I've heard that when it comes to the average American church, 10% of the congregation does 90% of the work. Being in ministry can be extremely hard and thankless.
When most people come to church they take it for granted. Those songs don't just fall together; those musicians don't just look at the music and play. It takes a lot of practice and commitment. The communion doesn't just appear, the tithe doesn't count itself. The church isn't automatically clean because it's God's house.
I think one of the hardest things for a ministry leader is they begin to seek the thanks of the congregation rather than just God. I also think God knew that problem would exist. God knew that when a person works hard and pours their heart into something, they will naturally want praise. But God is unnatural to human flesh. He wants us to put that desire at His feet and desire nothing but His praise. Sometimes that can be very hard.
Nevertheless, the church expects a lot from you. They expect you to be near to perfect, they expect you to always be there if they need you, and they expect the very best out of you every Sunday or Wednesday night. If you fail in any of these aspects, they just may find another church to worship at. It's interesting that John. F. Kennedy comes to mind when I think of ministry. I think most congregations need to ask what they can do for God's church, and not what the church can do for them.
