Zeal without Burnout: Seven keys to a lifelong ministry of sustainable sacrifice

by Christopher Ash

The trouble is that by nature I seek and value the glory that comes from the praise of other people. What other people think of me matters far too much. I fear I am not alone.

Focus on the Lord’s definition of success. Ministry isn’t about numbers. It’s about faithfully preaching, teaching, and loving the people. Seek help from a mature Christian friend or Christian counselor when appropriate. Share the load— with staff, elders, deacons, and trusted friends and members. Don’t neglect your spiritual, physical and mental health.

Discouragement is that little voice on your shoulder, whispering in your ear that all your hopes and aspirations are nothing more than youthful naïvety. There is no point persevering. How corrosive that little voice is; how ruinous to gospel zeal and drive!

Gospel ministry is ministry in a messed-up world. And there is grace in the disruption, for it humbles me; it shows me afresh my total dependence upon God.

But the really important stuff — changed hearts — cannot be measured. God in his grace sometimes gives us a glimpse, an encouragement, some evidences of grace. But it can’t be measured. You pray for someone and they don’t change. Who knows but they may change years later under someone else’s ministry (I

Or the fruit may come after you die. I don’t know; you don’t know. But we do know that in the Lord Jesus our labour is not in vain.

“Carrie — the Lord won’t love you any less if you never do any one to ones again, and he won’t love you any more if you do!”

But perhaps the most important thing I have discovered is this — the Lord doesn’t need us to do his work and it isn’t what defines us. I was as much a child of God — chosen, holy and dearly

When our joy comes from our gifts and our success, we will always be under pressure. For we are only as good as the last sermon, the last youth talk, the last spiritual conversation, the last few months of Christian service, the last success.

The remedy is to glory much in grace. It is a privilege to be used in ministry; but it is a much greater privilege to be recipients of grace. We value gifts so much — gifts in speaking, preaching, persuasion, apologetics and leadership. Those who have them are proud of them; those who do not have them admire them too much. But, says Ryle, Men forget that gifts without grace save no one’s soul, and are the characteristic of Satan himself. Grace, on

Am I giving myself enough time for sleep? Am I developing healthy patterns of “winding down” towards sleep? Am I taking care with regular days off? Am I investing in godly friendships? Am I self-aware about how God gives me inward renewal, and taking care to use his means of grace for that renewal?

want to encourage you to say to yourself, “If I never preach another sermon, never lead another church meeting, never give another talk, never have another one-to-one spiritual conversation with anyone, never use my gifts ever again in ministry, my name is still written in heaven. And in that I will rejoice.”