If you lead worship, teach, pastor, or minister week after week, month after month, year after year, you may have reached a time in your ministry that you are just going through the motions.

In other words, you know HOW to “get the job done” and keep going.  You know how to find a lesson to teach, find a song to sing, get the band rehearsed, be an encouragement to someone, etc. Even when you just don’t have the energy or desire to serve or help someone else, you know how to say the right words or do the right thing (at least on the surface).

Ministering week after week and year after year is like running a marathon. You are in it for the long race, not just a quick run down the track. Therefore, you MUST remind yourself of the BASICS each and every week.

Ask yourself these questions…

Have I read the word this week?
Have I studied the scriptures this week?
What is God teaching me about himself this week?
How can I apply all he is teaching me in his word to my life, my marriage, my family, my ministry?

Have I taken the necessary time to become better at my skill?
If I preach, have I improved this week? this month? this year?
If I lead worship, have I improved this week? this month? this year?
What am I doing to intentionally be a better steward of all God has given me in my skills to minister to others?

Am I accountable to others for the sake of his kingdom?
Do I allow others into my life?
Am I willing to let the walls down?
Am I willing to work on my weaknesses and become stronger?

How am I doing as a leader?
Do others trust me? If so, why? If not, why?
Can those I lead give me constructive ideas of how I can be better?
Am I resistant? Am I open?
Am I willing to change?

You are either heading TOWARDS going through the motions or AWAY from going through the motions.  If you are headed TOWARDS, then find someone you trust and tell them. Find someone to help you walk through turning around and becoming the minister you need to be for those under your care.

Only God knows your heart besides you. Seek him first (Matthew 6:33). Make him priority in your time every day, then begin striving to walk towards him and towards not just going through the motions.

Find the song by Matthew West called “The Motions.” Take a few minutes and listen to it. Really think about the words as they apply to you. Don’t think about someone else. Think about you, your family and your ministry.  Take a few minutes to ask God to show you how to NOT just go through the motions.

“I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day without Your all consuming passion inside of me.
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
‘What if I had given everything instead of going through the motions?’ ”

“Restore to me the joy of my salvation…”  Psalm 51:12 is a good example of what our heart’s cry should be.  As we lead others each and every day, ask God to restore to you the joy of your salvation, AND ask him to restore to you the joy of serving him, the joy of your ministry, the joy of pointing others to Jesus, the joy of serving others, etc.

God desires for you to follow hard after him and help others to do the same.
Go for it.
Start now!