Sometimes ministry work will continue for decades; other times, they have a shelf life. Sometimes they are fruitful for many years; other times, they lack any discernible fruit. It would be easy to get downhearted about some of these things. It is easy to feel discouraged when once fruitful ministries, or things that felt successful (however we might be judging that), go by the wayside. Here are some reasons not to feel downcast if and when such things come to pass.

Seasons are normal

The bible speaks about seasons in the Christian life and specifically in Christian ministry. There are in seasons and out seasons (cf. 2 Tim 4:2). Sometimes gospel ministry functions as the words of life; other times it functions as words of judgement. Whether and ‘in’ or ‘out’ season, God’s word will not return to him void. His word will accomplish everything he wants it to accomplish. Times and seasons are very much in his hands (cf. Ecc 3:1-8; Dan 2:21; Acts 1:7; etc).

God may work in other ways

What is your reaction when nobody turn up to that outreach event you planned or you got no people in for that regular ministry you run? It would be easy to just think: what a washout! For example, we run a regular drop-in for people from complex backgrounds. Sometimes we get 10 people come in to hang out and we get to read the bible with them. Other times, nobody shows up. It would be easy to think the weeks that nobody turns up are a waste of time.

But the truth is, when people turn up we get to read the bible with unbelievers and point them to Jesus. When nobody turns up, those of us who run it get to hang out for a bit and we get to point each other to Jesus. We either share the gospel with unbelievers or we spend our time building up other believers. In either case, the Lord may do his thing through his word.

Of course, if nobody ever turns up we might want to have a think about whether what we’re doing is accomplishing the thing we are setting out to do. If the aim is to reach unbelievers and none of them are ever there, we probably want a rethink. But that doesn’t mean the time spent together with the believers, in altogether different ways, is wasted. Whether with unbeliever or believers, the Lord may be at work in unexpected ways.

As cultures change, ministries must change

A once thriving evangelistic Sunday School that saw 100s of children through the doors might have dwindled down to a handful of children from church families. There are two helpful ways to now think about that ministry.

First, we can give thanks for all the good that has been done. Just because a ministry is no longer fruitful and might warrant stopping does not undo all of the good work that has gone before. We can give thanks for all that the Lord has done whilst also recognising that it might be time to change things.

Second, we can recognise that a culture in which evangelistic Sunday Schools once thrived might no longer be a culture in which such things work quite so well. Understanding this helps us frame the ministry not as a failure – as above, it has no doubt done a lot of good – but as successful within a season and context in which its success was credible. In a new context and cultural moment, we are not seeking to rehash out of date ministries but to give thanks for the faithful ways the gospel went out in the past whilst thinking carefully about how we can best serve the cause of the gospel in our present culture.

When God closes a door he often opens… another door!

Sometimes the shelf life of a ministry comes to an end. But what does the end of one ministry mean? You have a set of people who were engaged in something who are now available to serve in an altogether different something. Wherever you have people who know and believe the gospel you have resources that can be put to gospel use. Your amazing food distribution ministry might have to close for some reason and whatever opportunities you had to build relationships in the community through it have gone too. But all the people who helped in that are suddenly free to make themselves available in other community works where they can build relationships. There may be another ministry that can be run where those things can happen.

Even if those same people got together at the same time as their now disbanded ministry to go to a local café to pray, that would create visibility and might provide opportunities to build relationships. And they can all do that because they can all pray and they’re all available at that time. Who knows what the Lord might do through that! Maybe as they pray another ministry door will open. But even if not, just the act of going and praying together might build visibility and relationships. And even if that is limited, it will do something helpful for the believers who are committing to going and praying with one another in that way. It isn’t failure and it isn’t wasted.