Seriousness in the Ministry
Seriousness in the Ministry
The successful servant is the one distinguished by seriousness in ministry…
And this seriousness includes many elements, among them:
1—The Church has entrusted him with this child or this young person.
In a certain stage of life that has its characteristics, he is responsible for teaching him and presenting a model for him in this stage.
If he neglects this, he will have wasted that stage for him.
His student is a trust around his neck, for which he will give an account: before God, before the Church, before his father of confession, and perhaps also before the family of this student.
2—He must be serious in preparing the lesson, and in preparing himself for this meeting.
I notice that many beginner servants are serious in preparing lessons, feeling incapable of teaching without preparation.
But those who neglect preparing lessons are the elders, the old servants, and sometimes some ranks of priesthood… thinking that they have grown beyond the level of preparation.
They may enter the lesson or the meeting without even arranging their thoughts.
The listeners know very well whether the subject was prepared beforehand or not…
Perhaps the information is disorganized, unarranged, the ideas incomplete, the verses not ready… etc.
At least, if you have previous information, you need to gather it, arrange it, present it in an easy style, and gather what suits it of stories, verses, and exercises.
3—A person who is serious in his ministry is also serious in visitation.
Because ministry is not merely a lesson delivered, but requires visiting every student, especially those who are absent or frequently absent.
4—The matter also requires seriousness in solving the problems of the served.
This is preceded, without doubt, by knowing these problems.
It may require individual work with some at least, and referring the older ones to a father of confession.
The problems of the served are divided into two parts: general problems related to this stage of age, and private problems for each individual served, which may need contribution in solving them—if not directly, then at least indirectly.
5—Also seriousness in using the available visual aids.
Whether pictures, films, slides, illustrated books, maps… etc.
Here we move from the seriousness of the servant to the seriousness of the entire ministry branch, including the church, the general secretary of ministry, and the assistant secretary for the stage…
6—Seriousness in ministry requires prayer.
Prayer for the children, for their problems, for the lesson and its effect, for special cases, and for the servant himself that he may be given a word when he opens his mouth.
7—Seriousness in ministry also includes seriousness in the servant’s example:
First, that he be without stumbling before them, without obvious error…
Second, that he be a good example, keen on this, careful in everything… and diligent in his spiritual life.
8—The serious servant is keen on the growth of the ministry.
Growth in the number of attendees, growth in their spirituality, in their knowledge, and in their practice of spiritual means.
And regarding youth ministry, when I notice a shortage of consecrated servants, and a shortage of those offering for priesthood, I feel that the ministry has not reached this level of growth, and has stopped at a certain limit which it has not surpassed.
9—The seriousness of the servant appears in the extent of his sincerity to ministry.
His consistency in it, his love for the served, his care for their teaching and upbringing, their spiritual growth, his supervision of their behavior, noticing mistakes and working to avoid them, handling troublesome students and embracing them, and noticing that his lessons have impact on their lives.
10—The serious servant does not confine his ministry to the lesson.
Rather, he also cares about the personal relationship with his children, the activities they need, what they need in their personal lives, considering their success in their studies, and their success in their family life.
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