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| Photo Credit: http://beggarsbread.org/2012/10/14/hand-to-the-plow/ |
1. God’s Word Is Sufficient to Build Christ’s Church
On my first Sunday as senior pastor, I sat alone in the sanctuary wondering if the doors would be open in a year. I realized all my cleverness and worldly wisdom couldn’t stop the decline. But I knew God, by his Spirit and through his Word, was sufficient to build and revitalize his church. Over a decade later, I’ve watched him do this very thing.
8. Faithfulness Is Worth the Harshest of Criticisms
Hard decisions have been made in every church I’ve served. Members have been disciplined. Men who just completed seminary have been counseled not to pursue vocational ministry. Attenders have been denied membership. Members have been removed due to their neglect. Countercultural decisions to defend the gospel in the community have been mocked. I’ve endured many harsh words because of my decisions to obey Scripture. My name has been so slandered that people recognized me in stores or coffee shops only because of the painful and public words said about me. But I can endure even the harshest words because I trust Christ will count me faithful, even despite my sin, when I stand before him.
18. Expect Suffering
My experience has reinforced this truth a lot over the years. If you want to be a pastor but aren’t willing to suffer, do something else. Our families and ministries are on the front lines of spiritual attack and gospel work. Suffering will come. At times, it will come all at once. Expect it. Hang on loosely to the things of this world. Hold on tightly to Jesus and your family. Allow pastoral suffering, for it is certain to come. Let it make you long for heaven.
19. Numbers Are Not a Helpful Gauge for Determining Church Health
The common trend is to use bodies and budgets to gauge church health. Having served in churches with big budgets and lots of behinds, however, I can tell you firsthand that those criteria by themselves are bad for measuring God’s work and church health. Pastors must evaluate their church and ministry in God’s way, not corporate America’s.
The following lessons were convicting but helpful:
4. Hang Onto Your Family
I was once told, “You can always have another ministry. You only get one wife.” This is absolutely true. Children also grow up fast and need their dad. Make sure you balance ministry and family life in such a way that your wife and children always come first, even in the grind of ministry. I’ve learned to take all my vacation time and not to answer the phone during dinner, devotions, and my day off. Remember, if you lose your family, you may lose the right to serve in ministry at all (1 Tim. 3:4–5).
