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By: Kerstin New
This post is from Kerstin's blog - In This Moment.
As a Senior, I am thinking back to what I have learned over the years. Now, I am not talking about academics—I am speaking to you about lessons from experiences.
As many of you know, I have been heavily involved with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) since the beginning of my Freshman year. The Lord has used this ministry to grow my faith and my ability to lead. Here are just a few lessons I have learned from being involved in ministry over this time.
Ministry is not glamorous.
Ministry is not glamorous…some of you are shaking your head because you don’t understand what this means. If you go to APSU then you know exactly what it means because your campus minister means it every time she says it. It means that most times ministry means doing the little things such as taking out the trash or vacuuming after your mid week meal or cleaning and changing light bulbs to prepare for each semester. Remember that Jesus washed His disciples feet. Ministry is not meant to be flashy; it is meant to be meaningful.
Ministry takes a servant heart.
Ministry takes a servant heart. Servant leadership is a term I became familiar with when I became part of the BCM leadership team. It means serving in a way that leads others to action. It doesn’t mean being the boss; it means being an example and being on the field with your team, not on the sidelines. It means being the first on the field and the last off.
Ministry means being flexible.
Ministry means being flexible. In ministry things do not always go as planned. More times than others events are planned but do not go as so due to not many people showing or the power circuit blows causing you to relocate a pancake griddle to another room to keep cooking. This goes for mission trips as well. Someone could forget their passport. Someone could back out last minute. Plans with the missionaries could change with what you were going to be working on when there. SO many things could go different in ministry and mission trips. The point is you are a servant for His kingdom, so your only concern is obedience day-to-day whatever that looks like despite plans made. No matter what your position in leadership is, your position in Christ has not changed.
Ministry needs good leaders.
Ministry needs good leaders. I have encountered different types of leadership styles over the course of time in college, churches, sports, etc. In all the different areas, leaders are required. Good leaders are servant leaders just as Christ was.
Ministry is worth everything.
Ministry is worth all the frustrations when things don’t go the way they were planned. It is worth all the hard work put in behind the scenes. It is worth seeing students making new friends and finding a passion for missions. It is worth seeing them grow in their leadership skills and mature. It is worth it all when students feel at home. Most of all, it is worth seeing students come to Christ.