
Joyful Perseverance
Staying Fresh through the Ups and Downs of Ministry
Ajith Fernando(Author)
Crossway Books (Publisher)
Published on 6. August 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
176 pages
978-1-4335-9376-5 (ISBN)
Description
How to Remain Joyful about Ministry Despite Inevitable Challenges
Life in ministry is not detached from disappointment. Threats to one's integrity, harmful expectations from celebrity culture, and the tendency toward loneliness, insecurity, and pain can put a strain on ministry leaders. How can they remain faithful to their work for Christ's kingdom without letting bitterness seep in?
Joyful Perseverance encourages ministry leaders to rely on God's grace to find joy, energy, and the freshness to serve well, despite inevitable disappointments. It offers practical ways to combat the negative effects of ministry such as embracing God's joy-giving presence, guarding one's integrity, leaning into one's God-given identity, groaning with God, settling sin issues through repentance and forgiveness, cultivating friends, and more. By adopting a life of thanksgiving, readers will experience abundant joy, resulting in an ongoing passion for ministry.
Written to Pastors, Elders, and Ministry Leaders: Intended to help people joyfully stay in their ministry role despite discouragement and struggle
Empathetic: Written by veteran ministry leader Ajith Fernando, this book addresses the inevitable difficulties presented to ministry leaders
Concise: This short format makes this book practical and accessible for busy leaders
Foreword by Thomas R. Schreiner
Life in ministry is not detached from disappointment. Threats to one's integrity, harmful expectations from celebrity culture, and the tendency toward loneliness, insecurity, and pain can put a strain on ministry leaders. How can they remain faithful to their work for Christ's kingdom without letting bitterness seep in?
Joyful Perseverance encourages ministry leaders to rely on God's grace to find joy, energy, and the freshness to serve well, despite inevitable disappointments. It offers practical ways to combat the negative effects of ministry such as embracing God's joy-giving presence, guarding one's integrity, leaning into one's God-given identity, groaning with God, settling sin issues through repentance and forgiveness, cultivating friends, and more. By adopting a life of thanksgiving, readers will experience abundant joy, resulting in an ongoing passion for ministry.
Written to Pastors, Elders, and Ministry Leaders: Intended to help people joyfully stay in their ministry role despite discouragement and struggle
Empathetic: Written by veteran ministry leader Ajith Fernando, this book addresses the inevitable difficulties presented to ministry leaders
Concise: This short format makes this book practical and accessible for busy leaders
Foreword by Thomas R. Schreiner
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Wheaton, IL
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 139 mm
Width: 216 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
214 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4335-9376-5 (9781433593765)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
07/2024
Crossway
€11.47
Available for download
Persons
Ajith Fernando (ThM, Fuller Theological Seminary) is the teaching director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka after serving as the ministry's national director for thirty-five years. He and his wife, Nelun, are active in a church ministering primarily to the urban poor, and his ministry includes counseling and mentoring younger staff and pastors. He is the author of twenty-one books published in twenty-four languages. Ajith lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with his wife, and they have two adult children and four grandchildren.
Content
Foreword by Thomas R. Schreiner
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Do We Mean by Freshness?
Chapter 2: It Is All of Grace
Chapter 3: Strength for Energy-Sapping Ministry
Chapter 4: Thanksgiving and Joy
Chapter 5: Three Reasons for Joy
Chapter 6: When I Don't Feel Joy
Chapter 7: The Reality of Frustration
Chapter 8: Groaning and Lament
Chapter 9: The God Who Groans
Chapter 10: Refreshment through Prayer
Chapter 11: Battling Insecurity
Chapter 12: Guarding Our Integrity
Chapter 13: Conscience: Others' and Ours
Chapter 14: Contentment in a Celebrity Culture
Chapter 15: Innovation, Growth, Excellence, and God's Glory
Chapter 16: Refreshment through Our Call and the Scriptures
Chapter 17: Grace through Friends
Chapter 18: Friends in Times of Need
Conclusion
General Index
Scripture Index
Introduction
Chapter 1: What Do We Mean by Freshness?
Chapter 2: It Is All of Grace
Chapter 3: Strength for Energy-Sapping Ministry
Chapter 4: Thanksgiving and Joy
Chapter 5: Three Reasons for Joy
Chapter 6: When I Don't Feel Joy
Chapter 7: The Reality of Frustration
Chapter 8: Groaning and Lament
Chapter 9: The God Who Groans
Chapter 10: Refreshment through Prayer
Chapter 11: Battling Insecurity
Chapter 12: Guarding Our Integrity
Chapter 13: Conscience: Others' and Ours
Chapter 14: Contentment in a Celebrity Culture
Chapter 15: Innovation, Growth, Excellence, and God's Glory
Chapter 16: Refreshment through Our Call and the Scriptures
Chapter 17: Grace through Friends
Chapter 18: Friends in Times of Need
Conclusion
General Index
Scripture Index