Set Your Hand to the Plough: Practical Advice for Gospel Ministers
#6 be prepared for the unexpected
When you step into gospel ministry, you’re not signing up for a predictable routine or a neatly mapped-out career path. You’re stepping into a life where the road ahead is often hidden around the bend, and you’d better be ready for whatever comes barreling toward you. As I continue this ten-part series offering honest, practical advice for those entering ministry, my next word of counsel is this: be prepared for anything. The ministry is a wild, unpredictable calling, and you need to brace yourself for the unexpected—both the routine joys and the freight train challenges.
The Unpredictable Nature of the Ministry
Picture this: You’re driving along in ministry, the sun is shining, your sermons are landing well, people are coming to Christ, and the church is buzzing with life. You round the corner expecting more of the same, and—BAM—a freight train hits you square in the chest. Maybe it’s a conflict you didn’t see coming, a betrayal from someone you trusted, or a season of spiritual dryness that leaves you questioning everything. Or maybe it’s the opposite: you wake up expecting another grueling day, only to find God pouring out unexpected blessings—people you thought were troublemakers bring encouragement, or a situation you feared would collapse turns into a testimony of His grace.
The point is, you never know what’s coming next. Ministry isn’t a straight line; it’s a winding road with surprises at every turn. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, we are to “be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). Every day you rise, you face the unknown, and you must be prepared for anything—joy or sorrow, success or struggle.
The Freight Trains of Ministry
The hard days will come, and they’ll test you in ways you can’t imagine. You might face a season of special darkness—a period where the weight of ministry feels crushing, where you wonder if you can keep going. Maybe it’s a family you thought would be a cornerstone of reformation in your church, only to watch them unravel or walk away. Maybe it’s a relationship you poured your heart into, only to see it melt down in misunderstanding or conflict. You’ll look back and wonder, how did I misjudge that so badly?
Don’t Let Ministry Define You
Here’s the critical truth to cling to when the hard days hit: your identity must not be in your ministry. It’s tempting to tie your worth to the success of your preaching, the growth of your church, or the affirmation of your congregation. But that’s a trap. If your identity is wrapped up in your ministry, every failure will feel like a personal rejection, and every success will tempt you to pride. Jesus’ words to His disciples cut through this: “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Your identity is in Christ—His grace, His redemption, His unchanging love.
When the dark days come, you’ll be tempted to grip the plow tighter, to fight for control, to prove yourself. But ministry isn’t yours to cling to—it belongs to Christ. If He, through His church, calls you to let it go, you must be ready. Paradoxically, that willingness to release your ministry gives you the strength to persevere. As Caleb Evans urged young ministers, “Let your daily concern be to affectionately reply, ‘Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.’”¹ Your love for Christ, not your achievements, sustains you.
The Joy in the Unpredictable
Here’s the flip side: the unpredictability of ministry isn’t just about trials. Sometimes, God will surprise you with moments of breathtaking grace. A conversation you thought would end in conflict becomes a breakthrough. A person you’d written off becomes a vessel of God’s glory. Ministry is hard, relentless work, but it’s also where you see Christ move in ways that defy expectation. There’s no greater joy than watching His Spirit transform a life, bring light to darkness, or build His church through your feeble efforts.
A Call to Readiness
So, my advice to you, whether you’re wrestling with the call or stepping into the early days of ministry, is simple: be prepared for anything. Anchor yourself in Christ, not in your successes or struggles. Hold your ministry loosely, knowing it belongs to Him. Expect the freight trains, but also anticipate the moments of sunshine that will leave you in awe of God’s goodness. As you navigate this unpredictable road, let the words of the Psalmist guide you: “My times are in your hand” (Ps. 31:15). Trust Him, love Him, and give yourself fully to His work.
This post is part three of a ten-part series offering honest, practical advice for those stepping into gospel ministry. If you’re wrestling with the call or navigating the early days of serving a church, keep journeying with us through these reflections.
Footnotes
¹ Caleb Evans, Advice to Students Having in View Christian Ministry; Addressed to Them at the Academy in Bristol (April 12, 1770), 2.
Oliver Allmand-Smith
Pastor of Trinity Grace Church, UK;
Trustee of International Reformed
Baptist Seminary, Mansfield, TX