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    The secret to longevity in ministry is to retire from ministry.

    “Whoa!” you say? “That doesn’t sound right to me. I didn’t think Christians were ever supposed to retire!”

    Well, like I said, “The secret to longevity in ministry is to retire from ministry.”

    Now I don’t mean a long-term retirement, I mean brief, daily moments of retirement from ministry to be with God and be re-centered in our spiritual lives. The best example of doing this is Jesus himself! Look at Mark 1:35-45.

    What impresses me most is Jesus’ real sense of mission as he lived his life and conducted his ministry (v. 38). He says “No” to some people, so he can say “Yes” to his Father and live out his mission to the cities.

The secret to longevity in ministry is to retire from ministry.

    But how does he know this mission? How does he keep from being held captive by the needs and wants of others?

    Jesus purposely took a daily retirement from ministry! Notice how Mark describes what Jesus did to get away: “Very early... still dark... got up... left the house... went off... to solitary place...” This was not an accidental retirement. It was a very purposeful, intentional, and habitual retirement from the “busy-ness” of ministry to he alone with God.

    This regular disciplined retirement enabled Jesus to say “No” to those who might be worthy of his attention, but whose attention would keep Jesus from God’s design for him. It also empowered Jesus to resist the urging of his disciples and respond only to the will of God. As Jesus went along, however, he did respond to the needs of others along the way, like the leprous man (vs. 40-45). But this was someone God placed directly in Jesus’ path AS Jesus was carrying out his mission, not the crowd diverting him from what God had called him to do.

    Jesus is showing us that if we will take daily mini-retirements from the “busy-ness” of our world and lives, it will help us know and follow God’s mission for us and sustain us for long term ministry. We won’t be subject to the whims, demands, and approval of others.

    So let me ask you a question: “What does your ministry retirement plan look like?”