In this episode of The Imperfect Pastor, we get real about those mornings when you’re just not feeling it—when the weight of ministry makes church meetings feel like a chore and passion starts to fade. How do we move beyond maintenance mode and rediscover the joy of our calling?

We start by reframing our mindset: ministry isn’t a burden—it’s an incredible honor. But to sustain that passion, we have to go back to our why. Why were we called? Why are we in this church, in this season? Looking at Luke 4, we examine how Jesus launched His ministry with clarity and purpose, revealing His identity through Isaiah 61.

A key takeaway: ministry thrives on authenticity. Too often, we try to be someone we’re not, modeling ourselves after mentors or ministry idols instead of embracing who God uniquely created us to be. We explore the tension between adapting to cultural contexts and staying true to our God-given identity, resisting the pull of people’s opinions—whether criticism or praise.

This episode also offers practical steps for realigning with our calling, including:

• Separating calling from identity
• Creating margin for reflection and assessment
• Courageously taking inventory of strengths and weaknesses
• Establishing clear parameters for ministry and communicating them with leadership

Next time, we’ll explore the importance of getting help in ministry and building a sustainable support system.