Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

by Josh Liu

Ministry (and the Christian life) has often been likened to warfare. On one hand, you train, prepare, and discipline yourself for the task; you engage in a battle wrought with obstacles and opposition to your goals; you persevere until the end is won; and you seek to obey and follow your Commander into battle. On the other hand, you experience hardships and wounds that come from intense fighting; you are burdened with a weary soul that has been fighting for what seems to be an indefinite amount of time; you question about the end of the war; you lose sight of your Commander in the midst of the battle. Beloved, let us persevere. Let us behold the holiness of God, experience the abundant sufficiency of Christ, and hope in the victory secured by our Lord and Savior.

While reflecting over the past year on the youth ministry, I have been deeply encouraged by the staff’s faithful serving despite the demands of ministry and various trials and hardships each of them faced or are currently experiencing. Imagine joining youth staff and being required the following: “Train to be of above reproach character and to be an effective and intensive discipler. Challenge the youth to not waste their lives; teach them how to read their Bibles and pray; and equip them to evangelize to their friends. Encourage and support the parents to faithful parenting of their children. Constantly and consistently initiate, relate, and invest into the youth and families. Maintain deep personal devotions and fulfill your other church responsibilities. Immediately respond with joy and thanksgiving to all trials and suffering. Always exude with joy; overflow with energy and excitement at Bible study. Be a faithful and excellent worker at school or at your job. In all that you say, think, act, or do, be a godly, mature example.” And at the same time, you are experiencing a season of great trail, suffering, despair, discouragement, or persecution. In the midst of personal struggles and trying circumstances (and even without), the above exhortations accumulate and appear to be a goliath of a task. This may result in a burdened, downtrodden, weary staffer. As I reflected over the past year on the youth ministry, I saw the importance of camaraderie amongst the staff. I saw how God in His wisdom and grace gave the church–fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ–to support each other with loving encouragement and to persevere in God-ordained ministry.

I believe there is validity in temporarily stepping back from serving in order to strengthen your walk with God, to biblically confront personal struggles and situations, and to be a faithful steward of responsibilities and resources. At the same time, I also believe we ought to come together to encourage and support each other. Many carry the above pressures, burdens, and discouragements while feeling alone. Let us come alongside each other and shoulder one another’s burdens.

At the beginning of September, the Lumos youth staff went on a staff retreat to Santa Monica, California. There, I read from Paul David Tripp’s Dangerous Calling, challenged the staff to examine themselves, and encouraged them to humbly seek support from the ones who are serving alongside with them–those in the midst of the battle with them. In the opening chapters, Paul David Tripp offered warnings and signs of one (a pastor) going down a destructive path of ministry that results in total defeat. I have condensed what I shared that weekend from Paul Tripp’s book to the following questions:

• What do you say or think to yourself about yourself and your situation? Do you think you are in a different category from those who you minister to, or do you think you are in need of the same transforming grace of God? Is your identity found in the ministry you serve in, or in Christ who is your Lord and Savior? Is there a discrepancy between your personal devotional life and your public ministry? Do you believe that no one else has a more accurate view or understanding of you and your situation than you do? Do you measure your spiritual maturity according to less than biblical standards of maturity (e.g. theological or Bible knowledge)? (Tripp, Chapter 1)
• Do you defend, reason away, are numbed to, or silent about personal consistent struggles? Do you seek godly, mature, vulnerable accountability? Do you humbly seek the evaluation of others knowing that you may be blind to your own sin? Has ministry administration and preparation replaced personal devotion and worship? Are you daily, deeply aware of your personal need of Christ’s redeeming work, or are you deluded by a sense of self-sufficiency or self-righteousness? Has ministry become only a source of burden? (Tripp, Chapter 2)

I have never heard my staff complain. By contrast, I see them joyfully serve and graciously sacrifice much for each other and for the youth. At the same time, I am aware of their extensive involvement in church and the various hardships they experience. During the staff retreat, I exhorted them to prayerfully and actively support and encourage one another. It was a blessed time of sharing, encouragement, prayer, and fellowship! The bonds we are forging as a staff go beyond the youth ministry; we are forming our bonds as brothers and sisters through the fellowship of Christ, ready and willing to encourage each other to persevere through trials and ministry. The Lumos youth staff has greatly ministered to me, reminding me by their example to remain steadfast and faithful like a good soldier. Their servant’s heart reminds me that ministry is not a burden or merely a duty. Their humility reminds me to daily focus on my need of the gospel, depend on God’s grace, and honestly evaluate myself. Their personal testimonies of God’s work in their lives remind me to never prioritize preparation and academia over personal devotion and worship.

May all glory, honor, and praise be given to God! In His sovereignty and grace, He uses broken vessels such as us to be “under-rocks” for each other, pointing to the true Rock of Refuge in the midst of tumultuous times. Beloved, remember that the ultimate goal is to know and love Christ more in all that you do. May the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus your Lord persevere you in life and ministry.