“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
-Jesus
A good number of you are probably worship pastors. I’m also a worship pastor. Or more specifically, I am a worship/connections pastor. Many of us are not at large churches with large budgets, and in turn, aren’t able to specialize in one area. Many times I have looked at where I am in life and found the phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none” to be a fair description.
- As the Worship/Connections Pastor, I am currently:
- Overseeing our worship community/leading our congregation weekly
- Overseeing our sound and lyrics ministries
- Equipping a network of Life Groups and Life Group leaders
- Managing our hospitality teams of greeters and info table peeps
- Following up with weekly visitors
- Part of our pastoral leadership team, setting vision and sharing teaching on occasion
- Maintaining our website while working with some others to create a new look/feel for the site
- Leading a team of 42 people on a trip to Mexico this Christmas
- Putting together a 6 week study on the book of John with a professor at our church
I think the last three fall under “other duties as needed” in the job description. In addition, I have recently felt a strong desire to start a ministry to reach more students at UCSC, our local university less than a mile away. Making time for my family is a top priority, along with exercise and missional living.
I definitely don’t share that as a means of bragging. In fact, I often wonder how my plate keeps filling being that, even after much growth, I am probably one of the worst time managers in the universe. Some of it is my personality. I like to have a lot going on. Call it sadistic. I usually get to the point very quickly where I feel like I am in WAY over my head.
The great part about being in over my head is I am forcibly reminded that I can’t do anything without Jesus. When things seem manageable, it’s easy to rely on my own abilities. I think I can do it myself. I don’t really believe that apart from Him, I can do nothing. God consistently, throughout my life in ministry, has led me to places where I am in over my head and I have no choice but to trust Him to make things happen.
How is God reminding you to rely on Him more today?
What dreams has he placed in your heart that are bigger than your own abilities?
Where has He gotten you in “over your head” so that He could come through for you?
How often we must be reminded that it’s not our works, but God who is doing works with a willing vessel. Great words! Thanks for sharing!
Over my head? Great question. You hit it I think when you ask us about dreams that are bigger than our abilities–they probably should be. One dream I have is to somehow see people like us (worship leaders, creative leaders) become leaders. In our society, creative leaders are becoming the culture creators. Some of us do not even have a voice in our own churches. Time for all of us to dream and not be comfortable with what we know we can do.
Great post and timely and encouraging for me. I think the Greek root word for “Associate Pastor” means “Whatever the Lead Pastor asks you to do”. I was a Children’s Pastor in a large church and very much lived in that little bubble. I had fat budgets, lots of staff and resources etc. When I was sent out for their church plant, I was excited about the opportunity to be involved in more ministries and not just pigeon holed into the Children’s Pastor role. I am the web guy, media and creative elements guy, along with many other hats. Combine that with the the craziness of church planting in general and 2 years ago I hit a BIG WALL.
The problem was less about how much I was doing and more about the reality that I was not connected to the “Vine”. Sure I had to put some balance into the amount of things I was doing, but now I am the Worship Leader for the adult services and I still over see the kids ministries and the various other hats I wear, but I am doing it out of God’s strength and all the ministries are better than were, I’ve learned to let things go and give others opportunity.
There is a difference for me between being in over my head with “busy work” and being in over my head with a “God sized dream”. With the first it tends to be something I have created myself because like yourself I am a bit sadistic in my need to be “doing things” However if I am busy because I am in over my head with something that only God can do, there is so much more balance and peace even if I am busy.
For me, ministry has been a source of constant stretching for me. While I did not begin this way, I now serve on a senior leadership team which has more what I call “Big Church” duties and responsibilities and yes, worries. I oversee the normal stuff – sound, lights, greeters, worship team, creative arts, ushers, anything related to the service. But this adds more that is outside my realm – like some teaching on Sundays occasionally and dealing with long term vision and planning and problem solving.
OF all the things I’ve gone through in 14 years as a worship minister, I would say being catapulted into “dealing” when our pastor’s wife committed suicide and then when our pastor resigned stretched me the most. Because of that I know I will never be the same. I am marked – by brokenness and growth. I can’t go back. So now I do feel like God is preparing me for something more. I just don’t know what it is…….still waiting and praying i will remain faithful through it all.
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