Don’t “Just Stay Down”

I remember the moment like it happened yesterday. I was exhausted—physically, emotionally, spiritually. Ministry had thrown one haymaker after another, and I was flat on my back, reeling. I had served for a short while at a church and a national pandemic was just announced. I was unsure if the church was going to be able to keep on in my position or lay me off.  I felt beat up, disappointed and hurt. I felt “down for the count”. In that vulnerable moment, the semi-retired founding pastor of the church showed up in my office. I was getting to know him and was hoping for wisdom, solidarity, maybe a little encouragement.

What I got instead was a shrug and the words: “Maybe you should just stay down.”

At first, I thought I’d misheard. Surely, this was a setup for something redemptive. But no—he meant it. Stay down. Quit while you’re down. Give up the fight. His words didn’t come from concern;  It wasn’t pastoral—it was patronizing.

And honestly, it made me mad…

Boxing and Ministry: Same Ring, Different Heart

I grew up with a grandfather who was a former amateur boxer and a dad who enjoyed the sport, often watching it on TV.  They even took me to see a few exhibition matches, so I grew up knowing little about boxing beyond just two guys punching each other in front of a crowd for money. It is a sport for fighters one of endurance and resilience. It was one of seeing which fighter would get knocked down and not get back up.  Which person would stay down.

In boxing, every fighter knows what it’s like to hit the mat. Sometimes, it’s a clean shot to the jaw; other times, it’s the slow wear and tear of a relentless opponent. Ministry is no different. It’s beautiful, yes. But it’s also brutal. You’ll take hits from every direction:

• The people who ghosts your ministry after years of investment.

• The elder who questions your every decision.

• The Sunday where no one shows up—and no one seems to notice.

It’s in those moments you don’t need a condescending voice from the corner telling you to quit. You need someone to sit in the tension with you, someone who’s been down too and knows what it takes to rise.

“Staying Down” Isn’t the Answer

When that pastor told me to stay down, what he really said was, “You’re not cut out for this.” After being in paid ministry for around 25 years at the point, he was questioning my calling and my fight.  But here’s the truth he missed: being down doesn’t mean you’re done.

“Every great fighter takes a knee. Every great pastor has questioned their call. But staying down permanently? That’s not resilience—that’s surrender. Not to the Spirit, but to discouragement. And that’s not what God calls us to.”

Jesus Himself was knocked down—misunderstood, betrayed, abandoned—but He didn’t stay there. Resurrection was always the plan. And if resurrection is our story too, then there’s always a reason to rise and stand back up. 

Resilience Means Rising Anyway

Resilience in ministry isn’t naïve optimism. It’s gritty hope. It’s learning to say:

• “I’m hurting… but I’m healing.”

• “I’m tired… but I’m still called.”

• “I’m down… but I’m getting back up.”

The people who make it in ministry aren’t the ones who never fall. They’re the ones who learn to get back up again—and bring others with them.

So if someone tells you to “just stay down,” smile politely. Then dig deep, stand tall, and keep fighting the good fight of faith.

Because the call of Christ isn’t comfort, it’s courage. And no condescending voice gets the final say on your calling.