Breaking All the Rurals

This week, 20 years ago, God allowed me to begin serving Him in full time Christian service. 1 Timothy 1:12 sums up my words of gratitude to God “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.” In twenty years, I have served in a parachurch organization, 3 churches as student pastor and 1 church as senior pastor. Ministry has not been my life, Jesus has, and ministry has been the overflow of a consistent walk with Him! Here are just a few things I have learned, and are still learning.

#1 Daily reading God’s Word is a MUST!
If you want to die dry, try ministry without the meat of The Word!
#2 A Red Hot Marriage must HAPPEN!
I was single the first four years (purity was priority), but the last sixteen have been spent with my dream date Cindy. If I did not have this principle in place, I would have spiritually faked myself into my own ministry grave.
#3 The Word must be PREACHED!
Above all, teach, preach, share, read, tell, open, speak The Holy Scriptures unashamedly, without compromise. The latest fades will come and go, but God’s Word never fails. In twenty years I have seen the fades, workbooks, worship styles, come and go, but a great expositor of God’s Truth still stands.
#4 Your greatest discipleship class MUST take place at home!
God did not call me to raise “best friends” but, to make disciples. I know that the effectiveness of my call begins in my home. So many “churched” want another discipleship class and have struggling marriages with hellacious kids. Class is great, but it must start in my living room, then I can attend in the Sunday School room.
#5 Passionless Ministries are everywhere!
For many years I wondered why pastors and leaders looked at me with a dazed grin when I would share radical ideas. Heard a stat last week that stated for twenty years 60% of all evangelical churches have averaged the same attendance and 51% baptized 5 or less. God let me never lose my passion to whatever it takes to reach those that need Jesus!
#6 Churches are filled with Bi-Polar Believers!
The first time I realized not everyone who said they loved Jesus, lived for Him, was a depressing experience. I just thought everyone had the same conversion as me, not perfection, but yielded to sanctification. The casually chew, the social beer, the divorce, the dusty scriptures, the optional surrender to God’s Church, the dissension, the gossip, was and is, so very difficult for me. I just thought becoming a Christ follower meant listening, surrendering, and radically giving up my wants for His.
#7 Hire for Intensity, not Intellect!
Ministry is a place that breeds laziness and contentment. You don’t have to do much to maintain and even less to just keep the loudest happy. Today, I am realizing that if you are going to be a Growing Kingdom Church you must have intense leaders all around you! Intense leaders are always willing to do whatever it takes. (If you are one of those people and need a job comment below) Finding a intense, passionate ministry leader is very difficult, but don’t settle for a average one.
#8 Stagnant Churches fear a Growing Church!
When entering ministry, I assumed every church would celebrate when a church was growing. (not predominately sheep swapping, but evangelistic growth) I remember the first time I heard a group of pastors gossiping about the church down the road. Unbelievable! Today, I have stopped worrying about what others say. I have realized that a church, with a Word from God and His favor, creates fear within a stagnant group of believers.
#9 Risk Taking Ministry is Hard
I know now why so many pastors are just keeping the few happy, because growth is painful. Jesus, warned us in Matthew 7 that FEW would get it spiritually. Preaching, leading, counseling, financing, professing, and serving can become so laborious without a RISK taking mission. I thought everyone would love to try WHATEVER to reach the lost, but many just love your passion for it. Everyone is excited about reaching the lost, until you start taking the risk necessary to reach them.
#10 The Greatest Job on Planet Earth is Ministry!
God called me, and I will serve Him with everything until He returns or my heart stops beating. Thank you God for letting me serve the greatest institution on earth! Twenty years complete and I realize THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING!