In the passage of Mark 4:35-41 we find an example of a team event that is filled with excitement, surprise, and adventure! Jesus and the disciples decide it is time to get away from the crowds, people, and ministry — so, they go on a retreat like no other retreat ever experienced! This isn’t a retreat to the mountains, resort, or even to an off-site conference or retreat center. This retreat takes place out on a lake and in a boat!
I don’t know about you, but as a staff member, when the Senior Pastor or Executive Pastor planned a staff retreat, a boat trip on a lake was never mentioned. I’ve experienced staff retreats with pastoral staff members only, with church board members and staff members combined, and I have even taken my own children and youth staff on a one-day retreat (but, never in a boat out on a lake). It just never occurred to me that this was an option!
We all know that ministry can be tough. The demands of the ministry are non-stop. There are volunteers to recruit, and curriculum to evaluate, choose, and order. There are ministry events to plan and then there’s Easter, Christmas, and summer ministries! Jesus and the disciples’ ministry may not have looked exactly like yours, but they dealt with people (stubborn, difficult, and rude) and religious leaders. Not everyone welcomed them with open arms and lavished gifts upon them. They walked from city to city on foot, logging many miles and long days with the bare essentials. When Jesus suggested a time away, there were probably some of the disciples who were clamoring and jumping to be the first to get in the boat. They wanted and needed a retreat!
Here’s another interesting fact we pick up in verse 36 of this story. “Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.” Apparently, the whole team couldn’t get in one boat. It took several boats to accommodate Jesus and His team. It is always interesting to see who ends up riding with whom when you have more than one car, van — or in this case, boat — to choose from! I wonder if some of the disciples waited to see which boat Jesus was going to get in before they decided which one they were going to get in. I wonder if some didn’t care what boat they ended up in; they were just anticipating and needing the time away from the crowds. At that point, any boat will do!
If you’re an extrovert, you probably don’t care who is in the boat with you. You’re just excited about going and being with the team out on a lake and in a boat! If you’re an introvert, you might be assessing the who, what, where, why, and how of this experience. This is team dynamics at its finest.
Jesus’ retreat in a boat out on a lake is about to get interesting. Verse 37 states: “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.”
Have you ever experienced a storm or unplanned crisis in your ministry? How did you respond? Did you look around to see who was in the boat with you? Did you see some of the team members jumping ship? Did you see some who offered encouragement, and by their actions you knew you could count on them to stand with you through the storm?
At the end of the day, look around and see who’s in the boat with you! Remember, Jesus promised that He would never leave us or forsake us. He was with the disciples during the storm, and He will be with you during your storms!
I don’t think Jesus planned the storm, but it is evident by this biblical account, He knew how to respond to it. The storm proved to be a teachable moment for the disciples. It was during the storm that they finally realized who Jesus was and all that He could do!
There may come a time in your ministry where you will have a teachable moment, and your staff will recognize and realize the leader you are and the gifts you bring to the team. My prayer is that it doesn’t have to be in a boat, out on a stormy lake!
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