Journeys and Destinations. 5.26.2022

     This month we have considered the role of milestones in defining who we are and how we become increasingly effective during our life of ministry. Where we come from sets many of the conditions for our lives. For some, these conditions are opportunities. For others, unfortunately, these conditions are obstacles. Experience has taught me that there are times when we must overcome both if we are to become useful to Christ in building His church. Next, we looked at the process of figuring out where we are going. Destinations are a matter of planning and purpose. Without intention, you arrive, though you may not know how or why you arrived or even, where you have arrived.. Last week we asked the question why? I suggested the answer “Because workmen should work.” 

    This week I want to close this loop by thinking through the distinction between the journey and the destination. The former, of course, is a process. The latter is a conclusion. Ministry flourishes when we consider and prepare for both. 

    Let’s begin by riffing off last week’s thread. Not only are we called to be diligent workmen, but we are also called (and thereby expected) to be craftsmen who are constantly honing their craft. When I was younger, I could show up and work diligently, but I did not always work smart. There was a point where I began to realize that the journey is much more satisfying and the output of higher quality when I think long-term and invest in becoming a better craftsman. My writing goal for all projects is 1500 words a day. This includes lessons, sermons, blogs (today’s 1500 will largely consist of what you are now reading), essays, books, workshops, long-form personal notes, and more. This does not include professional and administrative writing. Assuming a 300-day work year. That is 450,000 words, many of which are written to be preached or otherwise spoken, in which case further consideration of tone, pitch, vocabulary, and structure are necessary.

    Following our analogy, if those 450,000 words are the destination, craftsmanship is a matter of making the journey as productive, fulfilling, and effective as possible. Preaching is a great craft because the fruit of one’s labor is revealed, in public, on a weekly basis. Preaching requires a deep commitment combined with a “short memory”. There is a test every week. This keeps the craftsman to the task of improving every part of the journey. That journey can be harrowing at times but with instant feedback, recalibration is also instant. 

    Think about your life and ministry as a constant process of travel. If you want to travel like a bohemian with no plan, purpose, or direction, you may do that. But (as the saying goes) Sunday’s coming and your arrival may be rocky after a week of unplanned wandering. Balancing the journey and destination requires a bit of plotting, planning, and preparation. This is true not only of our week-to-week journey but the longer arcs of month, year, ministry, and career. 

    Craftsmanship implies that I am getting better at what I do, the longer I do it. The journey is more productive, the longer I travel. The destinations are more satisfying, as they accumulate. The task may not get easier but my capacity to work through the difficulties has improved simply by going through the process so often. 

    I believe I have adequately made my point. Please allow me to share a few other concerns which threaten the long-term craftsmanship that makes for lifelong ministry. 

First, it is becoming more difficult for those who want to enter the ministry to find a place to be educated. As colleges close and consolidate it is becoming harder to find a place to begin the journey of ministry learning. I believe the theological banality of the current Church is largely a result of poor or non-existent exegetical, hermeneutical, and theological training. Most of what a preacher learns, he learns after college. But if college did not prepare him to be a lifelong learner, if there was no proper beginning to the journey, then it can be difficult to arrive at the right destination. 

    Second, too many abandon the journey before it really gets going. This is related to my first concern. If someone is inadequately prepared for the lifelong journey of ministry, if they do not know how to learn or feed themselves, this increases the likelihood of burnout, exhaustion, or frustration. We need to teach people entering the ministry how to flourish on a long journey of ministry defined by fidelity to the ancient craft of proclamation. 

    Third, we need to repudiate shortcuts and cheats and those who provide them. In the rush to modernize ministry we have succumbed to a model of ministry heavily reliant on highly specialized “practical” ministries. When the tale is fully told this may be the reason that so many Bible Colleges and Seminaries are failing. Reconfiguring ministry education to mirror a business education, eroding the focus on biblical studies disciplines, and narrowly defining ministry specialties have made it virtually impossible to define what a well-prepared ministry professional should know, and what they should be able to do. The vast majority of preaching ministers are the only paid minister in their Church. This requires many subordinate skills to the central purpose of preaching and teaching. Lack of focus on Biblical studies skill development creates a ministry environment where unprepared individuals, lacking the capacity to hone, refine, or add new skills, buy what they need. This is the intersection of two tragedies that are killing the church. Preachers who can’t do the work, and mercenaries who enable this failure by providing turnkey solutions allowing the unable to lead the unwitting. This can hardly be called craftsmanship and it will not likely produce lifelong ministry, so this problem will worsen if it is not stopped immediately. 

    All my concerns for ministry are interrelated and pulpit-driven. Ever since I answered the call to preach in 1976, I always assumed that this was a lifelong journey. While I’ve not always paced myself appropriately, I have always tried to pursue this day’s work so that it flows into the work I will do tomorrow. I want to be the best I can be. Craftsmanship is important. I want to preach the best sermons I can. I want to improve. I start next Sunday’s sermon pretty much right after this Sunday’s is delivered. The last journey flows into the next journey. I was fortunate to be given very good tools. I had good teachers at College and Seminary who taught me how to learn. I can read the maps, examine the terrain, plot a course, and prepare for the road ahead. I am not bragging about those skills I am recommending them. 

    There was a time when older ministers constantly counseled and mentored younger ministers. Those days seem to have passed. Experienced travelers are no longer treasured for their tribal knowledge gained through long years of repeating the weekly journey to the pulpit. Good craftsmanship and appreciation for the journey take time. Wise counsel eases the process of making mistakes and altering course. This is not theoretical for me. I’ve been there. I have apprenticed with men whose words and wisdom helped me not only improve my outcomes but to appreciate the journey.