Calvary Nexus, the local Calvary Chapel where I serve in Camarillo, California, just hosted a Connect Gathering. We invited Calvary Chapel leaders within a 50-mile radius and like-minded evangelical churches from our community to join us for lunch. Ministry leaders sat at tables with those who share their calling but in another context. So, for example, children’s ministry leaders sat together. Similarly, worship, tech, youth/Next Gen, Admin, etc., all sat together.
The fall tends to be an exceptionally busy time for most church leaders. So, why should someone invest two hours of their time (and considerably more time for a Southern California commute)?
1. We need to gather to be emotionally and spiritually healthy.
Ministry magnifies! The highs and the lows are often magnified by the sheer volume of people each of us feels responsible to care for. When you contemplate that the majority of our interactions with congregants tend to diminish energy, or at best be neutral, as opposed to imparting energy, there is a net deficiency. If ignored, the deficiency results in frustration, short-temperedness, impatience, anger, bitterness, discouragement, and/or depression.
Simply stated, we need to cultivate relationships with others who understand the challenges associated with vocational ministry. The tendency towards compassion fatigue and burnout that arises from trying to meet unreasonable expectations projected upon those engaged in vocational ministry is a threat to emotional and spiritual health.
Also, it can be challenging to create meaningful accountability without genuine peer friendships. The leader-congregant relationship dynamic is such that those in vocational ministry cannot often be their authentic self. Similarly, most hierarchal power structures in the local church can make it challenging to encourage genuine accountability of someone “above you on the “org chart.”
The antidote is the recognition that to truly be healthy, we need to invest in ourselves to forge spiritually and emotionally healthy peer friendships.
2. We need to gather to learn from one another.
I sat with a group of pastors whom I appreciate, respect, and can learn from. Some were friends and others became friends.
One pastor was approaching 50 years of vocational ministry. He had recently come out of retirement to engage in a part-time role, and others around the table asked what lessons he could share. He encouraged us not to withdraw completely from ministry, and shared some of the emotional and spiritual struggles he experienced when he did. The vulnerability and wisdom were noted by every other leader at the table.
Another pastor shared about a relatively recent succession of leadership at their local church that was going very well. On the other hand, another pastor shared about their transition plan that had not gone as well. The conversation soon began to uncover some best practices, potential pitfalls, and recommended resources related to succession and transitions.
Another pastor shared about some of the challenges he experiences in regard to confronting staff in the midst of conflict. This prompted another leader at the table to share how he coaches other leaders in navigating conflict to produce beneficial change(s). As you might imagine, there were several questions directed to this leader, all looking to glean pearls of wisdom.
In essence, we are all blind to our blind spots, and each of us can and should learn from one another.
3. We need to gather to be refreshed.
David, the sweet psalmist, encourages us, “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1-3). We are urged to consider and contemplate how precious the experience of unity is. The psalmist uses the simile of the dew of Hermon descending upon the mountains of Zion. It is a picture of cool refreshing in the midst of an arid desert land.
Ministry tends to drain, and we need to be refreshed in ways that engage, encourage, equip, and empower us in our calling. Gatherings are not an escape from the challenges of ministry, but an oasis of refreshment in the challenging ministry environment. Remember, Jesus wants us to know the fullness of His joy (Jn. 15:11).
So, take Jesus seriously, do not take yourself too seriously, and remember to put the fun in fundamental. We need times of refreshing in the presence of the Lord (Ac. 3:20).
4. We need to gather to display unity.
In the Upper Room, Jesus prayed that His disciples would be in unity so that the world would know and believe that God the Father had sent God the Son (Jn. 17:20-21).
As I reflected upon the Gathering, I greatly appreciated the sense of unity. It was not conformity, but rather unity in the midst of diversity. Each of us is undoubtedly aware of differences in political perspectives, views regarding issues in this cultural moment, not to mention differences in philosophy of ministry and theology regarding secondary and tertiary issues.
Yet, despite the differences, there was a great sense of unity and cooperation. We all want one another to succeed. There is a sense that we are all on the same team – Jesus’ team.
I have some dear friends of Italian heritage, and they told me that when Italians share a recipe, they will omit an ingredient so that when you make the dish, it is never as good as their version. At the Gathering, all the ingredients were being shared. No one held back their best ideas, resources, recommendations, nor themselves.
Unfortunately, when some leaders do not value gathering together, the world may not see the beauty of Christ and His Bride.
So, gathering together adds value to my life and the lives of those who participate; and it is a value that I need to not only affirm but protect, prioritize, and practice (Heb. 10:25).
Learn more about the Connect initiative:
Visit 👉 connectcgn.com/connect
Discover the value of gathering in ministry—why leaders need community, renewal, and unity to stay healthy, refreshed, and effective.
