GRN: What advice would you offer to young or aspiring ministers on maintaining a strong walk with God in the context of a busy ministry?
Dr. Master: You are in the Lord’s service, so remember that if your work is going to have any lasting value, it must be a work empowered by the Holy Spirit. Constantly labor in prayer—for yourself, your family, your preaching, your congregation, and for the needs of the world. Memorize God’s Word, so that it is near to your mind in all your conversations and flows out of you in your speech. If you are married, keep your wife close and pray together for the needs of your family and your ministry.
GRN: What advice would you give on the weekly preparation and preaching of the Word of God?
Dr. Master: There is no substitute for disciplined study. You will need to put time into your understanding of the particular text you are going to preach. This is hard work, and you will be tempted to give less and less of yourself to it as the other demands on your life increase. Schedule times when you are devoted, without distraction, to study, preparation, and prayer. This may mean silencing your phone and closing your email application.
Remember that preaching to a congregation has, by God’s grace, a cumulative effect. You may labor for many hours on a sermon that seems to have little effect on your hearers, but a weekly diet of good preaching shapes a congregation over the long haul. Also, never forget to offer Christ to your people every week. He is the only one who can save them from their sins.
GRN: What advice would you give on maintaining a healthy marriage and family life while in the trenches of gospel ministry?
Dr. Master: Thank the Lord—every day and in specific ways—for the wife and children he has given you. They are one of His chief earthly gifts to you. Keep your wife closely tethered to you in terms of your weekly schedule and your meetings with people. While some details may not be helpful to share, she should know who you are meeting with if at all possible. Pray with her about the needs of your family and the challenges of ministry. Remember that you have a duty to your wife and children as their spiritual head that will always be with you: Whether the Lord keeps you in one congregation for your whole ministry or chooses to send you to another, caring for your family is an abiding duty, and it should also be an abiding source of joy.
GRN: What advice would you give to young ministers on responding to criticism?
Dr. Master: Except in unusual circumstances, avoid responding immediately. Sometimes, very occasionally, the criticism is so unjust and publicly damaging that it requires an immediate rebuttal in defense of the name of Christ. But normally it’s best to wait and reflect on the criticism. Even if it is unfair or given by an enemy, there may be some truth in it (Psalm 7:3). If it is wholly unjust, then first give it to the Lord. Then, if it requires a response, be sure to pray (and ask trusted friends!) to be sure that your response is stated in the tone that befits someone who has been forgiven an unimaginable debt by a gracious and kind Savior.
GRN: What advice would you provide to young ministers as it concerns anxiety and stress management amidst the pressures of full-time ministry?
Dr. Master: There are basic measures that are worth taking. Try to get enough sleep and exercise. Remember the Sabbath day and rest on it. Keep a healthy relationship with your wife and children.
But at a deeper level, always bear in mind that you are in the Lord’s service. What you accomplish is His work if it is anything at all. Trust the Lord for the outcome of your ministry and for the provision for your life. He is a loving Father, in control of all things, and is working for the good of His people and His own glory.
