I recently spoke with a colleague who took a special behind-the-scenes tour of Disney World. As you can imagine, the tour is quite different from the regular Disney experience. Instead of the frills and fa?ade of the park, you see the machinery that makes it all happen - the ropes and pulleys, the gears and guts. You might even glimpse a makeup-less Mickey Mouse taking a smoke break. Quite different from the magic that leaves millions of children awe-struck.

But before drawing back the curtain to begin the tour, the guide paused to deliver a warning to the group: "After you see behind this curtain, the magic will be gone."

When I heard my friend's story, I saw a ministry parallel. Being in ministry is a little like peeking behind the curtain. Most Christians see the finished product; those in ministry see how it was created. And peering behind the curtain has a way of erasing the magic and sapping our spiritual strength.

But why?

Well, first of all, ministry gives you an up-close view of people ...