Today marks my 20 year anniversary of being a pastor.
Before becoming a pastor I had already preached numerous times; helped in youth ministries such as Sunday School, Junior Church, Youth Group, Holiday Bible Clubs (VBS), and Camps; I’d led congregational singing and been part of special music; helped organize and been involved with evangelism; and served in other areas of local church ministry.
I was ordained on February 7th, 2004.
But today, September 1st, 2005 marks 20 years since I started serving as a pastor. On this day twenty years ago I became the pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland.
As this date approached I decided to list 20 lessons I have learned. The list was filled within just a few minutes. Given time I would probably add and remove items. I have deliberately listed what first came to mind. These may not be the most important, they are not all I have learned, and I have not listed them in any particular order of importance, though I did try to rearrange them according to subject.
These are simply the 20 thoughts that came to mind when I decided to make this list. Each could be expanded upon greatly, but I want to keep this relatively brief for the purposes of this post.
1. God’s Grace is sufficient
What God brings you to He will bring you through. God has privileged me to carry many burdens for His name’s sake and I’ve been privileged to walk alongside God’s people and tried to help carry their burdens. I’ve made mistakes and created unnecessary burdens. Through it all, God’s grace has always been sufficient.
2. Trust God
Almost everything makes more sense looking back than looking ahead. You’ve trusted God for your salvation and you can trust Him for every step and to lead in every path. Simply trust Him.
3. Trust God’s Word – God’s Word is Sufficient
God’s Word is sufficient. I think it was Spurgeon who said we can visit other books, but we must live in the Word of God. Let God’s Word alone be the foundation of all you believe, practice, teach, and preach.
4. Trust the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit will do His work in the hearts of His people. Often I have tried to convince people against their will. But as one of my pastors says, “A man persuaded against his will is of the same persuasion still.” I have wanted to prevent people making bad decisions, but there is a work that only the Holy Spirit can accomplish and I must trust Him to do that work.
5. Make and Maintain Priorities
Arrange your life in this order and you will be saved much heart ache – God –> wife –> children –> church/everything else. When my priorities were incorrect then everything suffered. Early on we must establish priorities and then keep maintain them.
6. Be Patient
Life and ministry take time. You cannot skip ahead and you cannot go back. God’s perfect works time. His work in you, your family your church, it all takes time. There are no shortcuts to maturity or fruitfulness. Be patient with God, yourself, and those around you.
7. Be thankful
Part of the foundation of joy is gratitude. Entitlement, comparison, and bitterness will rob you of much. Be thankful and you will be praiseful. Be praiseful and you will joyful. Be joyful and you will be strong for the work God gives you.
8. Be Humble
I never knew how much I did not know. I don’t think I was arrogant, but the ministry quickly reveals how little we know. When I am humble I am teachable and when I am teachable I can grow.
9. Learn to Lead
Few men are natural leaders. Most of us must learn and that learning process often weaves its way through pain and trials. Not always, but often. Be deliberate in learning how to lead yourself, your family, and your church.
10. Lead with Love
Some lead by force and threats. People listen because they’re afraid. That is wrong for any real man and completely wrong for a pastor. Lead with love and lead gently. Your shepherd’s crook is not for beating the sheep, but guarding and guiding.
11. Delegate
You cannot do it all. If you try to do it all you will ultimately fail, but before you fail you will fall to discouragement, bitterness, and ineffectiveness. Part of delegation involves letting others make mistakes. Train those with whom you serve, but sometimes you may need to accept others may not do something as well as you and they may make mistakes. That’s ok. Delegate.
12. Discern God’s Will and then Lead Decisively
It’s a daunting thing to be the pastor of a church. I wholeheartedly believe in congregational decision making and taking counsel from others. Ultimately, though, a pastor must lead. I must be deliberate in seeking out God’s will and that may take time, but once known, a leader must lead decisively.
13. Read and Write
To the best of your ability read. Many have rightly said that leaders are readers. You may lead to some degree without reading, but you will never reach your potential as a leader if you are not a reader. When the time is right then write. It doesn’t have to be a book, but write down your thoughts, your experiences, your mistakes – write.
14. Learn from Mistakes and Move On
Mistakes are inevitable. The only way to avoid making mistakes is to do nothing at all and that is the worst mistake of all. Don’t let fear of failure paralyze you. Samuel Becket famously wrote, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” You will make mistakes, but learn from them and move on. Don’t give up or give in. Keep on.
15. Mentor and Seek Out Mentors
If you are following the Lord, reading His Word, spending time in prayer, studying, preaching, teaching, doing, then soon you should have something worth passing on to others. Seek out someone to mentor and help them. Simultaneously, seek out someone to mentor you. Never stop learning and never stop seeking out someone who has served longer than you or knows more than you. Mentor and be mentored.
16. Be a Friend
Sometimes you will need a friend. Often, always, someone will need you to be a friend to them. Be a friend to others.
17. Guard Your Heart
Early as a preacher a good friend counseled me, “Don’t let compliments go your head or criticisms go to your heart.” That wisdom has helped me through the years. When I have forgotten it, I have suffered the consequences. Guard your heart against sin, flattery, and criticism. Listen to constructive criticism, but don’t stop to kick every dog that barks.
18. Look After Your Physical Health
For most of my adult life I was in okay shape because I was young. My age and metabolism made up for bad decisions. Then my metabolism began to betray me, I put on weight, and I was hindered in what I could do. I took action and got healthy. In all honesty, a few years of health issues and poor choices have put me in a place right now where I am not as healthy as I could be or should be. But that’s changing. Be a good steward of your body and do your part to serve the Lord as long as you can. There’s no honor in dying young because of a lack of self-control and stewardship of your body.
19. Redeem the Time
The days are long but the years are short. There have been days and seasons I thought would never end, but they did. I was sometimes battered and bruised, but the Lord has brought me through them all. Some nights have been long, but the day has always dawned. There has been times I have wasted, opportunities missed, and I regret them all.
20. Wherever You Are – Be All In
I never would have guessed I’d be sat at a table in Pennsylvania after 20 years of ministry. Soon I will take an oath to renounce my British citizenship and pledge my allegiance to the United States. The burdens God gave me helped direct me. Some personal desires the Lord has blessed let me experience and accomplish. But the path as a whole I could never have seen. If I ever looked across the fence to where the grass seemed greener it never helped me. Wherever God placed me, I had to be there wholeheartedly. If the time comes to move on, God will let you know. You may serve in the same place your entire life, or God may have several places in His vineyard for you to serve. Wherever you are, be all in.
Over all I can say this, God has been good.
Across two decades; in three countries; eight houses; four churches; through trials, tears and hurts that took me lower than I could have ever anticipated; in blessings that brought joy unspeakable and full of glory; in leading sinners to the Lord for salvation; in the heartbreak of seeing saints wander from the Lord; in poverty and prosperity; through it all, God has been good.
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