Have you ever seen fear cause problems in the church or in ministry? If so, how has it manifested itself, and what resulted? Ranging from mild apprehension to outright fear, concern over what might happen in a situation can harm the work of the Kingdom. In fact, Proverbs 29:25 (NASB) says, “The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” Further, Psalm 56:11 (NASB) states, “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Apprehension and fear can keep us from doing what we need to do – sharing our faith, seeking reconciliation with and ministering to a difficult church member, or confronting a church member or staff member over some questionable practice. Fear and apprehension also may lead to you do what you should not – hiding in your office doing non-people work, delaying important actions longer than appropriate, overreacting to people, etc. Although a measure of caution and restraint often are wise, let’s look at some ways to handle fear in the ministry so we more consistently do what we need to do and refrain from doing what we should not.
Clarity is important, so the foundational issue is to get a handle on what is going on. From regular evaluation of your life and work to times when you are well aware of the apprehension or fear, you need to understand what is happening in the situation. First, what is the nature of the fear? Is it fear of confrontation, rejection, fear embarrassment, failure, criticism, being wrong, some form of loss or hurt, or the unknown? Second, what is generating the fear? Is it basic risk avoidance in your own personality, past experiences, or some unfolding or suspected set of circumstances? Maybe it is a perceived lack of knowledge or skill to deal with the situation. Third, how reasonable is the fear? Fourth, what is at stake, and what are your options? Objectivity is important for clarity, so a trusted confidant, mentor, colleague, or coach can help you avoid blind spots, gain new perspective, and ask the hard questions in a spirit of encouragement and support.
The above paragraph leans toward specific instances of fear, but there may be a general type of apprehension, tentativeness, or fear in your life or ministry. Here are a few suggestions for addressing it.
As I already suggested, identify the fear and its source.
Make the fear a matter of regular prayer, confessing the fear and the errors it leads to and asking the Lord to replace fear with courage and wisdom.
Get help from a trusted encourager who builds you up without enabling your pattern of fear.
Get very honest about the fear of people and the reverence of the Lord, allowing the fear of the Lord and accountability to Him to outweigh other fears.
Familiarize yourself with Scriptures that address fear and courage so you can know them and pray them, and learn Scriptures that inform how we do church and relate to various situations so you can have more confidence.
Discover additional wisdom and practice the skills that will help you be more confident and less fearful.
Work on establishing your identity in Christ instead of in self, in success, or in how others respond to you and your ministry.
If you are like me, you can recall times when apprehension or fear mislead you in your ministry or damaged others’ ministries. As you reflect on the thoughts I have shared with you, may the Lord give you a sense of encouragement because of strides you have made overcoming fear and apprehension, and may He give you increased victory in this matter.
How have you seen fear or apprehension harm ministry or the church?
How do you distinguish between a healthy level of concern, which leads to better decisions, and harmful apprehension and fear?
PC: Andy Barlow of Barlow Creative Rockport, TX