What is Covenant of Grace?

Years ago, I had this conversation with a minister. I was sharing my spiritual ambition—my desire to help people, to be of service—and just kind of opening up about how I felt about ministry.

He responded to me with a knowing, mildly annoyed tone.

Yeah, when I first got into ministry, I felt the same way. I thought it was all about helping people, too. But the reality is… mostly it's a lot more practical than that.

He went on about maintaining buildings, managing facilities, handling mundane tasks... Basically, he patted me on the head for being so idealistic.

I didn’t say anything in response. But I remember thinking to myself:

That’s not the conclusion I would have drawn.

For me, ministry was never about those things. Now though, I can respect those who endure the practical workload—maintaining buildings, handling logistics—to serve others’ spiritual needs. But I also believed ministry can be lighter, freer, and more connected to the essence of the calling rather than the weight of its structures...