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Twelve Practices that guide us in ministry:

1. We must strive to be free from afflictions that diminish our effectiveness. Our right effort is to change ourselves. This will change others.

2. We must guard against vainglory and ascribe all good done to the glory of God and not to oneself. We must refrain from daydreaming, making ourselves the hero, the object of glory.

We must speak truth without embellishment or boasting. We must check our motivations about the work and refrain from seeking self-gain, promotions, higher callings, more recognition, or inflated standing among peers or superiors.

3. We are to accept our limitations without dejection. Limits prompt us to ask for help and to try again with God’s mercy. We must refrain from thoughts of “unworthiness” or down thoughts.

They are actually a form of pride because you really think you are better than you are. Therefore, we must refrain from self-talk that puts others down or up. Humility is truth.

4. Our call requires us to submit in obedience to the authorizing officials of the church or the institution that designates where, when, and with whom we are to be of service.

5. The heart of the work is to serve selflessly, wholeheartedly, not counting the cost and without seeking results. We must replace self with faith.

6. To do this we accept the grace of the moment and facilitate the self-determination of others. We put others’ good ahead of our own. We sacrifice. If there are side effects to this sacrifice we surrender the resentment that may rise when our needs are not met.

7. When it’s time to move on, we do. Though usually in ministry the work is never done, often our little part of it is completed. We must remember that our ministry is an appointment. So there is a time for “dis” appointment as well.

Termination of services is to be expected when the authorizer matches the needs of the community with the gifts of the minister. We must respect the gifts of others and pray for those with whom we differ.

8. We wisely refrain from using any form of domination or oppression which distances us as minister from the needs of those being served. Regularly we must check our use of entitlements, of time, dress, gait, and patterns of communication. We strive to be attentive listeners, to be in service to the other and not to the self.

9. We accept no gifts and give no gifts in exchange for spiritual work. This sets up too many opportunities for ulterior motives. If we are a “professional,” the institution must provide the exchange, not the individual “customer.” Ministry is a delicate work that can ill afford to appropriate risky business practices.

10. There is however, a return to the minister from the “flock.” We participate in ministry in such a way that we ennoble others. In that way, we receive the others’ gifts intended by the Holy Spirit for our salvation.

11. We accept mistakes we make as part of everyday life. We forgive, forget, and move on. We are not surprised at our weaknesses.

This awareness makes us more reliant on God rather than ourselves.

12. Finally, we hold in prayer each and very one we serve. Sometimes this takes the form of praying literally in the stead of the person who can not pray at his or her time of need.


Tools Matter, Meg Funk,OSB
Social Tools-Ministry-Pg. 88-89