Sharing the Load: Lightening the Ministry Burden

The weight of the world, or at least the weight of a flock, presses down on the shoulders of one man. It’s a burden, a sacred trust, a mantle woven with the prayers of the faithful and the unceasing demands of the Kingdom. Apostle Isaac Kodua carried it daily, a quiet strength radiating from him even when his gaze seemed distant, lost in the intricate tapestry of souls entrusted to his care. We saw it in the lines etched around his eyes, the subtle slump of his shoulders after a particularly long service, the way he’d sometimes pause, mid-sentence, as if listening to a voice only he could hear.

It was during one of these quiet moments, after a powerful communion service where the very air seemed to hum with divine presence, that I found myself drawn to the Wise Elder. She sat by the stained-glass window, the afternoon sun painting her silver hair with halos of light. Her hands, gnarled with age and wisdom, rested gently on her lap. I approached her, a question stirring within me, a desire to understand this profound, often unseen, aspect of ministry.

“Elder,” I began, my voice soft, “I see the Apostle… he carries so much. It’s more than just preaching, isn’t it? It’s… everything.”