Juggling the Dishes

by Marcus A. Brewer

Bivocational ministers often find themselves struggling to keep everything moving, much like a circus performer juggling plates, cups, and dishes. It takes everything he has to keep things from crashing down around him.

Usually, when we talk about bivocational ministers, we refer to pastors who also hold a second job outside the church. While that description certainly applies, my perspective is somewhat different. In addition to my full-time secular job and my responsibilities at my local church, I am moderator and state office coordinator for the Texas State Association, a title referred to in many states as “promotional man.”

In addition, I grew up in a household where my dad served (and continues to serve) as clerk for the Kansas State Association in addition to his full-time job and local church duties. As a result, I have been “juggling the dishes” all my life. It’s tough! Bivocational ministry presents unique challenges and opportunities, and requires careful strategies for success.

Organize and Prioritize

People often ask, “How do you get it all done?” Honestly, I don’t know, except that the Lord provides the means and abilities, and I rely on others for help (more on that later). But it also helps to have a clear understanding of what needs to be done and what it will take to do it. Without organization, it will be difficult to complete any of your responsibilities. After all, you can only be in one place at one time.

For example, in the first eight months of 2012, I traveled over 30,000 miles to all four continental time zones, mostly on work trips for my secular job. Yet, I still had to keep up with church and district reports, directory updates, future meeting plans, and weekly local church duties. With that many things to do, I have learned it is critical to set priorities, to determine what needs to be done first and what can be done later. Otherwise, you will “spin your wheels” trying to do everything at once, or you will find yourself overwhelmed, and nothing will get done. Once you identify deadlines and priorities, you can focus your efforts on doing first what needs to be done first.

Home Cooking

In the hustle and bustle of trying to keep everyone else satisfied, it is easy to forget about responsibilities at home. For those who are married with children, you must make time for their needs. A minister is also a minister to his own home. For a single guy like me, the personal interaction is not as difficult, but I am still required to take care of household tasks and maintenance like mowing the lawn and servicing the car. Daily home responsibilities may not be as “glamorous” as ministry, but are just as necessary.

Recharged Batteries

Take time to enjoy yourself. Whether it’s watching a ballgame, enjoying a good book (and not a study help for a sermon), or spending time on a hobby—taking time out allows you to recharge mentally as well as physically. Recreation needs to be balanced with priorities and deadlines, but you need a break to refocus from time to time.

Use unique opportunities to your advantage. When I travel, I visit other Free Will Baptist churches when the schedule permits. This allows me to visit old friends and make new ones across the country. These relationships are always refreshing.

Recharging your batteries includes attention to your physical health. If you don’t exercise regularly, rest well, and consult a doctor regularly, you won’t be very effective at ministering to others in the long run. Taking time to rest doesn’t always mean your battery level will recharge to 100%, but you won’t find yourself operating on empty either.

Get Real

You might as well face it. Some good things—perhaps even important things—won’t get done on time. You may come up with great, new ministry ideas, but even good ideas require time. Even small tasks add up in the schedule.

When our church first installed a video projection system in 2005, I began creating PowerPoint slides for every song in the Rejoice! hymnal. Seven years later, I am only to the 500s. While completing a set of slides takes only a few minutes, it is time I can spend on other, more pressing tasks.

I am sometimes frustrated that I haven’t yet finished this or other goals, but I put less important tasks aside for other things requiring immediate attention. Ultimately, I will finish, but it often takes much longer than first anticipated.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

This is difficult for many people. They feel an obligation to meet responsibilities personally, or they subscribe to the “If you want something done right...” philosophy. While it is true that both reasons sometimes apply, in many cases, we would be far more effective if we train others to help accomplish the work. By doing so, we develop leadership skills in others and help them understand what it takes to operate a church or ministry. During my travels, I rely on a number of great people who fill in for me while I’m out of town.

Learn to identify people willing to teach Sunday School or Wednesday evening classes. Trust church members to care for the facility. When you give someone a responsibility, don’t come behind them and “fix things.” It will stunt his or her growth as a leader. Instead, give blossoming leaders room to succeed…and to fail.

Delegating builds a sense of ownership and teamwork among those who help; they are personally invested in your success and vice-versa and will produce an attitude of willing service in the body of Christ.

Oom-pah!

Don’t be afraid to break a plate occasionally. Despite our best efforts, things don’t always go right, and a “dish” may hit the floor. Not long after accepting my position with the Texas State Association, I was in charge of making arrangements with a hotel to provide lodging for the annual state meeting.

A local pastor and I located a new hotel near the church that offered us a great rate. I considered the matter concluded. The hotel was so new, however, that construction wasn’t completed in time for the meeting, and we received little advance notice. We quickly made alternate arrangements, and the rest of the meeting went off as scheduled in spite of those tense moments.

When things go wrong, we shouldn’t spend too much time focusing on one “broken plate” and forget to keep the “rest of the dishes” in the air. We may need to enlist help to sweep up the broken pieces while we keep on juggling. We’re human, and we can’t control everything. When troubles come, keep doing the things we can control, and rest in God’s sufficiency for the things we can’t.

Ministry takes on numerous forms, but every aspect of ministry is important to the Kingdom of God. Whether you are a bivocational pastor, executive secretary of a state association, Sunday School teacher, or occasional volunteer, your ministry is important! I don’t always accomplish everything I set out to do, but these principles I have learned along the way help me keep the plates in the air. I hope they will help you as you minister in the role God has given you.

About the writer: Marcus Brewer is moderator and state office coordinator for the Texas State Association. A member of Fellowship FWB Church in Bryan, Texas, he serves as worship leader, treasurer, Trustee Board chairman, and Sunday School teacher. In addition, he is an associate research engineer for the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. He recharges through photography, Major League Baseball, and cheering for Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball.