature instead of simply reflecting it. You must stay fired up yourself if want to see the ministry on fire. Fuel your spiritual fire by staying in love with Jesus and feeding your soul. Lead the way.
Keep sharing the vision. A vision that is not fueled will go out. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. But they will forget they are part of something bigger than themselves...if you don't remind them. Constantly remind people WHY they are doing what they are doing. State the vision clearly...over and over and over.
What are some other things you do to keep your ministry on fire?
As a leader, what are some things you do to personally stay on fire?
What are some other things we have to guard against that will put out the fire?
Would enjoy seeing your thoughts in the comment section below.
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