Submitted to the Board of Ordained Ministry of the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, January 1984, as part of the requirements for Deacon/Probationary status.
Edited on April 6, 2025.
C. Christian Life
3. What do you anticipate to be the risks and sacrifices entailed in serving in the United Methodist ministry?
Introduction
Answering the call to serve in the United Methodist Church is not just a career move—it’s a life-altering commitment. It requires more than time, energy, or knowledge. It demands your heart, your presence, and often, your comfort. So, what does it really mean to step into this sacred calling? And what are the real risks and sacrifices involved?
Understanding Ministry in the United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church (UMC) stands on a rich heritage of connectionalism—a system where churches, districts, conferences, and boards work in harmony. It’s a structure built to support mission, outreach, education, and spiritual leadership across the globe. But with such a broad and intricate system, the dynamics of local church ministry can become complex.
The Divine Call vs. Human Sacrifice
To be called by God isn’t just to serve—it’s to surrender. Ministry isn’t glamorous. It’s deeply spiritual, frequently challenging, and often lonely. In Romans 12:1, we are urged to become “living sacrifices.” This isn’t poetic fluff—it’s practical truth. Ministry requires offering yourself daily.
Risk #1: Weakened Local Church Dynamics
Shift from Local Intimacy to Systemic Strength
While the UMC system supports churches globally, many pastors face the challenge of declining influence at the local level. The stronger the system becomes, the more diluted personal pastoral care can feel.
Impact on Congregational Relationships
In many cases, pastors find themselves so busy with administrative tasks or conference obligations that they struggle to maintain meaningful spiritual relationships within their congregations. It becomes a balancing act—juggling bureaucracy and soul care.
Strength of General Boards and Agencies
On the flip side, the General Boards and Agencies offer valuable support, resources, and theological guidance. They provide strength and order. But pastors may feel like middle managers rather than spiritual shepherds—more functional than personal.
Risk #2: Intellectualization of the Holy Spirit
The Tendency to Reason Rather than Feel
In the quest for doctrinal clarity and theological education, many ministers find their faith shifting from the heart to the head. The Holy Spirit becomes more of a concept to study than a presence to experience.
Theological Education vs. Spiritual Experience
Seminaries often prioritize historical and systematic theology. While essential, this can leave little room for spontaneous, Spirit-filled transformation. Ministers are trained to teach about fire but not necessarily to burn with it.
From Observing to Becoming: The Burning Bush Analogy
Imagine Moses standing before the burning bush. That image should not just be on a PowerPoint slide—it should live within the pastor. Don’t just describe the fire. Be the fire. Burn with the Spirit so that others can feel the warmth and light of God in your life.
The Itinerant System: A Double-Edged Sword
Flexibility and Sacrifice of Pastoral Relocation
The itinerant system—a core part of Methodist identity—allows for dynamic leadership. But it also comes at a high cost. Uprooting families, saying goodbye to beloved congregations, and starting over every few years is emotionally taxing.
Emotional Toll of Relocation
Moving is not just a logistical task—it affects mental health, family dynamics, and personal identity. Pastors often feel like strangers in a new land, repeatedly.
Relational Fragmentation
Deep relationships take time. But with itinerancy, ministers often leave just as true bonds begin to form. This affects both pastors and congregants.
The Invisible Sacrifices of Ministry
Ministry often costs more than people realize. Long hours, limited pay, constant emotional availability, and spiritual vulnerability come with the job. Add to that the weight of carrying others’ grief, doubts, and joys, and it’s clear—ministry is a full-body, full-soul commitment.
Why Ministers Still Say Yes
So why do they stay? Because they’ve seen broken lives healed, faith renewed, and God move in impossible places. Because even when exhausted, there’s nothing quite like standing in the flow of God’s grace and watching it transform a person or a community.
Becoming the Burning Bush
Don’t just talk about revival—be revival. Ministry is not about observing sacred moments from afar. It’s about being the sacred vessel through which the Holy Spirit speaks, moves, and burns.
Conclusion
Serving in the United Methodist ministry isn’t for the faint of heart. It demands risk, courage, humility, and deep faith. But in all the sacrifice, there is divine beauty. To be part of something larger than yourself—to truly become the burning bush—is a holy honor and a powerful calling.
FAQs
Q1: What is connectionalism in the United Methodist Church?
A: Connectionalism refers to the interconnected structure of the UMC that links all churches in mission, ministry, and administration for greater impact and support.
Q2: How does the itinerant system work in the UMC?
A: Pastors are appointed to churches by bishops and may move every few years, ensuring broader leadership development but often causing personal and relational challenges.
Q3: Why is personal experience with the Holy Spirit so important in ministry?
A: While theology provides understanding, personal experience with the Spirit fuels authenticity, passion, and transformative ministry.
Q4: Can intellectual study of theology weaken spiritual life?
A: It can if not balanced with prayer, worship, and personal spiritual disciplines. Knowledge without presence leads to dryness.
Q5: What keeps pastors motivated despite the risks and sacrifices?
A: The calling, the fruit of changed lives, and the presence of God in the midst of hardship are powerful motivators to continue.
Daily Sauntering 
You must be logged in to post a comment.