Over the next few months, we’re going to dip into the Book of Philippians for its insights into spiritual growth and formation. I hope you’ll join me in studying this wonderful letter to an early church that remains as relevant and life-changing as ever. This week we look at three verses from the second chapter.
Fall is here even though the weather remains hot and muggy. I know because my son has started football practice. School will start soon. The routines are shifting.
At our church, children’s ministry volunteers get some time off in the summer but come back in the fall. Our fall ministry kick-off happens this weekend.
What will make this a successful ministry year? Splashy décor in the classrooms? Better worship music? The perfect curriculum?
Philippians 2 opens with a call to unity, and I would argue that the unity created by humbly serving one another will strengthen your ministry much more than any bells and whistles you may add.
According to the text, our lives should be marked by unity with Christ, the comfort of his love, fellowship with the Spirit, tenderness, and compassion (Phil. 2:1). How do we cultivate those things? By following Jesus on the path to humility.
I’m not suggesting that lesson plans, music, and innovation don’t matter. They’re a necessary part of any ministry, especially children’s ministry. Certainly strive for excellence in all you do but heed these words in Philippians 2:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3-4).
When it comes to children’s ministry, who are the “others”? They’re your students and those who serve alongside you. The people you minister to and the people you minister beside.
Notice that the text doesn’t say “never think about your own interests,” but rather it acknowledges that we will look at both our own interests and those of others. When we choose the path of humility Jesus took, we realize these are connected.
I mentioned earlier that my son plays football. As is true of any team sport, you can’t just focus on your own interests. If you’re a lineman, you have to protect the quarterback. If you’re the quarterback, you can’t scramble on every play—you have to hand off the ball or pass it to someone else.
To do well at football and play his role on the team, my son has had to engage in some important self-care practices. He’s naturally lean, so to stay strong enough for football, he’s had to start eating more. To build his muscles and strengthen his body for those long practices, I encourage him to fill up on an extra piece of chicken or other protein rather than junk food.
He also has to get enough rest. After running sprints during practice in 95-degree weather, he has no problem with this—he goes to bed early almost every night.
Eating right and getting enough sleep may seem like “looking after your own interests.” And in some ways they are. However, they’re practices of self-care that will ultimately benefit the team. They’ll strengthen him to play his role which will protect or help others on his team.
As you take the field this fall, what practices do you need to establish in your own life so you’re able to be a stronger team player?
A few years ago, I had a season of demanding speaking engagements. I’d said yes to a lot of ministry opportunities. When I told some friends about the schedule I’d set for myself, several of them told me to balance all of that talking with some times of silence.
When more than one friend gives you the same spiritual guidance, you should pay attention. So part of the way I was able to minister to others with words was to spend some time just being quiet in God’s presence. I reflected on Scripture, let God’s words fill my soul, and made my quiet times exceptionally quiet. If your ministry role requires a lot of talking, whether to adults or children, you may want to balance that with some deliberate times of silence and listening.
Routines shift in the fall. Make sure you’re well-fed and well-rested, spiritually speaking. This self-care is not “selfish ambition,” but rather a way you can live in unity and fellowship with others.
Keri Wyatt Kent is a speaker and author of seven books, including Simple Compassion and Rest. Learn more about her ministry at keriwyattkent.com.
Unless otherwise indicated, the Bible verses in For Your Soul are from the New International Version.
