Is there ever a bad time to spend time with students?

I know all of us love working 40, 50, or even 100 hours a week on junior high ministry.  This is just the way it is.  We know that our ministry is more than just a job, and it is going to require a huge commitment from us.

What do we do when we are running out of time and somebody always needs or wants more?  Maybe we should just scream.

Aggggghhhhhhhhhh!

Well that didn’t help, so what should we do now?

I am a junior high pastor in my mid 30’s.  I have a wife and 2 children (ages 7 and 9).  Our junior high ministry and church are very exciting and growing places.  We have a lot of people and students wanting to get involved, make decisions and volunteer.

Then you add the fact that it is Christmas time into all of that and we are just running out of hours in the day.

I know I am not the only one who is feeling this way right now.  Life goes through phases and this time of year can just be insane for all of us.

What do we do?  How do we handle this pressure we feel all the time?

I would like to offer you 2 thought provoking concepts that I think can help you make the right decision for yourself.

1.  Jesus commands us to go!

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus says this.

¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus doesn’t give us a timetable on this.  He just says go!  In my own life I take this very seriously, and at times this can make it difficult on my family.  I want to take advantage of every opportunity God gives me to talk to others about Jesus.  This means that there are times when I get home late or have to go meet with somebody even during the Christmas season.

I believe that we all need to clearly define our priorities and decide what is on top of our list.  This judgement call has to be made by you though.

2.  Our family needs us!

In 1 Timothy 3:4 we see this.

⁴ He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

Then we look a little bit back in our Bibles to Matthew 12:46-50 and we see this.

⁴⁶ As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.”  ⁴⁸ Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. ⁵⁰ Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

In the 1 Timothy passage we see that we must manage and take care of our own family.  It is clear that God created us this way to have families of our own, and we are to be responsible for the raising and care of our families.

On the other hand in Matthew 12 we see that Jesus believes his family is much larger than his mother, father, and siblings.

My challenge to you is to truly think through these things.  If you are married talk to your spouse and family about priorities in your life, and I would even encourage you to put your priorities in writing.  Make sure you all understand when it is OK for you to be called away and when you will use that magic word, NO!