Continuing the series…
#5 - Are you trying to do this alone?
One of the things I’ve tried to do quite unsuccessfully in the past is solo ministry…thinking that I really didn’t need the help of God or others.
STOP…no pastor would admit they would try to do ministry without God…but here’s a question…how much personal time do you spend in the word…sermon prep NOT included.
In order for me to lead publically I need to have a passion to meet with Him privately as often as I can.
AND…pastors, we need the help of others! We will never be able to do EVERYTHING in our church well…and we should stop trying. God uniquely designed you for a purpose…and when we embrace trying to do everything we often wind up accomplishing nothing.
I used to HATE asking people to do things because I falsly assumed that because I hated doing something that others would hate doing it as well…until I heard Andy Stanley talk about how there are people who actually LOVE to do the tasks that I can’t stand. (Organizing, etc.)
Pastors…there are people all around you just waiting on you to ask them to do what you hate to do. They know you are horrible at it…they’re praying that you will stop!!! SO…ask for God’s help…and embrace Ephesians 4:11-12 and get others involved as well.
#6 - Do I care more about my sermon for this Sunday…or the people who will hear it?
This one FLOORED me because…there have been times that I crafted the “perfect sermon” and completely forgot about the people who were going to hear it.
Pastors…we are called to honor God by giving Him our best. (II Timothy 2:15) And we should desire to preach great sermons…but our passion should be for the people that hear them to be transformed by the Gospel…and for their lives to be radically different.
People MATTER to God…the sermon MATTERS to God, but it should NEVER be our goal to hear “great sermon pastor” at the expense of us forgetting to love and lead the very people whom God tells us we will be held accountable for.
BOTH MUST MATTER…one does not have to be sacrificed for the other…just something the Lord is teaching me.