Recently someone started a conversation with me by saying, “You were right.â€
“What about?†I asked.
He explained that he was having a real tough year in ministry. He was experiencing a lot of frustration and restlessness, with periods of ennui and what felt at times like depression. Often, he said, he felt suffocated in his work. Then, during one day of introspection he realized that this was his fourth year in this ministry setting, and he remembered my presentation on the “Ministry Years.â€
“I really didn’t believe you when I heard you say that the fourth year was always the year of discontent,†he said, “but you were right. That’s exactly where I am.â€
The presentation he referred to was one I’d given several years ago. Subsequently, I’d written an article on it for the Alban Institute’s Congregations magazine under the title “Staying Put.” In the presentation I’d outlined what I perceived to be a pattern to ministry related to the congregational context (subsequently persons in other work settings have shared that they’ve experienced the same or similar pattern). The ministry years pattern looks like this:
- Year 1: Which door does this key open?
- Year 2: Extending the honeymoon.
- Year 3: Hitting your stride, finding your pace.
- Year 4: The year of discontent.
- Year 5: The Latency year.
- Year 6: Ministry redirection.
- Year 7: Recharge vs. potential burnout.
- Year 8: The pivotal year.
- Year 9: The year of commitment.
- Year 10: Ministry begins.
Attached is the original fuller version of the article, Ministry Years.” What do you think? Is this congruent with your experience?
Download the article here: galindoministryyears.pdf (.pdf, 6 pages).
